Wildlife: birds and birdwatching: general interest Books

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the first book produced by Rafael Armada and has been shaped by over three decades of keen observation and photography of birds, offering a glimpse into a seldom-told natural world, a visual journey to some places on Earth you may never have heard of before. Through Armada?s lens, you will traverse the farthest reaches of the globe, from the lush Colombian rainforests to the unforgiving icy landscapes of Antarctica, navigating the subantarctic waters of New Zealand and exploring remote archipelagos in the Atlantic and Pacific. This volume spans over 150 pages, divided into three thematic chapters, and its generous dimensions and use of high-quality materials enhance the reader?s visual experience.In Portfolio 1, Armada presents an impressive collection of pictures, showcasing multiple award-winning photographs recognized for their uniqueness and demonstration of expertise. However, this compilation goes beyond merely showcasing stunning images. Some of the birds depicted her

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this beautiful follow-up to Our Garden Birds, Our Songbirds and Our Woodland Birds, street artist Matt Sewell captures the world's most evocative bird: the owl. In his much-loved pop-art watercolours and accompanied with his whimsical descriptions, Matt Sewell expresses the individual characters of owls as never before. From tiny Elf Owls to huge Eagle Owls, from the mysterious creatures of the night to an impossibly fluffy baby owl, they are undoubtedly one of the world's most intriguing feathered friends. These wise, magical birds are otherworldly in their striking colours and stature, and it''s not just birdwatchers who are obsessed. With 50 hand-selected, hand-painted owls, this is a delightful gift which appeals to owl lovers, bird-watching enthusiasts, children, adults and art and design fans alike.

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A beautiful book'' Tim Birkhead, author of Bird Sense''The prose is sublime, and so is the intelligence behind it'' Bel Mooney, Daily MailThe extraordinary world of birds has the power to change lives, as it did the author''s. The pleasure and fascination of bird-watching, together with the silence and stillness involved, can play a part in changing the way that we live our lives - and can help us when we have to deal with adversity.Personal and elegiac, Waiting for the Albino Dunnock shows us how beauty is central to our emotional wellbeing, and reminds us of the careless damage we are inflicting on the natural world. This glorious pilgrimage into the soaring world of birds opens our eyes afresh to the beauty which surrounds us.Trade ReviewA beautiful book -- Tim Birkhead, author of BIRD SENSEGlorious, beautifully written pilgrimage into the soaring world of birds ... The prose is sublime, and so is the intelligence behind it -- Bel Mooney * DAILY MAIL *Rare, charming and unforgettable ... Her prose has the clarity, poise, precision and transcendent beauty of someone who was brought up reading the classics and knows the joy of finding the right words. Every sentence is perfect -- Richard Davenport-Hines * THE OLDIE *Beautifully written * CHOICE magazine *[Richardson] writes...with a poetic lyricism -- Eithne Farry * SUNDAY EXPRESS *This exquisite depiction of bird-watching as personal pilgrimage is written with passion, poetry and thefreshness of a newcomer: 'the real voyage of discovery consists in...seeing with new eyes' * THE LADY *Richardson is both a looker and a see-er and her open-eyed delight in the beauty around her has an infectious quality enhanced by exquisite writing -- Sara Maitland * BBC COUNTRYFILE *[Richardson's] lyrical memoir of a year of birdwatching in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Greece is a life-enhancing record of birds (and books). * DAILY MAIL *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe complete story of the development of bird art in a new miniature format, with an outstanding selection of images from the Museum's world-famous archive

Read more less

Book SynopsisA brand-new, completely revised second edition of Jenni and Winkler''s classic guide, updated and improved for the next generation of ringers and professional ornithologists.Lukas Jenni and Raffael Winkler have studied moult across a wide range of bird species for decades, and in this book bring their observations together to produce a valuable reference for both professional ornithologists and bird ringers. This second edition has been completely updated and revised, with 16 new species accounts added, bringing the total covered to 74.The first part of the book provides an up-to-date summary of the moult strategies and moult sequences of European passerines, and discusses the ecological consequences of moult. Throughout the book, the authors draw on the enormous amount of data on moult that they have collected over 40 years of study and which, combined with data from the literature, allow them to present a thorough synthesis of the subject.The second Table of ContentsPreface Part I Chapter One - The function and consequences of moult Chapter Two - Terminology and methods in moult research Chapter Three - The moult of adults Chapter Four - The moult during the first year of life Part II Chapter Five - Ageing European passerines Chapter Six - Species accounts Appendix: The use of skull pneumatization for ageing References Scientific names with their English, German, French, Italian and Spanish translations Index Quick reference key

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is the story of lightkeepers’ contributions to the natural history of lighthouses in conjunction with the history and maintenance of the manned navigation beacons – their primary function of course – ‘for the safety of all’. Since keepers were first engaged to maintain lighthouses around our coast they have encountered wildlife, and in some cases developed a keen interest and expertise on the subject. Towards the end of the nineteenth century keepers were encouraged to submit annual returns of bird movements enabling reports on bird migration and several authoritative books to be compiled. As a result, ornithologists began to recognise how many lighthouses were well-placed to establish bird observatories – a few were in redundant lighthouses, often on offshore islands. However, lightkeepers also recognised that in certain weather conditions and during migration times, flocks of birds were attracted to the beam, resulting in many fatalities. While the problem is now better understood and considerably reduced, the automation of all British lighthouses has resulted in there no longer being lighthouse keepers to monitor the situation and report bird, sea mammal, insect and bat movements. The Natural History of Lighthouses highlights the contribution made by lighthouse keepers over the last century or two to the study of natural history, and ornithology in particular. Much of this is discussed in the words of the keepers themselves, set in the context of lighthouse history. Scotland has an especially rich lighthouse tradition, mainly due to a dynasty of Stevenson engineers covering over a century, all of whom also had a profound understanding of weather and geology – and indeed natural history – so important in the placing of their lighthouses. Several redundant lighthouse buildings still function as bird observatories as well as wildlife viewpoints and study centres, museums, hotels, restaurants and private homes. The lanterns themselves are still maintained in this digital and satellite age, monitored remotely from a strategic control centre.Trade Review'...a collection of great stories about the life of the keepers, as well as references to the work of lightships and their crew. ...there are plenty of marvellous stories here. This well-produced book also contains some terrific photography.' Nautilus Telgraph

