Early Birds Book Club
The Early Birds Book Club meets before each Monthly Meeting at Manuel's Tavern and virtually via Zoom on other months. All are welcome!
The Early Birds is a drop-in book club that meets on the fourth Sunday of each month. The group meets in person at Manuel's Tavern, from 2:00 to 3:00 PM when Birds Georgia is holding an in-person meeting at Manuel's Tavern. The group meets virtually on Zoom when there is not an in-person meeting. There is no commitment other than to enjoy reading and sharing books about birds and birding. Feel free to join us even if you have not read the book! If you wish to join the Early bird's e-mail list for announcements and reminder notices, please e-mail Mary Nevil.
Manuel's Tavern is located at 602 N. Highland Ave., NE, Atlanta, GA 30307. Early Birds Book Club meetings are free and open to the public. Free parking is readily available to the south of the building. Food and drink are available for purchase.
Manuel's Tavern is located at 602 N. Highland Ave., NE, Atlanta, GA 30307. Early Birds Book Club meetings are free and open to the public. Free parking is readily available to the south of the building. Food and drink are available for purchase.
Early Birds Book Club 2026 Schedule
Our upcoming meeting schedule is as follows:
Sunday, January 25, at 2:00 PM (virtual via Zoom) The Early Birds will meet virtually to discuss bird-related podcasts. To give us a taste of the ABA podcast, Jay Davis suggested an episode he particularly liked. Dip into one or more podcasts, if you have time. We will discuss our favorites and others.
Sunday, January 25, at 2:00 PM (virtual via Zoom) The Early Birds will meet virtually to discuss bird-related podcasts. To give us a taste of the ABA podcast, Jay Davis suggested an episode he particularly liked. Dip into one or more podcasts, if you have time. We will discuss our favorites and others.
February: No Meeting
Sunday, March 22, at 2:00 PM (virtual via Zoom) The Early Birds will read Birding with Benefits, by Sarah Dubb. A divorcee embarks on her "year of yes" and crosses paths with a shy but sensitive birder who changes her life in this charming and "spicy" rom-com.
Book Selections
2026 Books
March: Birding with Benefits, by Sarah Dubb
February: No Meeting
January: Birding Podcasts
March: Birding with Benefits, by Sarah Dubb
February: No Meeting
January: Birding Podcasts
2025 Books
November: The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne, by Chris Sweeney
October: Conversations With Birds, by Priyanka Kumar
September: Starlings: the Curious Odyssey of a Most Hated Bird, by Mike Stark
April: Return to the Sky: The Surprising Story of How One Woman and Seven Eaglets Helped Restore the Bald Eagle, by Tina Morris
March: Woman, Watching, by Merilyn Simond
February: Black-throated Blue, by Jordan Spaulding or The Nighthawk's Evening: Notes of a Field Biologist, by Gretchen Newberry (read one or both)
January: The Backyard Bird Chronicles, by Amy Tan
November: The Feather Detective: Mystery, Mayhem, and the Magnificent Life of Roxie Laybourne, by Chris Sweeney
October: Conversations With Birds, by Priyanka Kumar
September: Starlings: the Curious Odyssey of a Most Hated Bird, by Mike Stark
April: Return to the Sky: The Surprising Story of How One Woman and Seven Eaglets Helped Restore the Bald Eagle, by Tina Morris
March: Woman, Watching, by Merilyn Simond
February: Black-throated Blue, by Jordan Spaulding or The Nighthawk's Evening: Notes of a Field Biologist, by Gretchen Newberry (read one or both)
January: The Backyard Bird Chronicles, by Amy Tan
2024 Books
January: What an Owl Knows: the New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds, by Jennifer Ackerman
February: Birding While Indian, by Thomas Gannon
March: A Wing and a Prayer, by Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal
April: Comfort of Crows, by Margaret Renki
