Wildlife: birds and birdwatching: general interest Books

Book SynopsisChirp up your card games with the most beautiful birds in the world. Includes 52 playing cards featuring illustrations of birds ranging from the familiar to the exotic, plus two jokers. From the cheerful red cardinal to the majestic white swan, the imposing California condor to the flamboyant great blue turaco, these delightful birds may make you forget your poker face

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Book SynopsisA BIRDING JOURNEY AT HOME AND BEYONDIt began with a flutter of yellow feathers flitting through the trees, casting beams of sunshine and promise that burst through her kitchen window. This was her sign to look up.As a licensed therapist, Tammah Watts knew that she needed to seek and accept hope, love, and support to overcome her chronic pain and cultivate resilience. But she could not predict that the little yellow bird would put her on the path to healing by fostering a powerful connection with birds and the experience of birding.Tammah shares her emotional journey of finding comfort and inspiration from her feathered friends, while providing practical tips and tools to help you:Explore the practice of birdwatching from the comfort of your own home and communityIncrease your self-awareness, mindfulness, and concentrationFind acceptance and alignment with the spirit and beauty of birdsRight outside your door flies just what you’ve been looking for to help ease symptoms of stress, pain, depression, and anxiety. All you have to do is look up, take notice, and open your heart and mind.No matter where you are, what you look like, or what you're going through, you can create sacred space and connection with birds and begin to heal.

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Book SynopsisTá puifín beag cabhrach ina cónaí ar Sceilg Mhichíl. Nuair a thagann sí ar ubh atá ar strae, tá an puifín ar a dícheall an ubh a thabhairt abhaile go dtína nead féin. Ach leis an ngaoth ag séideadh agus an ubh ag sleamhnú síos an cnoc beidh cúnamh ag teastáil ó ainmhithe Sceilg Mhichíl chun an ubh a thabhairt abhaile slán! An Irish translation of Puffling and the Egg.Trade ReviewAn appealing tale to delight preschool readers while introducing them to the diversity of Ireland’s wildlife, this is a welcome addition to the Irish language children’s catalogue of the O’Brien Press -- The Echojoyous … simply wonderful. Hearing and reading it in lyrical as Gaeilge is a thing of magic. I adore sweet Puffling in all her adventures. Adorable, expressive, colourful illustrations combine to tell a story that every child will long remember and enjoy. Full of joy and charm…and a great story! -- Fallen Star StoriesBhain mé an-taitneamh as an leabhar seo agus an eachtra a bhí ag puifín beag agus a chairde. Táim cinnte de go dtaitneoidh sé go mór le páistí óga agus go mbeidh sé an-úsáideach sa seomra ranga nó sa bhaile mar leabhar baile -- Bronagh Ni Phreastuin, Co BÁC * InTouch Magazine *lovable … teeming with island wildlife -- Ireland’s Own

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Book SynopsisSeasonality is an uplifting look at British wildlife through the seasons of the year, but it is also about our relationship with that wildlife. The author, a keen and passionate naturalist, takes us on a journey through spring, summer, autumn and winter, and on this journey we look at how our wildlife lives throughout the year, how it adapts and changes as necessary. The author shares how wildlife makes him feel, how he derives joy and a sense of well-being from the wildlife he sees and describes. But he also shares his frustration at how some of our actions and land management impact on our increasingly pressurised wildlife. It shares the delight of watching birds in the garden, fox cubs in the countryside and peregrines in the city. It shares the sadness of seeing stuffed examples of extinct birds, the anger at the mismanagement of potentially wildlife-rich hedgerows, and the confusion and contradiction of the management of our so-called natural spaces. It is a book of delights and frustrations, but above all hope and celebration. Whether it is the flash of bright yellow butterfly wings signalling that spring has arrived, the slicing of the air by sickle-shaped swifts telling us that summer has come, the wonderful show of colour that the leaves of trees display in the autumn, or the deep-throated chuckle of fieldfares gleaning berries in the winter, the seasons are full of life and this book describes them in vivid detail. The role of the seasons in our own lives may have diminished, but for wildlife the seasons are everything, they are the framework within which everything happens. Seasonality is your guide, through a naturalist’s eyes and thoughts, to the incredible journey of the four seasons. The seasons of the year roll on regardless, an endless cycle that dictates the rhythm of life.