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis is certainly not the only book to be published on barn owls, but it is the first to go beyond describing this, our most treasured bird, and to examine how our changing environment is affecting its future. It is illustrated with colour photographs throughout, and the text is supported by maps, charts, and tables.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn illustrated field guide that enables you to easily identify the tracks and signs left by a wide variety of mammal and bird species found in Britain and Europe, covering behaviors ranging from hunting, foraging, and feeding to courtship, breeding, and nesting. It includes informative descriptions of mammal species along with distribution maps.Trade Review"If anyone has a particular interest in learning how to track animals they should buy this book. If on the other hand they are someone who likes to understand the countryside and delve below the surface more than a little, this book will help them to do just that in a handy-sized, nonscientific, and highly readable guide."--Phil Slade, Another Bird Blog "[B]y far the best book on the subject I've ever seen ... beautifully illustrated."--Dick Warner, Irish Examiner "[Focuses] on helping you identify the signs species leave behind, and these are especially useful for tough-to-tell-apart, cryptic, or nocturnal species."--Kate Jones, New Scientist "[C]oncise and punchy ... [Olsen] manages to pack an awful lot into these pages, and the result is as thorough a survey of European tracks and signs as you could wish for in a book that's still small and light enough for you to consider taking out into the field... [The book makes] lavish use of colour photos, and there's a pleasingly equal weight given to different species, and to the different aspects of the subject being dealt with."--Matt Merritt, Birdwatching Magazine "I cannot praise Tracks and Signs highly enough. It is not only the finest guide to tracking I've ever held in my hands, it is one of the most attractive and informative books on natural history I've ever seen. This guide will prove invaluable to those who already take an interest in tracking and wish to gain more experience. It is also an important tool to promote the field art of tracking in Europe, a region where tracking as a zoological method can use all the support it can get. I also wish to emphasize that this is not only a book for European (and British) naturalists. I definitely recommend it to naturalists in North America and East Asia as well. Yes, it is that good."--Jochen Roeder, 10,000 Birds "[T]his is a lovely book to dip into and learn something new each time. It may not work as a conventional 'in the field guide' but will be invaluable to identify tracks and signs from photographs at home. The drawings and photographs are excellent throughout and the text is clear and concise. I would recommend this book to anyone with an active interest in nature."--Mike King, Gloster Birder "[A] great field guide to take out with you on country walks, as well as to use for study at home... [A] very attractive book with detailed information and wonderful photography. The layout is clear and easy to follow and there's a wealth of information in there."--Kate Bradbury, English Garden "A lavishly illustrated book, packed with colour photographs... [T]his book is the start of many possible wildlife adventures and really gets the adrenalin flowing!"--Biggest Twitch "[A]n excellent book which has rekindled my interest in tracking down more mammals and looking more carefully for the signs of birds. This book is certainly highly recommended... [T]his book will be on the packing list for all our tours in future."--Biggest Twitch "[I]t's a fascinating, high-quality, good value and very informative book that I'd happily recommend to anyone with an interest in the subject, and I'm looking forward to test-driving it in the North Yorkshire forests this winter."--Mark James Pearson, Birding Frontiers "Brown et al. will doubtless already be known to many as a reliable guide to the tracks and signs of birds. Those wishing to extend their knowledge of the subject to include mammals should certainly examine a copy of Olsen."--M.G.W., IBIS "This excellent guide should enable the observer to easily identify the tracks and signs left by a wide variety of our native birds and mammals. I must emphasize the high quality of the outstanding colour photographs."--Bryan Sage, Country-Side "For me one of the great strengths of this book is that reading it--even just browsing through it--has heighten my awareness of what is around me. I always kept an eye out for tracks and signs--but since spending a bit of time with this book I find myself noticing much more--and referring back to it often when I've discovered something new to narrow down the options."--Calvin Jones, Ireland's Wildlife "This is a very well-produced, abundantly illustrated guide to the tracks and signs of 175 species of European mammals and birds, bound in a field-friendly, flexible cover... [T]here is much to enjoy here, from the new illustrations to the excellent photographs. A useful addition to the literature on tracks and signs, which adds to the previously available guides."--Curious Naturalist "[I]f you are looking for something comprehensive for Britain and Europe, this is the book for you... Although advertised as a field guide, this book would be a good addition to a library as a reference book on all tracks and signs."--Helen Ashton, Reference ReviewsTable of ContentsPreface 5 Mammal tracks 6 Antlers 18 Bird tracks 22 Scat 35 Carnivores 35 Carnivore scat 36 Scat of smaller mammals 38 Scat of larger rodents 8 Scat of larger herbivores 40 Bird droppings 43 Feeding signs on trees 46 Fray marks on trees 57 Holes in trees, ant heaps, etc 59 Gnawed branches 62 Feeding signs on mushrooms 64 Feeding signs on turnips 65 Feeding signs on spruce cones 66 Feeding signs on pine cones 68 Feeding signs on hazelnuts 68 Feeding signs on walnuts 71 Feeding signs on rose hips 72 Feeding signs on cherry stones 73 Feeding signs on apples 74 Nests and dens 76 Pellets 82 Owl pellets 82 Raptor pellets 84 Gull, cormorant, heron, and stork pellets 85 Wader, crow, and jay pellets 87 Skulls in pellets 89 Other skulls and bones 91 Round nests 92 Feathers 96 Raptor feeding signs 100 Trails 104 Brown Bear 106 Wolverine 109 Wolf and domestic dog 111 Lynx 115 Iberian Lynx 117 Wildcat 118 Arctic Fox 120 Red Fox 122 Raccoon Dog 127 Raccoon 130 Eurasian Badger 132 European Beaver 136 North American Beaver 142 Coypu 143 Muskrat 144 Northern Water Vole 147 Southern Water Vole 151 Water Shrew 151 Otter 154 American Mink 157 European Mink 160 Western Polecat 161 Pine Marten 163 Beech Marten 165 Stoat 167 Weasel 169 Brown Hare 171 Mountain Hare 174 Rabbit 176 Red Squirrel 179 Grey Squirrel 183 Flying Squirrel 184 Alpine Marmot 185 European Souslik 187 Black Rat 188 Brown Rat 189 House Mouse 192 Yellow-necked Mouse 195 Wood Mouse 199 Striped Field Mouse 200 Harvest Mouse 202 Northern Birch Mouse 204 Common Dormouse 205 Garden Dormouse 207 Edible Dormouse 209 Bank Vole 211 Field Vole 213 Common Vole 215 Norway Lemming 216 Wood Lemming 218 Grey-sided Vole 219 Root Vole 220 Common Mole 221 Western Hedgehog 223 Algerian Hedgehog 226 Common Shrew 226 Bats 229 Horses 231 Cattle 232 Wild Boar 233 Elk 237 Red Deer 241 White-tailed Deer 246 Fallow Deer 247 Sika Deer 250 Reeve's Muntjac 251 Roe Deer 253 Reindeer 258 Musk Ox 261 Mouflon 263 Chamois 265 Domestic sheep 266 Goats 267 Seals 268 Sea turtles 269 Photo credits 270 Index of species 271