June: Ten Birds that Changed the World, by Stephen Moss
August: Death of a Golden Bird, by David Woolbright
September: The Birds Audubon Missed: Discovery and Desire in the American West, by Kenn Kaufman
October: Keeping the Chattahoochee: Reviving and Defending a Great Southern River, by Sally Bethea
January: What an Owl Knows: the New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds, by Jennifer Ackerman
February: Birding While Indian, by Thomas Gannon
March: A Wing and a Prayer, by Anders and Beverly Gyllenhaal
April: Comfort of Crows, by Margaret Renki
June: Ten Birds that Changed the World, by Stephen Moss
August: Death of a Golden Bird, by David Woolbright
September: The Birds Audubon Missed: Discovery and Desire in the American West, by Kenn Kaufman
October: Keeping the Chattahoochee: Reviving and Defending a Great Southern River, by Sally Bethea
2023 Books
January: Forest Unseen: A Year's Watch in Nature, by David Haskell
February: Learning the Birds, by Susan Rogers
March: The Condor's Feather, by Michael Webster
April: Halcyon Journey: In Search of the Belted Kingfisher, by Marina Richie and Ram Papish
August: The Elvis Bird: A Benjamin Miles Mystery, by David Woolbright
September: Flight Paths: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration, by Rebecca Heisman
October: Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard, by Joan
Strassman
January: Forest Unseen: A Year's Watch in Nature, by David Haskell
February: Learning the Birds, by Susan Rogers
March: The Condor's Feather, by Michael Webster
April: Halcyon Journey: In Search of the Belted Kingfisher, by Marina Richie and Ram Papish
August: The Elvis Bird: A Benjamin Miles Mystery, by David Woolbright
September: Flight Paths: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration, by Rebecca Heisman
October: Slow Birding: The Art and Science of Enjoying the Birds in Your Own Backyard, by Joan
Strassman
2022 Books
January: The Bird Way, by Jennifer Ackerman
February: The Peregrine, by J.A. Baker
March: Rosalie Edge, Hawk of Mercy: The Activist Who Saved Nature from the Conservationists, by Dyana Furmansky
April: No Meeting: Georgia Bird Fest Opening Celebration
May: The Wall of Birds: 243 Families, 375 Million Years, by Jane Kim and Thayer Walker
June: Wild Spectacle: Seeking Wonders in a World Beyond Humans, by Janisse Ray
July: No Meeting
August: Diary of a Young Naturalist, by Dara McAnulty
September: Vesper Flights, by Helen McDonald
October: Life List: A Woman's Quest for the World's Most Amazing Birds, by Olivia Gentile
January: The Bird Way, by Jennifer Ackerman
February: The Peregrine, by J.A. Baker
March: Rosalie Edge, Hawk of Mercy: The Activist Who Saved Nature from the Conservationists, by Dyana Furmansky
April: No Meeting: Georgia Bird Fest Opening Celebration
May: The Wall of Birds: 243 Families, 375 Million Years, by Jane Kim and Thayer Walker
June: Wild Spectacle: Seeking Wonders in a World Beyond Humans, by Janisse Ray
July: No Meeting
August: Diary of a Young Naturalist, by Dara McAnulty
September: Vesper Flights, by Helen McDonald
October: Life List: A Woman's Quest for the World's Most Amazing Birds, by Olivia Gentile
2021 Books
January: John James Audubon: The Nature of the American Woodsman, by Gregory Nobles.
February: Winter World, by Bernd Heinrich
March: Falcon Freeway: A Big Year of Birding on a Budget, by Christian Hagenlocher
April: Owl of the Eastern Ice: The Quest to Find and Save the World's Largest Owl, by Jonathan Slaght
May: When Birds are Near: Dispatches from Contemporary Writers. In this dazzling literary collection, fresh new voices and seasoned authors explore and celebrate their lives with and love for birds.
June/July: Early Birds will not meet in June and July.
August: A Most Remarkable Creature: The hidden life and epic journey of the world's smartest Birds of Prey, by Jonathan Meiburg.