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Book SynopsisScilly Birding is a humorous account of the passion, joys, highs and lows experienced by a dedicated bird enthusiast in his pursuit of an experience with rare birds on the Isles of Scilly.Trade Review...This is an easy read and after the first page I felt I was actually there myself! --Keith Betton, British Birds I found myself enjoying the fresh and lively reading experience offered by the book's unique style --David Campbell, Birdwatch ...For me, 1984 was my second exposure to the delights of Scilly and I was lucky enough to spend six weeks there (seeing, in addition to the birds listed above, both Eye-browed and Hermit Thrushes!). The antics recounted in this book (such as standing in the sea to see the Yellowthroat) therefore have a particular resonance. They capture a time and a place when little else mattered. We were young and we chased birds. Since those innocent days life has, of course, moved on and while many of us no longer crave quite the same sort of experience, this book perhaps at least reminds us of what we were. --Andy Stoddart, Rare Bird Alert

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Book SynopsisThis is a compact, A5 edition of Queen of the Sky by Jackie Morris. The amazing story of a peregrine falcon rescued from the sea off the remote coast of west Wales. Jackie Morris tells the story of how her friend Ffion Rees nursed the Falcon back to life and back to the wild it''s about the bond which grew between the two.

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Book SynopsisA revised and expanded edition of this book, the definitive birdwatching site guide for Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.Whether you're seeking Firecrests or Hawfinch in the New Forest, Osprey in Dorset or eagles on the Isle of Wight, this book tells you where to go, what you'll see and when to see it. Keith Betton's fully revised and updated fifth edition of Where to Watch Birds in Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight is the essential site guide for any birdwatcher visiting or resident in the area.This book contains a comprehensive review of the area's significant birdwatching sites, providing all the information necessary to make the most of each and every trip, whatever the time of year. This edition also incorporates new sites and revised mapping throughout and has notes on access and target species. This book is an indispensable resource for birders in this bird-rich sweep of southern England.Trade ReviewAn essential purchase for resident and visiting birders in these three counties and, considering the wealth of data synthesised within its covers, provides very good value for money. * British Birds *This is a great book in a great series, and essential for any extended birding visit to these areas of great variety in both habitats and birds. * Bird Watching, Book of the Month *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction How to use this book Key to the maps West and North Dorset Portland and Weymouth Purbeck and Poole Basin East Dorset and the Hampshire Avon The Chalk Downs The Test and Itchen Valleys The New Forest and Nearby Coast South-east Hampshire North-east Hampshire The Isle of Wight List of organisations with abbreviations used in text Glossary Further reading list Code of conduct for birdwatchers Index of species by site number

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive and up-to-date field guide to the birds of Costa Rica. Graced with bounteous natural beauty Costa Rica has become a popular destination for travellers from all over the world. Birds play a prominent role in attracting visitors, too. The shimmering quetzals, gaudy macaws, and comical toucans that populate tourism posters only begin to hint at the impressive avian diversity to be found throughout this small country. The principal objective of this book is to help you correctly identify birds in Costa Rica. Each family of birds is introduced by a brief description that should help the novice birder determine to which group a bird belongs. Nearly every species is illustrated by one or more images, as needed. Corresponding to each species' illustration is a written account on the facing page. The account begins with the unique field marks to look for that will distinguish each species from similar ones. Following the description is information about status, distributioTrade ReviewThe appearance of this new, compact guide to the birds of Costa Rica should spur even more international birders to come to this avian paradise. I congratulate the author and artist on a job well done. -- Robert S. RidgelyThis book is a must for birders visiting Costa Rica. I highly recommend it. -- Victor Emanuel