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"This book sets the pulse racing about a world that really must be seen if at all possible. I knew about birds of paradise but this book has rekindled a passion for this so wonderful and bonkers family of birds, just take a look at the photographs here!" * Biggest Twitch Birdwatching Trips *"There is not another book on the market to come anywhere near this publication. Sit back and be drawn into such a landscape you can only dream of while at home."---John Miles, Birdwatching"[A] beautifully crafted book."---Peter Menkhorst, Australian Book Review"[A] masterpiece."---Joan Mead-Matsui, Everything, Everywhere, Travel Writer"[A] beautiful and authoritative overview . . . . [If] you share a passion for wild and poorly known places then this book represents an introduction to one such treasure trove."---Guy Kirwan, Bulletin of the British Ornithologists Club

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of the British Trust for Ornithology's Best Bird Books of 2018""A brilliant global overview of seabird behaviour."---Kenny Taylor, BBC Wildlife"His tour of the ecological highlights is gripping in scope and in granular detail gleaned from observations of puffins, penguins, fulmars and more."---Barbara Kiser, Nature"This is a celebration of nature writing, scientific research and the wonder of birds, large and small, that glide, flap and flutter across the world’s oceans."---Tim Birkhead, Times Literary Supplement"Brooke’s storytelling skills are first rate, and artist Bruce Pearson’s illustrations only further the mesmerizing quality of this project." * Foreword Reviews *"[Brooke] shares his encyclopedic knowledge with dry wit and fine attention to detail in this absorbing book. . . . His enthusiasm is so infectious that Far from Land is bound to hatch some much-needed new devotees."---Adrian Barnett, New Scientist"If you thought you knew all about seabirds, then think again. This book is absolutely packed with new information."---John Miles, Bird Watching Magazine"Written with passion and knowledge in equal doses. It is beautifully written, immediately captures interest, is erudite, avoids jargon, and is entertaining with a fair peppering of humour. . . . I cannot think of one good reason why any seabirder – field birders and researchers alike – would want to skip this book. Buy it."---Bob Flood, Birdwatch Magazine"[A] marvellous new study."---John Burnside, New Statesman"A thoroughly enjoyable and illuminating survey of the world of seabirds – made all the more enjoyable by Bruce Pearson’s lovely pen-and-wash illustrations."---Nigel Andrew, Literary Review"The most up-to-date picture of how seabirds behave when we aren’t watching. . . . Beautifully written."---Joe Culley, Irish Times"In a very approachable and often dazzling book, Michael Brooke blends the seemingly incompatible worlds of romance and science. The book almost reads like a collection of fairy tales, stories from lands far away of almost-mythical creatures."---Mihai Andrei, ZME Science"As an all-encompassing look at the lives of all sort of seabirds, this book would be hard to beat . . . a must-have book for anyone with an interest in the most mysterious of all birds."---Matt Merritt, Bird Watching Magazine"Michael Brooke has drawn on his knowledge of current science to give a timely summary of research so far and a brilliant global overview of seabird behaviour."---Kenny Taylor, BBC Wildlife Magazine"To read it is like encountering a new and unknown blue planet for the first time. . . . How much better to live now when the world of seabirds, even far from land, is chronicled in such magnificent detail by scientists such as Brooke."---Matt Ridley, The Times"A magical tour of every ocean and some of the remotest locations on the planet through the lives of seabirds. . . . The potential for future discoveries as technologies advance is truly exciting and I cannot wait for the sequel to this book in 20 years’ time."---Ruth Walker, British Trust for Ornithology"Michael Brooke’s book, Far From Land, provides an entertaining and highly digestible account of what we have learnt from the past three decades of seabird tracking research, and what we have learnt is nothing short of staggering. . . . It is well written, tripping along at a nice pace, and should keep anyone with an interest in marine biology or ornithology entertained."---Stephen Votier, Current Biology Magazine"An impressive global overview of impressive modern research into what proves to be even more impressive seabirds. . . . Altogether a well-written, finely illustrated, instructively mapped book."---Richard Sherley, Seabird"This is a relatively slim volume, but one that is absolutely packed with information and all conveyed in an engaging and often witty style."---Andrew Bielinski, Scottish Birds"The book is written with wit (e.g., quoting from a scientific presentation given in rap) and real insight, helped bythe fact that the author himself is a field ornithologist and understands how much time and effort goes into workthat may end up summarized in a sentence in the book. This is a book that all ornithologists should read, but itwill also inspire marine biologists, seafarers, and all who travel the seas into deepened respect for the seabirdswith which they share the oceans."---Michael Scott, Conservation Biology

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"A typical good modern birding field guide with distribution maps, concise text including helpful identification notes, and illustrations all on the same page. This all makes it a very easy field guide to use."---Chris Lotz, Birding Ecotours"[Birds of Belize] is a first rate guide, user-friendly and very portable. If a trip to Belize is in your future, don't leave home without it!"---David M. Gascoigne, Travels With Birds"This book is a MUST have for anyone birding Belize!"---Ian Paulsen, The Birdbooker Report

