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The books in this section are ordered by publication date with the most recent at the top.

The Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland

Marjorie Blamey, Richard Fitter and Alaqstair Fitter

2003

"The first ever fully-illustrated, fully-mapped guide to the British and Irish flora. Its restriction to the British Isles alone allows far more detail and more local information, and identification which is made easier with the inclusion of extensive maps. Includes specific details about plants appearing in certain areas and coloured maps designed to make location and identification easy, this book also includes details of local specialities for the Isles of Scilly. Also featured is an illustrated survey of recently disappeared British and Irish plants, some of which may return. With over 2000 detailed colour paintings and more than 800 maps, this is the most extensively illustrated wild flower guide to Britain and Ireland yet. Coloured, boxed keys to plants in complex or difficult groups are provided to assist ID. The Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland features information about grasses, which are often omitted in other, shorter books, along with sedges, rushes, horsetails and clubmosses. Ferns, though not strictly speaking flowering plants, are also included too."

Grasses, Sedges, Rushes and Ferns of Britain and Northern Europe

Richard Fitter and Ann Farrer

Collins

2002

"A photographic guide to the wild grasses and ferns of Britain and Northern Europe."

The Breeding Birds of the London Area

Editor: Jan Hewlett

Historical perspective: E.M. Nicholson

London Natural History Society

2002

"Recording the bird life of London and its surrounding rural fringe, this important book traces changes in the capital's breeding birds in the last 30 years of the 20th century, a period of major environmental change in both town and countryside. It compares maps of breeding distribution in 1988-94 with earlier surveys and documents both the success of species such as the Great Crested Grebe, Magpie and Sparrowhawk in colonising new areas and the decline of once-familiar species such as the Barn Owl and Yellowhammer in the London Area. Line drawings illustrate most species."

Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe

Richard Fitter, Alastair Fitter and Marjorie Blamey

Collins

5th edition

1996

"A comprehensive guide to wild trees, shrubs and flowering plants covering the whole of Britain and Ireland, plus Europe from the Arctic to the Alps. nearly 2000 species are described, and 1450 are illustrated in colour."

Birds of Britain and Europe with North Africa and the Middle East

Hermann Heinzel, Richard Fitter, and John Parslow

1995

"A guide that describes and illustrates all 887 species of birds found in Britain and Europe including all rarities and introduced species. The book provides the information needed to identify every species - whatever its age or sex - and special pages highlight groups of birds that are difficult to identify."

Collins Complete Guide: British Wildlife

N. Arlott, R. Fitter, A. Fitter

1995

288 pages.

Lakes, Rivers, Streams and Ponds of Britain and North-West Europe

R. Fitter and R. Manuel

Collins

1994

A reprint of the 1986 publication Field Guide to Freshwater Life of Britain and North-West Europe

"This photo guide covers the ponds, streams, rivers, lakes, canals and reservoirs of Britain and North-West Europe. It explains how to explore them and describes the wide range of living things which can be found within and around them. A range of organisms from algae, flowering plants, ferns and mosses, to fishes, reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals, are described and illustrated. Information on successful waterside observation such as the best equipment to use, the most effective approach and tactics, and even methods of growing your own culture, is also included."

Collins Guide to the Countryside In Winter

John Wilkinson, Alastair Fitter and Richard Fitter

1988

"'Here for the first time, is a guide that concentrates on how animals and plants look, behave and survive in winter. Over 800 species of mammals, birds, insects and other invertebrates, trees and flowering plants, fungi and lower plants are described and illustrated in their winter condition."