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Book SynopsisThe definitive field guide to the rich avifauna of Ecuador.This up-to-date and comprehensive guide to the birds of mainland Ecuador is a valuable resource for anyone exploring the mountains, forests and wetlands of this incredibly bird-rich country. With thousands of beautiful and detailed paintings, accompanied by concise descriptions and accurate maps, this is an indispensible guide to bird identification in Ecuador. Covers every species and most subspecies recorded in Ecuador, including migrants and vagrants, with accurate and up-to-date distribution maps. 291 colour plates illustrating more than 1,630 species, with text on facing pages for quick and easy reference. Concise text covering identification, voice, habits, habitats, range, distribution and status.Trade ReviewWins friends from the outset ... very appealing, with enough detail to identify all but the most cryptic birds ... Next time [I visit Ecuador] it'll be Freile & Restall in my backpack. -- Dominic Mitchell * Birdwatch *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Introduction How to use this book Geography and Climate: an overview Bird Diversity Patterns Conservation Bird Topography Plates and Species Accounts Appendix 1: Potential Species List Appendix 2: Checklist of the Birds of Ecuador References Index

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Book SynopsisThis beautifully illustrated book shares the infinite wisdom of birds, providing inspiration from these small but mighty creatures on how to live bravely and care for the things we love.Taking sixty of the world’s most amazing birds beautifully illustrated by Victorian artist and ornithologist John Audubon, including the proud belted kingfisher, the delicate red throated loon, the elegant snowy egret and the laidback double crested cormorant, this book will share the unique characteristics and strengths that allow these birds to thrive, inspiring us to build with care and spread our wings.

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1956, Swifts in a Tower still offers astonishing insights into swifts' private lives along with thoughts about their life style and wider issues. Now more than sixty years later swifts have been studied even more thoroughly, with technology unimaginable in the 1950s. This continues to reveal even more of their secrets, so this edition, published in association with the RSPB for their Oxford Swift City project includes a new chapter by Andrew Lack, bringing the story of this remarkable bird into the 21st Century.

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Book SynopsisChris Yates, one of Britain's most insightful and lyrical writers, raises his gaze from his beloved rivers and ponds and takes us on a mesmerizing tour of the British countryside.Last November, the sudden appearance of a hundred wintering ravens in a wood in Cranborne Chase, where I have lived for twenty-five years without seeing more than a few solitary specimens, reminded me that there is always something ready to flame up again in the landscape, just when it seemed the fire had gone out.In Nightwalk we accompany Chris Yates on the most magical of journeys into the very heart of the British countryside. His acute observation of the natural world and ability to transcend it exquisitely sets Chris apart from his contemporaries.Time slows down for a deeper intimacy with nature, and through Chris's writing we hear every rustle of a leaf, every call of a bird. He widens the power of our imagination, heightening our senses and revealing beauty in the smallest details.Trade Review‘Wonderful stuff’Independent on Sunday ‘There can be few who have explained so elegantly both the zen-like trance of the serious fisherman and the all-too-active comedy of preparation, expedition and return’Guardian ‘Chris Yates is a god’Condé Nast Traveller ‘A wonderfully elegiac book’Big Issue ‘lyrical and haunting…Yates’ narrative is presented as an account of a midsummer countryside walk…Its beauty lies in its tenderness about the world and the author’s personal responses to what he hears, feels and smells…It stayed with me a long time after I finished.’ Rachel Joyce, The Times ‘This book is the result of following a whim to its natural conclusion. It’s about time and losing track of it. Chris Yates doesn’t really want his wanderings to end, and neither will you. It’s a wonderful book, and I’m happy to recommend it without qualification.’ Marcus Berkmann, Daily Mail ‘there is no doubt about the elegance and precision of Yates’ language, or his ability to conjure up an atmosphere… perhaps this is the real beauty of Nightwalk, and the true value of Yates’ gift as a writer: that it gives back the night to us, offers up a sense of freedom in the place of anxiety, reminds us of the silence in the midst of its bustling life, and soothes our atavistic fear of the dark while never quite permitting us to be complacent.’ EarthLines ‘Chris’s existing and extensive fan-base, the anglers, will find a freedom in Nightwalk…I believe this is [his] finest work to date…What is certain, though, is that Nightwalk will delight for many, many years to come.’ Kevin Parr, Caught By the River ‘In Yates’s darkest England, four delightful decades of meandering nostalgia, curiosity and hedonism meet creatures of the night in the finest tradition of country writing.’ BBC Wildlife