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"An American Birding Association Best Bird Book of the Year""An incredibly handy tool. . . . As an eBird reviewer I already know that I’ll be pulling this book off the shelf on a regular basis during migration."---Blaine Carnes, Association of Field Ornithologists"[Field Guide to North American Flycatchers] is exactly the sort of detailed guide to empids and pewees that I’ve been hoping for since…well, basically since I started birding. Simply put, every North American birder should have this."---Grant McCreary, The Birder's Library"A book well worth owning for both its excellence of content and uniqueness. . . . [It is] light and portable, and, with minimal technical language, geared to birders of every level."---Donna Lynn Schulman, 10,000 Birds"This book is amazing, this book is fantastic. It offers so much insight into the world of flycatchers. . . . It offers a lot on how to challenge our perception of things, how to look at things in a different way. . . . The artwork is awesome, the details are awesome."---Byron Murray, To Know the Land"A MUST have for anyone birding North America!"---Ian Paulsen, The Birdbooker Report"A unique and excellent field guide, and one very well worth having if you are interested in trying to improve your identification skills when it relates to the often-challenging identification of these commonly encountered flycatcher species. . . . . Cin-Ty Lee and Andrew Birch should be congratulated on producing such a well-designed, comprehensive, and beautifully illustrated guide that will surely aid many users, beginners and experts alike."---Frank Lambert, Frank Lambert Birding"The illustrations are magnificent. . . . I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book to everyone who has ever or will ever struggle with flycatcher identification – it is a great addition to the specialized books out there."---Geoff Carpentier, North Durham Nature"Holding your hand through the entire process, the guide makes it possible to identify almost any empid and pewee that might cross your path"---David Callahan, Birdwatch Magazine"An important step forward in the available identification material for this group of species. . . . Even experienced birders from within the ranges of these species will likely learn from this book"---Ben Lucking, British Birds"Empidonax flycatchers . . . have needed a book like this for a long time, and I'm just really glad that when it does finally come along that it is done as well as it is."---Nate Swick, American Birding Association

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow does a bird experience a city? A backyard? A park? As the world has become more urban, noisier from increased traffic, and brighter from streetlights and office buildings, it has also become more dangerous for countless species of birds. Warblers become disoriented by nighttime lights and collide with buildings. Ground-feeding sparrows fall prey to feral cats. Hawks and other birds-of-prey are sickened by rat poison. These name just a few of the myriad hazards. How do our cities need to change in order to reduce the threats, often created unintentionally, that have resulted in nearly three billion birds lost in North America alone since the 1970s? In The Bird-Friendly City, Timothy Beatley, a longtime advocate for intertwining the built and natural environments, takes readers on a global tour of cities that are reinventing the status quo with birds in mind. Efforts span a fascinating breadth of approaches: public education, urban planning and design, habitat restoration, architecture, art, civil disobedience, and more. Beatley shares empowering examples, including: advocates for "catios," enclosed outdoor spaces that allow cats to enjoy backyards without being able to catch birds; a public relations campaign for vultures; and innovations in building design that balance aesthetics with preventing bird strikes. Through these changes and the others Beatley describes, it is possible to make our urban environments more welcoming to many bird species. Readers will come away motivated to implement and advocate for bird-friendly changes, with inspiring examples to draw from. Whether birds are migrating and need a temporary shelter or are taking up permanent residence in a backyard, when the environment is safer for birds, humans are happier as well.Table of ContentsPreface: Design of The Bird-Friendly City Chapter 1: The Benefits of Birds in a World Shaped by Humans Chapter 2: Birds in a Changing World of Cities Chapter 3: Protecting the Birds around Us: How Cities like Portland Are Nurturing Unlikely Alliances of Bird and Cat Lovers Chapter 4: Returning Home: Inspiring Work from London to Pittsburgh to Make Space for Migrating Birds Chapter 5: Replacing Habitats Lost: the Story of the Burrowing Owls of Phoenix and Efforts at Urban Relocation Chapter 6: Vertical Bird City: Singapore, Hornbills, and Beyond Chapter 7: Bird Appreciation Chapter 8: Design for Safe Passage: Cities Like San Francisco Lead the Way with Bird-Safe Buildings Chapter 9: Birds in Ravine City: Toronto’s Pioneering Work to Build Awareness and Design a Habitat City Chapter 10: Black Cockatoo Rising: The Struggle To Save Birds and Bush From a Proposed Highway Chapter 11: Birdicity: What Makes for a Deeply Bird-Friendly City and How Do We Measure It? Chapter 12: Cultivating a Bird-Caring Citizenry Bibliography

Read more less

Book Synopsis‘High from the earth I heard a bird’ - Emily Dickinson Eric Fitch Daglish (1892-1966) was a wood engraver, writer and illustrator. His book 'Woodcuts of British Birds' was published in 1925. Daglish learnt the art of wood engraving from Paul Nash and became known for his illustrations of the natural world. He illustrated an edition of Gilbert White’s 'Natural History of Selborne' and he both wrote and illustrated several books on natural history, including 'Birds of the British Isles', 1948. Beautifully produced in hardback with lined paper and ribbon marker, this makes a perfect gift for bird watchers and nature lovers.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis"This book tells the story of a spoonbill we have called Sinagote, a female bird born on the island of Vlieland, in the Netherlands. In her name, she carries the words ?Sina?, the Breton name of the village in Britanny she returns to every autumn, and ?gote? which means ?girl from?. This story is about more spoonbills than just Sinagote. It?s even about much more than spoonbills and the connections between them. It?s also about the connections between countries in Europe and Africa, between the people who live and work there, who have an affection for spoonbills and work for their well-being. Part love story, part success story, Sinagote, The Biography of a Spoonbill describes the importance of looking beyond our national borders in the protection of migratory birds."--Back cover.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA guide to birdwatching sites in Portugal and offshore islands: this book shows you where to go and when to visit for the best birding experience. This guide is best used alongside your field guide - it does not include information about identifying birds. Portuguese territory goes well beyond Portugal itself; it also comprises the Atlantic archipelagos of Azores and Madeira. Considered in this light, it is a highly diverse area in ornithological terms, holding endemic bird taxa, large populations of seabirds, most of the rarest and sought-after species of southern Europe and many exciting Nearctic vagrants. Add to these prospects the natural hospitality of the Portuguese people, the mild climate, the modern infrastructure plus the excellent food and wine and it is easy to see why the country is one of the most attractive destinations in Europe for the birdwatcher. This book is a reprint (without changes) of the Prion Birdwatchers’ Guide to Portugal, the Azores & Madeira Archipelagos (2nd Edition, 2014, ISBN: 9781871104134). It is a key reference for anyone - from beginner to ornithologist - planning to visit the area with an interest in its birds. This is a site guide, not an identification guide.Table of ContentsIntroduction Brief notes on Portuguese ornithology Pre-tour information Travel information Staying in Portugal Weather and Clothing Health and medical facilities Maps Geography and vegetation When to go Introduction to site information MAINLAND PORTUGAL - North - Centre - Lisbon region - Alentejo - Algrave AZORES - Eastern group - Central group - Western group MADEIRA Selective bird list Full bird list Amphibians and reptiles list Mammals list Recommended reading Useful contacts and websites

Read more less

Book SynopsisEsta es la primera guía completa de las 434 especies de aves marinas del mundo, tras la publicación de la guía de Harrison en 1983: Seabirds: An Identification Guide. Cubre todas las aves marinas conocidas, empezando con los patos marinos y somormujos y acabando con los cormoranes y pelícanos. Espléndidamente ilustrada y detallada, a lo largo de sus 600 páginas proporciona un tratamiento completo de todas las especies de aves marinas conocidas, incluidas las especies recientemente redescubiertas y raramente vistas.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJim Emerton is one of the most respected figuresin pigeon racing, having bred and raced birds for40 years and had birds return to the loft from asfar as 879 miles away. Now he writes on the subject for magazines and websites, sharing hisexpertise and his musings with all who enjoy thisabsorbing hobby. This comprehensive collection ofhis writings on pigeons covers everything from feed regimes and choosing stock to his experiences with racing from many exotic locations around the world. "We are a motley crew of mad monks, illuminated by a shared dream... It is an extension of the old, traditional values, of the old sage, pipe in mouth, corn tin in hand, sunning himself in a deckchair in his rose garden. That is how the iconic birds in folklore and history were raced."

