John Neville brings a lifelong interest in birds and a keen understanding of their sounds to the Nelson Public Library on Tuesday, September 17 at 7:30 p.m. with a special presentation called "Raptors of Canada."
Many Nelson residents will remember Neville as a long-serving Nelson city councillor, but may not know him as John Neville, Birdsong Man — now a resident of Saltspring Island and producer of 17 regional guides to birdsong on CD.
Neville records in the wild with great sensitivity and field craft awareness. His major aim is that his nature recordings will make people more aware of the feathered creatures and their need for protected habitat.
For his presentation of "Raptors of Canada," Neville received special permission from wildlife artist Robert Bateman to link images of his paintings with sound recordings and vivid descriptions for a 60-minute high resolution power point sound presentation. The presentation at the Nelson Library is sponsored by the Arthur P. Campbell project, in honour of a naturalist who revered the earth.
Neville regularly offers presentations at birding festivals such as Brant Festival, Wings over the Rockies, and the Meadowlark Festival. In addition to articles published in a number of nature journals, his recordings have been used by the Canadian Wildlife Service for Training DVD, CBC Television’s The Nature of Things, and Parks Canada interpretive programs.
Produced by Neville Recording, CDs of particular interest to this region include Birds of the Kootenays, Bird Songs of the Creston Valley, and Beginner’s Guide to BC Birdsong, among many others, but those with a love of birds and a penchant for travel will enjoy titles such as Bird Songs of the Scottish Highlands or Bird Songs of the Arctic.
Neville’s work is presently exhibited in the new Robert Bateman Center in Victoria. He is currently working on his most ambitious project to date, Bird Songs of Canada.
For interviews with Neville and recording samples, go to nevillerecording.com.