Laurel Tucker

Laurel died on 20 June 1986, having suffered a cerebral haemorrhage from which she never regained consciousness. She was 35. We had been together for nearly three years and she embarked upon the first version this book with great enthusiasm, excited at the prospect of a joint project together. In the event, she completed only 18 of the plates. Laurel was a remarkable woman, whose vivid and intense personality was somehow reflected in her illustrations. It is hoped that this new edition and its predecessor, together with the Handbook of Bird Identification by Mark Beaman and Steve Madge, will serve as a testament to her remarkable ability, both as a bird illustrator and as a birder. It is, of course, dedicated to her memory.

K.E.V.