Read more less

Book SynopsisA reprint of the classic eagle book from one of the pioneers of nature writing. Seton Gordon was among the first to observe in some detail - through countless hours in his hide - the daily life of the golden eagle and to present in his books an account of their habitat, diet and behaviour. But his writing was much more than that - his books are interwoven with acute observation and his narrative possesses a clarity that ensures the reader sees as much as Seton Gordon himself saw. From life day to day on the eyrie through the different Scottish landscapes and the interaction of the eagles with other wildlife, it is all covered and in his inimitable style.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe most updated bird ID book on the market. Beginners and experienced birdwatchers turn to this guide to identify the birds they see in their backyards and on bushwalking or birdwatching expeditions. Designed to slip easily into a pocket, back- pack or glove box. This is a new and updated version of the very popular Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds and includes 64 new or extensively revised colour plates, incorporating all the new birds observed in Australia, including Tasmania and islands and territories since 1986. Also included is a re-organisation of the guide into broad habitats - seabirds, shore birds, inland water birds and bush birds; updated common and scientific names, revised maps, and a new visual index to aid beginners in finding the most appropriate pages in the guide. A must for serious naturalists in Australia, be they beginners or experts.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this beautiful follow-up to 2012''s hit, Our Garden Birds, street artist Matt Sewell offers more watercolours and quirky descriptions of British songbirds.In Matt''s world, the peewit sings the blues, and the bittern fills his neck ''like a tweed pair of bellows''. Distinctive and enchanting, with a songbird for each week of the year, this delightful gift book will appeal to birders, children and adults, and art and design fans alike.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSince 1972 Mark Cocker has been a member of a community of obsessional people, almost all male, who sacrifice most of their spare time, a good deal of money, sometimes their chances of a partner or family, even occasionally their lives, to watch birds. Birders is the story of this community, of its characters, its rules, its equipment and its adventures - many of which are hilariously funny, Birders is also a work of love - the story of what birds can do to the human heart.Trade ReviewAt last! An up to date examination of what makes birders tick. And about time too! Wonderfully written * Bill Oddie *A natural history version of Fever Pitch... Reading it may even make you want to try out this strangely addictive past time for yourself * Guardian *Intensely readable, very funny and highly enlightening * New Scientist *With a mixture of well-chosen anecdotes and self-deprecating humour, Cocker succeeds in making event he most hardened cynic appreciate his passion. Birders is a stylish work in a long tradition of fine writing on the subject * Guardian *The best account yet of the "tribe" and its wonderful, unworldly passions * The Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTalking turkey about the bird you thought you knewTrade Review"Virtually every page offers a fact worth recalling."--Chicago Tribune"A lively, literate tour of turkey lore."--Wall Street Journal"Smith gives depth and authority to a subject we thought we knew. . . . The turkey covers vast terrain, and his book is invaluable to anyone in its pursuit."--Gastronomica"In his book, Smith . . . talks turkey about the folklore and natural and social history of the bird."--Ashbury Park Press"Smith . . . cuts through the myth and legend surrounding the turkey to provide a history that is loaded with fascinating facts and anecdotes with which you could regale the entire family from dawn to dusk this Thursday."--Kansas City Star

