Is anyone else here a compulsive field guide collector?

[XemaSab]

This is a map of all the countries I have field guides for.

Note well I have only ever been to the US and Canada.

Good times.

Make your own map here:

http://www.worldmapmaker.com

[semillama]

1. I only have a couple for outside the continental US

two for Puerto Rico, one for Mexico (Peterson, not Howell and Webb), and one for the Hong Kong area that my mom bought for me when she visited China.

I do have 2 editions of Nat Geo, the big sibley plus the eastern and western smaller Sibleys, eastern and western Petersons, the new Smithsonian guide, plus various family-level guides for shorebirds, sparrows, warblers, etc.

[XemaSab]

2. For domestic species I have:

SIbley, about 4 natty geo's, eastern and western peterson, kaufman, abc guide, about 5 Lane guides, plus gulls, shorebirds, woodpeckers, warblers, and kingfishers.

And I know I'm forgetting something. :P

[tigereye]

3. I have 6-7, so not compared to you guys!

Mostly I have the local PA ones, some shore-bird ones such as Bay Area, Eastern shorebirds, and a few standard bird guides.

[XemaSab]

4. I have added a few more:

I have Peru and East Asia (Eastern Russia, Korea, Japan, Eastern China, and Taiwan), my friend got New Zealand for me, and I have Borneo and Brazil on back order.

This leaves Indonesia, New Guinea, Philippines, Central Asia, North Africa (though that's pretty well covered by Europe and Africa), the Guianas, and Bolivia, as well as the Galapagos and probably a few other hidy-holes.

Edit: No Trinidad and Tobago. Sad.

[semillama]

5. At what point will the money you've spent on field guides equal a trip to Costa Rica?

Just wondering!

[XemaSab]

6. If I have 20 at $40 a pop

not too long at all...

[carpetbagger]

7. But what about taxon-specific guides?

Now have I driven you nuts?

[XemaSab]

8. I only have corvids, warblers, kingfishers, and woodpeckers

:(