Wildlife For Man : How And Why We Should Conserve Our Species

Richard Fitter

1986

223 pages

Freshwater Life

R. Fitter and R. Manuel

Collins

1986

Reprinted in 1994 as Photo Guide To Lakes, Rivers, Streams and Ponds of Britain and North-West Europe

The Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe

Richard Fitter, Alastair Fitter and Marjorie Blamey

4th edition

1985

"This guide provides coverage of the trees, shrubs and flowering plants growing wild in the British Isles and in Europe from the Alps up to the Arctic, including Iceland. Over 1430 species are illustrated and over 1950 described, in systematic order, from trees to orchids and waterweeds. The text includes notes on ecology, lists of characteristic plants, a glossary and indexes of scientific names. The keys are illustrated in colour, with the main key designed specially for beginners."

A Dictionary of Birds

Editors: B. Campbell and E. Lack

Published for The British Ornithologists Union

1985

Includes an article on naturalised birds by Richard Fitter.

"A Dictionary of Birds contains contributions from over 280 ornithologists and other specialists from around the world. Major, authoritative articles cover the field of modern ornithology and related subjects. In addition there are articles on all the bird families, almost all of which are illustrated by a representative species. There are also numerous short entries defining special terms, application of names, etc. The text of over 800,000 words is supported by more than 500 photographs, drawings and diagrams."

The Wildlife of the Thames Counties

Editor: Richard Fitter

1985

Guide To The Grasses, Sedges, Rushes and Ferns of Britain and Northern Europe

Richard Fitter and Ann Farrer

1984

"Comprehensive coverage of all the grasses, sedges, rushes, and ferns of the British Isles, NW Europe, Scandinavia and Iceland."

Birds of Britain and Europe with North Africa and the Middle East

Hermann Heinzel, Richard Fitter, and John Parslow

1984

Covers 887 speices found in Britain and Europe.

Collins Guide to the Countryside

John Wilkinson, Alastair Fitter and Richard Fitter

1984

"The British countryside is one of the most varied on earth. It ranges from rich woodland, meadow and hedgerows, to bleak moorland and barren mountain tops. Each of these areas forms a distinctive habitat for living things. This book telles you what sort of wild animals and plants you can expect to find in all the main British habitats."

John Clare's Birds

Editor: Eric Robinson and Richard Fitter

Oxford University Press

1982

128 pages.

The Complete Guide British Wildlife

N. Arlott, R. Fitter, A. Fitter

1981

288 pages.

Collins Gem: Wild Flowers

Richard Fitter and Marjorie Blamey

1980

240 pages.

The Penitent Butchers: 75 Years Of Wildlife Conservation

Richard Fitter and Sir Peter Scott

1978

48 pages.

The Penguin Dictionary of British Natural History

Richard and Maisie Fitter

1978

Reprint of 1967 edition.

The Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe

Richard Fitter, Alastair Fitter and Marjorie Blamey

1974

Reader's Digest AA Book of British Birds

Consultant Editor: Richard Fitter

1974

Birds of Britain and Europe with North Africa and the Middle East

Hermann Heinzel, Richard Fitter, and John Parslow

1972

"Over 1000 birds illustrated, all in colour, 825 distribution maps."

Reader's Digest AA Book of British Birds: The Authoritative Guide

Consultant Editor: Richard Fitter

1972

472 pages

Finding Wild Flowers

R.S.R. Fitter

1971

"A practical handbook to plant-hunting in Britain and a county-by-county guide."

The Shell Natural History Of Britain

Editor: Maurice Burton

1970

Includes a section on mammals by Richard Fitter.

"This attractive and abundantly illustrated book, written by a team of leading experts, is the first detailed and authoritative guide to the natural history of Britain ever produced in a single volume. It is divided into seven sections covering every aspect of natural history and has sixty-four pages of colour plates and about 320 black and white illustrations."

Reader's Digest AA Book of British Birds

Consultant Editor: Richard Fitter

1969

471 pages.