Read more less

a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisPresents a celebration of the beauty of birds and the British and Irish countryside. Following The Crossley ID Guides' award-winning design, this book looks at all regularly occurring species in Britain and Ireland, and shows readers how to identify birds in their natural habitats using size, structure, shape, probability, and behavior.Trade ReviewRichard Crossley, Winner of the 2012 ABA Robert Ridgway Award for Publications in Field Ornithology, American Birding Association One of The Guardian's Best Nature Books of 2013, chosen by Stephen Moss "[The Crossley ID Guide series focuses] on maximising your chances of correctly identifying species by ramping up the number and variety of species images within the guide and placing these images within typical habitats... Each beautiful plate is painstakingly filled with images of hundreds of individual species in different settings or from different angles to help recreate how you might encounter it."--Kate Jones, New Scientist "This book is beyond excellent and there won't be a birder in Europe and beyond who won't be hoping to find this in their Xmas stocking!"--Bo Beolens, Fat Birder "Bright, bold, clean-looking and easy to use, it is not just an identification guide--it is a celebration of our birds and how they fit into our landscape."--Andy Stoddart "The Crossley Guide has something for everyone. I would suggest this book is an absolute must for beginners or novice birders. I can think of no better format that I have seen that caters for this audience. The species are set out in an order that immediately aids comparison between similar species and most are shown in flight and in all plumages."--Paul Freestone, Cornwall Birding "Although clearly directed at the more novice birdwatchers amongst us, I see much merit and use for this within the more experienced members of the community--well worth keeping a copy in the car and well worthy of perusal. Overall, a thoroughly recommended purchase."--Lee G R Evans, UK400ClubRareBirdAlert "Overall I think this book is superb and it should be on every birders Christmas list or even a treat for yourself as you buy presents this year. For the target audience this really is the book they've been waiting for and it is one every birder should recommend to a friend who is starting to get interested in birds... My book of the year."--John Hague, Drunk Birder "For me this new volume will be essential as an additional aid in identifying difficult species."--Derek Bird Brain "This photographic field guide is different, and quite informative. Each species is presented as a number of small individual photographs mounted on a full-page photograph of their typical preferred habitat... Mostly targeted to beginners to use in the field, but it is detailed enough to be a useful study guide for more advanced birders, too."--Devorah Bennu, GrrlScientist at The Guardian "Informative, unique and enthusiastically written, with something for everyone. Sure to be an excellent addition to many a bookshelf and a core reference for those building on their bird ID skills."--Anthony Hurd, Birding Frontiers "If you are just a beginner or wanting to expand your skills then the Crossley ID Guide to birds of Britain and Ireland is a 'must buy book' and even if you are experienced birder then it is a highly engrossing book looking at the scenery of the plates and the postures of the birds making a great browse through."--Birding Ecosse "The multi-image scenes of wildfowl in The Crossley ID Guide: Britain and Ireland are especially praiseworthy... I heartily recommend it to anyone looking for an introductory guide and learning tool to British and Irish birds."--Phil Slade, Another Bird Blog "Richard Crossley and Dominic Couzens have lifted the field guide out of the rut and produced a first class book that is well worth looking at."--Biggest Twitch "Showing lots of birds in natural surroundings really does conjure up the 'feel' of the bird sighting as well as its technical details."--Mark Avery Blog "One of the great things about my job is that I get to see a lot of bird and natural history books. Choosing the four featured books for each issue of Nature's Home, just four times a year, takes a lot of time and thought. It takes a really special one to jump out from the crowd and I was delighted to see that the Crossley guide to UK birds lived up to my expectations."--Mark Ward, Nature's Home Blog "Anyone reading my review will be aware just how highly I rate the Crossley Guide."--John Hague, Drunk Birder Blog "The opportunity to compare potential confusion species in the same 'field of view' in the guide or pick out the odd one in a flock can only be a useful tool."--Alan Tilmouth, Birdguides "A thoroughly excellent book. If you are wondering what Christmas present to buy for the British birder who has every field guide there is, look no further!"--David Bakewell, Dig Deep blog "A noteworthy, excellent addition to the European bird guide lists."--Donna Schulman, 10,000 Birds "[A] revolutionary new bird book."--Stephen Moss, Guardian "It's a book for all ages and would actually make a great Christmas present for someone starting out in bird watching."--Over Wyre Focus "Birding is an art form in the United Kingdom, and Richard Crossley and Dominic Couzens team up to turn field guides into an art with The Crossley ID Guide: Britain & Ireland... Ideal just to read or an equally useful tool in the field, this book should have a place of distinction on every birder's bookshelf."--Melissa Mayntz, About.com "I have also been using this book to ID some of my own wild birds and have ... found it highly useful. This book is thorough and descriptions detailed about species specific behavior, breeding and placement as well as physical size, seasonal plumage and feeding... This book has literally grown on me; I've gone full circle from unsure to love. I have always valued both Dominic Couzens and Richard Crossley as they are excellent photographers and naturalists. This is the perfect ID book and gift for the beginner to the advanced birder because of the many photos of each species with the added variations in seasonal and age colorations. Plus the fact they are in natural backgrounds it gives you a feel of real bird watching as you have to look for some of them more closely. So this Crossley ID guide now has earned a firm place on my birdy bookshelf."--Gadget Girl Reviews "[T]his is a solid field guide that expands how we use and arrange photographs of birds in a field guide format... [M]ost birders will discover that this is yet another useful reference on bird identification that will complement other field guides in their library."--Stephen Dinsmore, Iowa Bird Life "I would highly recommend this book to help you improve your skills at identifying birds in real situations."--Su Gough, BTO News "Whilst the text and many other aspects of the book are a revelation, it is the plates that make the book for me."--North Star "Stunning! There is no other word to describe the recently published Crossley ID Guide to Britain and Ireland. How it would have transformed my early birding if such a publication had been available thirty or more years ago."--Surfbirds.com "Crossley and Couzens certainly have excellent credentials in bird identification, and their talents are on display here. While the present volume is a bird guide, it is unlike any that this reviewer has seen."--P.K. Lago, Choice "I think this is a user-friendly guide and is unique in its use of photo-montages of life-scenes: varying the angles and distance of the birds to resemble the situation when birding in the real world. It really emphasizes the importance of shape, behavior, size and even habitat that the bird is in which birders really need to grasp to progress in their identification skills... [Y]ou can't question the appeal of this sort of guide to beginner and intermediate birders... [I]t most definitely serves its purpose as a teaching tool and field guide for the basic birds to be encountered and how to correctly ID them."--Danni Gilroy, Next Generation Birders "The Crossley ID Guide: Britain and Ireland is an impressive and significant contribution to the range of bird identification guides available for the British Isles. Given the development of apps and the availability of pocket guides it is perhaps most valuable not in the field, although Crossley clearly intends it for this purpose, but as a handy home vade mecum to be consulted on return from a birding foray to verify sightings. It is also eminently suited to browsing prior to venturing out and as a 'training' aid for new birders. These features also recommend it for library use--any UK public library that needs to strengthen or just enhance its bird watching collection is recommended to purchase, both for the reference and lending shelves."--Tony Chalcraft, Reference Reviews "[T]his book is aimed at beginning and intermediate birders. However if you are an experienced US birder but have never birded Great Britain or Ireland, this book is also for you."--Frederic H. Brock, Wildlife Activist

Read more less

Book SynopsisA beautifully illustrated directory of common birds, their habitats and habits, with tips on birdwatching.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAims to take us on a tour of the author's favourite bird watching area - Hampstead Heath in London - a suburban haven for wildlife, comprising different habitats for birds. This title reveals the beauty and diversity of the local bird life, using drawings and photographs, prose and poetry, and is for those who love birds in a natural setting.Table of ContentsAbout the author Foreword Introduction Map of Hampstead Heath Bird anatomy Water birds Song birds Tree dwellers Birds of prey and carrion feeders Migratory birds Kate Springett award Glossary Bibliography