September: The Hummingbird's Gift, by Sy Montgomery and The Glitter in the Green: In Search of Hummingbirds by Jon Dunn. Feel free to read either one or both.
October: Sparrow Envy: Field Guide to Birds and Lesser Beasts, by J. Drew Lanham along with Christian Cooper's comic book, It's a Bird.
January: John James Audubon: The Nature of the American Woodsman, by Gregory Nobles.
February: Winter World, by Bernd Heinrich
March: Falcon Freeway: A Big Year of Birding on a Budget, by Christian Hagenlocher
April: Owl of the Eastern Ice: The Quest to Find and Save the World's Largest Owl, by Jonathan Slaght
May: When Birds are Near: Dispatches from Contemporary Writers. In this dazzling literary collection, fresh new voices and seasoned authors explore and celebrate their lives with and love for birds.
June/July: Early Birds will not meet in June and July.
August: A Most Remarkable Creature: The hidden life and epic journey of the world's smartest Birds of Prey, by Jonathan Meiburg.
September: The Hummingbird's Gift, by Sy Montgomery and The Glitter in the Green: In Search of Hummingbirds by Jon Dunn. Feel free to read either one or both.
October: Sparrow Envy: Field Guide to Birds and Lesser Beasts, by J. Drew Lanham along with Christian Cooper's comic book, It's a Bird.
2020 Books
January: The Narrow Edge: A Tiny bird, an Ancient Crab and an Epic Journey, by Deborah Cramer.
February: Saving Jemima: Life and Love with a Hard-luck Jay, by Julie Zickefoose.
March: In honor of Scott Weidensaul's, our Georgia Bird Fest keynote speaker, love of owls, our March meeting will be an Owl Fest. Scott is the author of the 2015 Peterson Reference Guide to Owls of North America and the Caribbean. Please read a book about owls—fiction, nonfiction, memoir, children's—and come ready to share with the group.
April: Feathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle, by Thor Hanson.
May: The Early Birds will not meet in May as there is no Monthly Meeting.
June: Summer World: a Season of Bounty, by Bernd Heinrich.
July: The Falcon Thief: a True Tale of Adventure, Treachery, and the Hunt for the Perfect Bird, by Joshua Hammer.
August: Creation, by Katherine Govier.
September: Birds and Art in response to David Sibley's new book, What It's Like to be a Bird. Select a bird artist to share with the group.
October: Cuckoo: Cheating by Nature, by Nick Davies.
November: No Meeting. Happy Thanksgiving!
December: No Meeting. Happy Holidays!
January: The Narrow Edge: A Tiny bird, an Ancient Crab and an Epic Journey, by Deborah Cramer.
February: Saving Jemima: Life and Love with a Hard-luck Jay, by Julie Zickefoose.
March: In honor of Scott Weidensaul's, our Georgia Bird Fest keynote speaker, love of owls, our March meeting will be an Owl Fest. Scott is the author of the 2015 Peterson Reference Guide to Owls of North America and the Caribbean. Please read a book about owls—fiction, nonfiction, memoir, children's—and come ready to share with the group.
April: Feathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle, by Thor Hanson.
May: The Early Birds will not meet in May as there is no Monthly Meeting.
June: Summer World: a Season of Bounty, by Bernd Heinrich.
July: The Falcon Thief: a True Tale of Adventure, Treachery, and the Hunt for the Perfect Bird, by Joshua Hammer.
August: Creation, by Katherine Govier.
September: Birds and Art in response to David Sibley's new book, What It's Like to be a Bird. Select a bird artist to share with the group.
October: Cuckoo: Cheating by Nature, by Nick Davies.
November: No Meeting. Happy Thanksgiving!
December: No Meeting. Happy Holidays!
2019 Books
January: Vulture, by Katie Fallon
February: The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century, by Kirk Wallace Johson.
