Meet My London Traveling Companion: Professor Steve Steve

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World-famous evolutionary biologist, Professor Steve Steve, supervises a blog writer.

Image: Not sure who snapped it [larger view]. .

Those are not my hands, nor my laptop, but that picture gives you the general idea of what to expect when I visit London at the end of August because I have made arrangements for Professor Steve Steve to accompany me! How exciting! I only met Steve Steve for the first time last year at the SciBling meeting in NYC, but I've never traveled with him before. Amazingly, Professor Steve Steve is doing what I've only dreamed of doing in order to travel to faboo locations, such as London; he plans to hide in my luggage! Well, even though I have to do the heavy lifting by carrying him around with me, at least I don't have to buy his plane ticket.

I have not yet purchased my airline ticket but I have found some really good deals for economy travel on British Airways, so it is likely I will purchase my ticket from them. I am making a list of all the things I want to see and do while in London, in decreasing order of priority, so I am certain that I'll see and do those things that are most important to me. I plan to bring my camera so I can snap plenty of pictures to share with you on my blog -- hopefully while I am there.

I doubt I'll be able to do any dedicated birding while I am there, but I still would like to get a field guide that I can carry with me since I am always looking for birds whenever I am awake. So which field guide do you suggest for London and the nearby region?

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The Lorimer Guide to London Birds looks good and the London Natural History Society has a list of birding places, but I'm no ornithologist or bird-watcher.

Professor Steve Steve seems quite knowledgable, and a perfect companion, quiet when you want to be, discrete, and prepared for dress up or dress down occasions!

I don't know anything about bird books for the London area, sorry. I've learned that I'm MUCH more likely to carry a small book with me all the time than a large one. So I'd go as local as possible. But I'm sure you already know that.

Here's wishing you a great trip!

ps. And thanks once again for letting me share some bird pics!

Woot! So I will be able to meet someone famous in London!

As several people have mentioned on your other bird books thread, the Collins guide is the one most people (seem to) use. It's useful outside of London too. Or I could lend you Jack, although he does try to classify by taste a bit too much.

You should (prod, prod) join the NN group for the meeting, so you can ask about birding there. And also help build up a bit of momentum for trying to block-book some accommodation.

I knew one woman who was a birder and from "Landon", but lost contact with her. A quick google suggests that (a) she still doesn't have a bog web presence, and (b) she might be working at the RSPB as a researcher.