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Sparrow's Life's as Sweet as Ours is a collection based on the Bird of the Month column in The Oldie, which is written by an instigator of the magazine, John McEwen and illustrated by renowned wildlife artist Carry Akroyd.In this beautiful new book, painter and printmaker Carry Akroyd presents a sequence of her small screenprints, full of variety and colour, that illustrate British birds in all four seasons of the year. These stunning prints give full rein to her extensive knowledge of the British landscape, and what shines out of these dynamic designs is Carry's deft capturing of each bird's characteristics set beautifully in relation to its habitat. Her consideration of each species combines accuracy with elegant simplicity.John McEwen's accompanying text is written with charm and concision, and his original columns have been updated for this new collection. John's light, eclectic approach connects snippets of ornithology, history, etymology and cookery, all exTrade ReviewScholarly and charming. * Daily Telegraph *Mr McEwen's short essays on resident British or migrant birds convey a deep respect and affection ... No true bird lover will be disappointed by this book. -- Jack Watkins * Country Life *Fizzing with painter and printmaker Carry Akroyd's vibrant and inventive screen-prints. -- Jonathan Elphick * BBC Wildlife magazine *The book benefits greatly from the delightful and informative texts facing each picture. -- Jonathan Elphick * BBC Wildlife magazine *Table of ContentsIntroduction Foreword Winter Spring Summer Autumn Acknowledgements Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis Return of the Condor is far and away the best book on the subject. John Moir covered the condor recovery effort for magazines and newspapers for years and his extensive and award-winning journalism, including an investigative piece for Birding magazine, became this fine book. Moir presents a unique insider''s view of the remarkable tale of saving a species from the brink of extinction. Down to a population of only twenty-two in the 1980s, the condor owes its survival and recovery to a team of scientists who flouted conventional wisdom and pursued the most controversial means to save it. John Moir''s account shows the depth of their passion and courage and details the bitter controversy that led to a national debate over how to save America''s largest bird. Trade Review"Audubon himself would be delighted to read John Moir's exciting and authoritative account of the difficult, politically fraught but ultimately rewarding effort to save the largest of all the living birds, a great shadow in the sky above the Western range. I certainly was."--Richard Rhodes, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and author of John James Audubon: The Making of an American "By the 1980s, the California condor was well on its way to extinction. The saga of this magnificent bird, which had soared above the North American continent at a time when mastodons and saber-toothed cats still roamed the Earth, seemed to be nearing the end. The only thing standing in the way of this grim fate was the dedication of a small group of researchers and naturalists, committed to saving the condor. With eloquence and insight, John Moir chronicles the effort to save this spectacular bird. His book is a remarkable testament to what a few dedicated individuals can accomplish."--Tim Gallagher, Director of Publications, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology"Return of the Condor is an account of cutting-edge conservation biology, but it is also an eminently human story. John Moir's focus is on the problematic intersection between science and scientists, between bird lovers and the great bird itself. The subject matter—complex and controversial, ultimately heartwarming—demands a skilled and sympathetic writer, and Moir's chronicle is thoroughly successful in this regard."--Ted Floyd, editor of Birding Magazine, American Birding Association"John Moir's dramatic account of bringing the condor back from the brink of extinction is a reminder of the fragility of life on our planet and of the capacity of one species, humans, to protect or extinguish all others. Return of the Condor is a powerful tribute to the scientists, politicians, hunters, environmentalists, and concerned citizens who ultimately found a way to work together to ensure the survival of one of the most remarkable species on Earth."--Mark Schaefer, CEO, Global Environment and Technology Foundation, Former president of NatureServe"A heart-stopping saga of the rescue from the very brink of extinction of one of the grandest of all birds. Starting with page one, I was captured by Return of the Condor. America is the richer for the success of those who fought against all odds . . . and this tale is one all should read."--Thomas Lovejoy, President, The Heinz Center for Science, Economics and the Environment, Founder of the PBS series Nature"Pulling the California condor back from the brink of extinction has been difficult, and expensive. But this fine book by John Moir makes abundantly clear why preserving magnificent beings like our once-more wild condors is one of 21st century society's more important obligations."--Alan Tennant, author of On The Wing: To The Edge Of The Earth With The Peregrine Falcon"John Moir has written an uplifting and well-researched tale that takes us on the condor's roller-coaster ride to recovery. Equally exhilarating and heart-breaking, this important story brings complex issues into clear focus and lets us understand—with both heart and mind—why we need to save this intelligent and majestic bird."--Maria Mudd Ruth, author of Rare Bird: Pursuing the Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet“Moir deftly chronicles the efforts of the dedicated biologists…who work to save the California condor from extinction.”-- Publishers WeeklyTable of ContentsIntroductionChapter 1 The Last Condor Chapter 2 Giant Avian PrimatesChapter 3 Dancing Molokbes and Sinister BuzzardsChapter 4 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeChapter 5 Death of a ChickChapter 6 Doin' the Double-Clutch Two-StepChapter 7 Point of No ReturnChapter 8 Kids on the Loose Chapter 9 A Senseless ShootingChapter 10 AC8's Day in CourtChapter 11 Shadows in the SkyChapter 12 Homeward BoundAppendix 1 Where to See Condors Appendix 2 How to Learn More About Condors

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA groundbreaking reflection on the process by which one arrives at an ethological theory How do humans study the complex worlds of animals without imposing their own societal and scientific gaze upon them? The biologist Amotz Zahavi stakes the controversial claim that Arabian babblers are said to raise themselves up each day to dance and tend to one another in the early morning sun. Such a claim will provoke the interest and intellectual curiosity of a young philosopher and psychologist recognizing that the best way for her to observe the practices of scientists at work is to join them on their terrain. Embedding herself in the field alongside ethologists in the Negev desert, Vinciane Despret deftly depicts and reflects on the process by which scientists construct their theories within the milieu of the animals they study. Along the way, and not without humor, Despret analyzes a variety of theories posited by many well-known thinkers, including Zahavi, who devoted his life to the interpretation, companionship, and conservation of the Arabian babbler bird, and naturalists such as Charles Darwin and Pierre Kropotkin. Trade Review"The naturalist’s eye guides the philosopher’s reflection in Vinciane Despret’s delicate study of philosophical anthropology and ethology in dialogue with Isabelle Stengers and Bruno Latour. In a beautiful translation by jeffrey bussolini, Despret explores the origin story of Amotz Zahavi’s ‘handicap principle,’ a kind of species-specific potlatch (display and gaze), touching on problems of anthropomorphism, zoomorphism, and animal behavior. Underlining the ‘influence of the observer,’ and including the conflict between mathematical models and embedded interpretation, Despret offers a fascinating inquiry into the human and the animal."—Babette Babich, Fordham University"It is with this book that Vinciane Despret introduced her unique research style: follow scientists with the same care that they follow their animals and select among animals those that render their scientists most interesting! This is how she taught her readers to escape the stultifying ‘voice over’ of so many nature narratives. Be ready for quite a dance."—Bruno LatourTable of ContentsContentsAcknowledgmentsTranslator’s Introductionjeffrey bussoliniIntroductionPart I. The Ethological Debates1. The Theoretical Context: The Two Paradoxes of the Theory of EvolutionAltruismSexual Selection2. Rituals Between Altruism and Reproductive FunctionPart II. The Dance of the Babbler3. The Arabian Babbler4. Models and Methods: Outline of a Field Study5. Narratives and Metaphors6. Models and FictionsConclusionsNotes

Read more less

Book SynopsisCountless writers have been inspired by the beauty of birds – their colours, their easy flight, their lightness and softness, and the grace and whimsicality of their ways. Our literature, especially our poetry, is full of them. This annotated edition of Poems About Birds selects the very best from H. J. Massingham’s original collection which was first published in 1922.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, pocket-sized classics with ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover.Spanning from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century, Poems About Birds captures the enticing lives of birds through the eyes of classic poets. From John Keats’ ‘Ode to a Nightingale’ to Sylvia Lynd’s ‘The Return of the Goldfinches’, and from Alfred Lord Tennyson’s ‘The Eagle’ to William Wordsworth’s ‘To The Skylark’, countless varieties of bird are celebrated here.