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Book SynopsisA SUNDAY TIMES NATURE BOOK OF THE YEAR It''s flight and egg and feathers and song. It''s the demure plumage of a mountain thornbill and the extravagant tail feathers of an Indian paradise flycatcher, the solo song of a superb lyrebird and the perfectly timed duets of canebrake wrens, an osprey''s hurtling dive toward the sea, and a long-legged heron''s still, patient eyeing of the dark water.There is no single bird way of being.Drawing on personal observations, the latest science, and her bird-related travel around the world, Jennifer Ackerman playfully explores our dramatically shifting understanding of these magnificent animals.''Jennifer Ackerman knows what she''s talking about...Her knack for catching the personalities of different species in gorgeous, playful prose further collapses comfortable barriers between the human and the birdlike'' Daily Telegraph''The real joy of [this] book is its close attention tTrade ReviewThis book is a celebration of the dizzying variety of bird life and behaviour, one that will enthral birders and non-birders alike . . . The science here is hard, compelling and presented in Ackerman's engaging and jargon-free prose, and on every page there is evidence to support the book's thesis . . . The Bird Way crystallises and threads together these revelations into a book full of wonders large and small. * The Observer (Alex Preston) *The American author Jennifer Ackerman is not a field researcher, but with her eye for a great story she converts the scientific findings of others into popular books. The Bird Way builds on her previous volume The Genius of Birds (2016), already considered a classic. The new book, while offering a global survey of the latest research into the lives of birds, focuses on Australasia, and confronts the prejudice of so much Euro-American ornithology . . . The real joy of her book is its close attention to some of the specialists of the region . . . Ackerman is also alive to the humour at play in field research. * Mark Cocker, The Spectator *Quirky, poetic . . . biologist and bestselling author Jennifer Ackerman knows what she's talking about . . . Chapter by meatily evidence-based chapter, she lays out the assumptions that underpin our understanding of birds - and then pecks them apart . . .Her knack for catching the personalities of different species in gorgeous, playful prose further collapses comfortable barriers between the human and the birdlike . . . More than it is a book about birds - and it is, indisputably, a book about birds - The Bird Way is about diversity and tolerance. A little bird told me that's just what we need in 2020. * Daily Telegraph, ***** FIVE STARS *In The Bird Way, Jennifer Ackerman digs deeper and ranges farther into bird behaviour, pulling tasty stories out of rich ground as she hops across the continents [ . . . ] Like a bowerbird, Ms. Ackerman gathers and displays treasures to amaze and delight - then lets the scientists' stories take center stage [. . .] Refreshingly, Ackerman spotlights a number of female researchers * Wall Street Journal *Ackerman's new book reminds us that we have a lot in common with birds - like us, they are capable of deception and manipulation, not to mention cooperation, culture and communication * The Washington Post *From tales of dazzling plumage to anecdotes about almost unfathomable mimicry, Jennifer Ackerman's The Bird Way is a walk through the mysteries, wonders, and peculiarities of the avian world [. . . ] Ackerman's excitement and love for it are evident in her writing. Her superb storytelling paints a rich picture that engages the reader's imagination, making sometimes-hard-to-grasp research accessible * Science Magazine *[Ackerman's] exhilarating book will leave you as awestruck by the complexities and contradictions of bird life as she is * San Francisco Chronicle *

