JOURNAL 196 Early Migration Because of unusual climatic events, VANCOUVER ISLAND BIRDS, Volume II has arrived 7 weeks ahead of schedule. The original publication date was planned March 30, but the book has been in Vancouver Island stores since the second week of February. Like the first book, it will only be retailed on Vancouver Island at the outlets listed at the end of this journal. Mail order is available for the rest of the world. (Email me for information on mail orders.) Volume II features over 140 species photographed on Vancouver Island. 90 of the species were not included in Volume I. In addition, there are 8 "road trip" birds like the Great Gray Owl that were photographed off the Island. The response to Vancouver Island Birds, Volume II has been excellent with most stores selling out of their original supply and reordering at least once. Mulberry in Parksville and the Backyard Wid Bird Store in Nanaimo have reordered twice in three weeks. As expected, the highest volume of sales has been in Courtenay, Comox, and Campbell River. That was the trend for my first book, and it looks like the same for my new book. I've speculated that North Islanders have a greater appreciation for nature. What do you think? Unfortunately, it is with regret that I must announce that Volume I is now virtually extinct. There is an unconfirmed rumor that a few copies have been sighted at the Galloping Moon Gallery in Lake Cowichan, and I suspect that the Word's End Bookstore in Ucluelet has a couple of copies for which they have never paid me. All other bookstores and Wild Bird stores on Vancouver Island have been out of stock since December. There hasn't been a day for the past month that I haven't had requests for Volume I, but so far there has been no decision on a reprint. A reprint would entail a minimum order of 2,000 books for which I am hesitant to finance and store.