Read more less

Book SynopsisStarting with popular books from the late nineteenth century and moving ultimately to the electronic guides of the current day, Binocular Vision contextualizes bird watching field guides historically, culturally, and in terms of a wide range of important environmental issues.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"In me, there is the red of miry clay, the brown of spring floods, the gold of ripening tobacco. All of these hues are me; I am, in the deepest sense, colored.” From these fertile soils of love, land, identity, family, and race emerges The Home Place, a big-hearted, unforgettable memoir by ornithologist and professor of ecology J. Drew Lanham.Dating back to slavery, Edgefield County, South Carolina—a place "easy to pass by on the way somewhere else"—has been home to generations of Lanhams. In The Home Place, readers meet these extraordinary people, including Drew himself, who over the course of the 1970s falls in love with the natural world around him. As his passion takes flight, however, he begins to ask what it means to be "the rare bird, the oddity.”By turns angry, funny, elegiac, and heartbreaking, The Home Place is a remarkable meditation on nature and belonging, at once a deeply moving memoir and riveting exploration of the contradictions of black identity in the rural South—and in America today.Trade ReviewForeword Reviews Best Book of 2016 and Nautilus Silver Award Winner Praise for The Home Place “A groundbreaking work about race and the American landscape, and a deep meditation on nature, selfhood, and the nature of home. It is thoughtful, sincere, wise, and beautiful. I want everyone to read it.”—Helen Macdonald, author of H Is for Hawk “Consider The Home Place required reading—it’s a thoughtful and relevant-as-ever look at race and identity in the great outdoors.”—Outside “A lyrical story about the power of the wild, The Home Place synthesizes J. Drew Lanham’s own family history, geography, nature, and race into a compelling argument for conservation and resilience.”—National Geographic "By surrendering the world to imperial and industrial standards, we chop away at the very surroundings that allow us to live. Yet the dominant common sense asks us to divide our loyalties: Either we support racial justice or we support the environment. There can be no more important task in the world today than to upend this rotten dichotomy, to heal the manufactured rift between environmentalism and the fight for social justice. Lanham's memoir—'a colored man's love affair with nature'—offers us one way to begin." —Chronicle of Higher Education, "Best Scholarly Books of the Decade" “When you’re done with The Home Place, it won’t be done with you. Its wonders will linger like everything luminous. You might find yourself hoping for a world where every family has a J. Drew Lanham in it.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune “A beautifully rendered and deeply personal story of the complex geographies of home, and displacement . . . The Home Place is a deft examination of how we come to define ourselves in a world that, in turn, is relentlessly trying to define who we are—and how we can take those definitions over and make our own.”—Sierra “There are no fireworks here—simply the musings of an African-American naturalist who, throughout his lifetime, has trained himself to marvel at the minor. Trust me, that is enough. . . . Of the many powerful lessons J. Drew Lanham bestows upon readers, perhaps this last one is his best: proof that human nature, like Mother nature herself, can still surprise us with its grace.”—Los Angeles Review of Books "J. Drew Lanham's The Home Place is a stunning read, a masterpiece, a soft rebellion that touches the deepest of our instincts." —Marine Ornithology “An extraordinary and trailblazing perspective on nature and race, told by a southern black man who became a natural scientist and a bird watcher. J. Drew Lanham’s colorful and long-awaited memoir deeply enriches our understanding of American culture and the environmental movement, rising as it does from the silence of an entire people. This is a captivating and crucial biology and a volume that I'll proudly add to my bookshelf.”—Janisse Ray, author of Ecology of a Cracker Childhood “Wisdom and generosity fill the pages of The Home Place. This memoir and story of a familial ecosystem is anchored firmly in the Piedmont clay of South Carolina that J. Drew Lanham's enslaved ancestors worked and would later come to own—and love. A man ‘born of forests and fields,’ Lanham thinks deeply about the land writ large and our connections to it as well as to each other. His honest and insistent words encourage us to cultivate a broader, deeper perspective that recognizes ties between race and environment in deliberate ways.”—Lauret Savoy, author of Trace “The Home Place teems with life—notably the author’s own remarkable one. This wise and deeply felt memoir of a black naturalist’s improbable journey travels the hallways of academia, the fields and forests of ornithological study, and the dusty clay roads of the rural south where it all began with grace, humility, and an abiding appreciation for this exquisite world.”—William Souder, author of Under a Wild Sky “Your world will change while reading this beautiful, deep, and generous book. A book by a scientist that goes far beyond science, a book by a black man that looks issues of race in the eye but then transcends them, a book by a loving son who, in the end, finds a new identity, The Home Place is really about what it means to be human, and in particular what it means to be human in relationship to the land. It is a love song to family, soil, trees, birds, and wildness itself. Read it and be enlarged.”—David Gessner, author of All the Wild That Remains “Rapturous and illuminating . . . A shrewd meditation on home, family, nature, and the author’s native South.”—Kirkus “Insightful . . . Encouraging readers to pay closer attention to nature, J. Drew Lanham gathers the disparate elements that have shaped him into a nostalgic and fervent examination of home, family, nature, and community.”—Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe call of an owl evokes mystery; seeing one in the wild inspires wonder. Of the top ten birds people hope to see, three are owls. Although they may be out of sight, owls are widespread throughout North America-and screech owls are the most likely to make their homes near humans. In this book, experts Jim Wright and Scott Weston show you how to attract them to nest in your yard, year after year.The Screech Owl Companion introduces screech owls, show how to distinguish them from other species, shares fun lore and legend, and provides step-by-step instructions for making your yard screech ready. You'll learn how to build a nest box and install a simple nest cam that you can monitor from your cell phone to watch when owls move in, lay eggs, and hatch.

Read more less