March: Birdscapes, Birds in Our Imagination and Experience, by Jeremy Mynott March
April: Of a Feather, by Scott Weidensaul
May: No Monthly Meeting in May
June: A Season on the Wind: inside the world of Spring Migration, by Kenn Kaufman
August: The Sun is a Compass: A 4,000 Mile Journey Into the Alaskan Wilderness, by Caroline Van Hemert
September: In September, Atlanta Audubon member Kit Robey will be joining us to talk about her book, Cardinal Coat and Anne McCallum, also an Atlanta Audubon member, will tell us about her children's book, What Birds Do and Say; An Ornithological Primer for the Young and Young at Heart. You are invited to bring a children's book about birds or birding to share.
October: Eye of the Albatross: Visions of Hope and Survival, by Carl Safina.
November: No Monthly Meeting. Happy Thanksgiving!
December: Atlanta Audubon Holiday Party. No book club.
January: Vulture, by Katie Fallon
February: The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century, by Kirk Wallace Johson.
March: Birdscapes, Birds in Our Imagination and Experience, by Jeremy Mynott March
April: Of a Feather, by Scott Weidensaul
May: No Monthly Meeting in May
June: A Season on the Wind: inside the world of Spring Migration, by Kenn Kaufman
August: The Sun is a Compass: A 4,000 Mile Journey Into the Alaskan Wilderness, by Caroline Van Hemert
September: In September, Atlanta Audubon member Kit Robey will be joining us to talk about her book, Cardinal Coat and Anne McCallum, also an Atlanta Audubon member, will tell us about her children's book, What Birds Do and Say; An Ornithological Primer for the Young and Young at Heart. You are invited to bring a children's book about birds or birding to share.
October: Eye of the Albatross: Visions of Hope and Survival, by Carl Safina.
November: No Monthly Meeting. Happy Thanksgiving!
December: Atlanta Audubon Holiday Party. No book club.
2018 Books
February: Birding Without Borders, by Noah Stryker
March: Baby Birds, by Julie Zickefoose
April: Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, by Janisse Ray
June: Wild America, by Roger Tory Peterson and James Fischer/ Return to Wild America, by Scott Weidensaul
August: The Genius of Birds, Jennifer Ackerman
September: Mozart's Starling, by Leanda Lynn Haupt
October: Various Fiction and poetry about Birding
February: Birding Without Borders, by Noah Stryker
March: Baby Birds, by Julie Zickefoose
April: Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, by Janisse Ray
June: Wild America, by Roger Tory Peterson and James Fischer/ Return to Wild America, by Scott Weidensaul
August: The Genius of Birds, Jennifer Ackerman
September: Mozart's Starling, by Leanda Lynn Haupt
October: Various Fiction and poetry about Birding
Book Reviews
Periodically, we will post book reviews by Early Birds Book Club members or others.
- Book Review: The Wall of Birds: One Planet, 243 Families, 375 Million Years, by Jane Kim with Thayer Walker. (Reviewed by Grant McCreary - shared with permission.
- Book Review: John James Audubon, The Nature of an American Woodsman, by Gregory Nobles. (Reviewed by Steve Phenicie, February, 2021.)
- Book Review: Summer World: A Season of Bounty, by Bernd Heinrich (Reviewed by Anne McCallum, Georgia Audubon Early Birds Book Club, June 28, 2020)
- Book Review: A Season on the Wind: Inside the World of Spring Migration, by Ken Kauffman. (Reviewed by Grant McCreary - shared with permission)
- Book Review: Eye of the Albatross: Visions of Hope and Survival, by Carl Safina. (Reviewed by Grant McCreary - shared with permission)
- Book Review: Saving Jemima: Life and Love with a Hard-Luck Jay, by Julie Zickefoose (Reviewed by Grant McCreary - shared with permission)
- Book Review: Of a Feather, by Scott Weidensaul (Reviewed by Anne McCallum)
- Book Review: The Feather Thief, by Kirk Wallace Johnson (Reviewed by Anne McCallum)
- Book Review: Birdscapes, Birds in Our Imagination and Experience (Grant McCreary - shared with permission)