Vanishing Wild Animals of the World

Richard Fitter and John Leigh-Pemberton

Preface: Peter Scott

Kaye & Ward

1968

The Penguin Dictionary of British Natural History

Richard and Maisie Fitter

Penguin

1967

Britain's Wildlife: Rarities and Introductions

Richard Fitter and John Leigh-Pemberton

Preface: Peter Scott

Nicholas Kaye

1966

Wildlife In Britain

Richard Fitter

Penguin in conjunction and collaboration with the Council for Nature

1963

Collins Guide to Bird Watching

R.S.R. Fitter

Collins

1963

"How to watch, What to watch, Where to watch."

Fitter's Rural Rides

R.S.R. Fitter

The Observer

1963

55 pages with line drawings and maps. "The Observer illustrated map-guide to the countryside."

The Countryman Nature Book: An anthology

Editor: R.S.R. Fitter

1960

134 pages.

Your Book Of Wild Flowers

R.S.R. Fitter

Faber & Faber

1960

58 pages.

The Ark In Our Midst

R.S.R. Fitter

1959

"The first comprehensive survey ever made of the larger introduced animals of the British Isles, including Ireland with all backboned animals included."

6 Great Naturalists: White, Linnaeus, Waterton, Audubon, Fabre, Huxley

R.S.R. Fitter

1959

176 pages.

Your Book Of Bird Watching

R.S.R. Fitter

1958

40 pages.

Fontana Wild Flower Guide

R.S.R. Fitter

Fontana / Collins

1957?

Pocket Guide To Wild Flowers

David McCLintock and R.S.R. Fitter

1956

A number of editions published.

Fontana Bird Guide

R.S.R. Fitter

1956?

A number of editions published.

Collins Pocket Guide to Nests And Eggs

R.S.R. Fitter and R.A. Richardson

1955

A number of editions published up to at least 1972.

The Natural History of the City

R.S.R. Fitter and J.E. Corporation of London

1953

36 pages.

Birds Of Town & Village

R.S.R. Fitter

Series editor: James Fisher

Collins

1953

33 pages with illustrations by Eric Hosking and others.

The Pocket Guide to British Birds

R.S.R. Fitter and R.A. Richardson

1952

There were a number of editions of this book roughly in the 1969-1971 period.

British Birds In Colour

Advisory Editor: R.S.R. Fitter

Colour plates: John Gould

Photographs: E. J. Hosking, G. K. Yeates

Oldhams

1951

192 pages with colour and monochrome illustrations. The colour images are taken from John Gould's Birds Of Great Britain.

Home Counties: About Britain, No. 3

R.S.R. Fitter

Collins for The Festival Of Britain Office

1951

A guide to Sussex, Surrey, Kent, London, Middlesex, Hertfordshire, and parts of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Essex. Includes a description of the topography and buildings of the area, a number of suggested tours and 40 photographs.

London's Birds

R.S.R. Fitter

1949

Bird-Watching In London

Richard, R.S. Fitter

Royal Society For The protection Of Birds

1948

One of a series of short booklets about birdwatching in English counties.

Nature Through The Seasons In Colour

Jack Pennington / E.F. Kirby / B.L. Burtt / A.G. Street / R.S.R. Fitter

1945/1953

Uncertain of publication date. May be two editions, a later reprint, or the 1945 date is incorrect.

Comprises five pieces: The Countryside (Jack Pennington), Weather (E.F. Kirby), Flowers And Shrubs (B.L. Burtt), Farming (A.G. Street) and Birds, Wild Animals and Insects (R.S.R. Fitter). Includes 48 colour plates that include works by John Nash, Charles Tunnicliffe, S.R. Badmin and Raymond Sheppard.

London's Natural History

R.S.R. Fitter

The New Naturalist 3

1945

"Richard Fitter provided the first comprehensive history of a great human community in terms of the animals and plants it has displaced, changed, moved and removed, introduced, conserved, lost or forgotten. In selecting London as an area for such study Mr.Fitter, himself a Londoner, took the world's largest aggregation of human beings living in a single community and in many ways the most interesting perhaps of all regions of the British Isles, and showed how the spread of man's activities affected the plants and animals in them, destroying some, creating others."