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Book Synopsis'He is delight and joy personified' - MARIAN KEYES'Set to become BBC's next David Attenborough' - DAILY MAIL'Brings a little bit of joy to us all' - GUARDIAN Discover the wonderful world of birdwatching with wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin - winner of BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing 2022 and presenter of BBC documentary Hamza: Strictly Birds of Prey 'Birds have been with me my entire life - from the colourful weaver birds on the banks of the Nile in Sudan to the magpies of Newcastle, from the roosting peregrine falcons near my parents' house in Northampton to the white-tailed eagles on the west coast of Scotland. I love them. If you take the time to stop and listen, you'll see the world through different eyes. It's all out there, waiting for you to find it. And it might just bring you as much joy as it's brought me.'Journey along with Hamza in Be a Birder as he recounts stories of his birding adventures, and shares tips and tricks to help you get started in birdwatching.In this beautifully illustrated guide, featuring fifty of Hamza's favourite birds, you will learn how to start identifying birds, understand their behaviour and movements, and find even more exciting birds, wherever you are. Starting with the goldfinch in your garden, to tawny owls in woodlands, to the elusive kingfisher near rivers and marshes, you will build your birdwatching confidence and push yourself further afield to find new feathered wonders.Encouraging us all to stop, step outside and listen, Be a Birder is both a practical guide and a joyous celebration of these incredible creatures. Once you start looking for them, and with Hamza as your guide, your world will be forever changed.Trade ReviewHe is a delight and joy personified -- Marian KeyesSet to become BBC's next David Attenborough * Daily Mail *Brings a little bit of joy to us all * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisFocuses a razor light on the plight of one of our most iconic birds. Inspirational!' Tim BirkheadCurlews are Britain's largest wading bird, known for their evocative calls which embody wild places; they provoke a range of emotions that many have expressed in poetry, art and music.A bird stands alone on the edge of a mudflat. Its silhouette is unmistakable. A plump body sits atop stilty legs. The long neck arcs into a small head, which tapers further into a long curved bill. The smooth, convex outlines of this curlew are alluring. They touch some ancestral liking we all have for shapes that are round and smooth.Over the last 20 years numbers in the UK have halved; the Eurasian Curlew is one of our most endangered birds. With a quarter of the world population breeding in the UK and Ireland, this is nothing short of a disaster. The curlew is showing all the signs of being the next Great Auk.In Curlew Moon, Mary Colwell takes us on a 500-mile journey on foot from the west coast of Ireland Trade Review‘Focuses a razor light on the plight of one of our most iconic birds. Inspirational!’ Tim Birkhead ‘Curlew Moon is a book with an urgent and important message’ Times Literary Supplement ‘Well-crafted and thoughtful … meticulously researched and charmingly illustrated’ Country Life ‘Readable, highly informed and heartfelt … Colwell has lovely poetic insights’ Mark Cocker, Spectator ‘An odyssey for an age of extinction’ Guardian ‘A fascinating blend of Curlews, agricultural history, culture and poetry – written beautifully’ Graham Appleton, Wadertales blog

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Book SynopsisThis special book-format issue of Birds New Zealands journal Notornisis devoted to the birds of the Auckland Islands Maukahuka/Motu Maha, the largest and biologically most diverse island group in the New Zealand subantarctic region. Its 19 chapters, written by leading ornithologists, cover a wide range of topics, including the history of ornithological discovery, biogeography, the impacts of introduced mammals and people, prehistoric bird communities based on bone assemblages, and population, ecological and genetic studies of several of the endemic or otherwise notable birds of the island group including Auckland Island snipe, white-headed petrel, and several albatross species.Trade Review'Te Papa's Lost Gold: Ornithology of the subantarctic Auckland Islands stands as a collation of nearly all that's known about this remote and spectacular birdland. It's a natural history and a history, too, of the birdwatchers who put in the hard work. ... Its chapters are well-researched scientific papers; there are no bold assertions, no flowery prose; it's all hard-won data based on meticulous observation and plain hard slog' - Matt Vance, reviewed as Book of the Week on Newsroom's ReadingRoom (21 May 2020).Table of ContentsForeward 9 1. Ornithological discovery, exploration, and research on the Auckland Islands, New Zealand subantartic, 11 2. Birds of the Auckland Islands, New Zealand subantarctic, 59 3. Subantarctic Adams Island and its birdlife 153 4. Birds of Enderby Island, Auckland Islands, New Zealand subantarctic, 189. 5. Shipwrecks and mollymawks: an account of Disappointment Island birds 213 6. Introduced land mammals and their impacts on the birds of the subantarctic Auckland Islands 247 7. Holocene bird bones found at the subantarctic Auckland Islands 269 8. An extinct New Zealand raven (Corvus antipodum) on the Auckland Islands - an osteographic enigma? 295 9. Population estimate for yellow-eyed penguins (Megadyptes antipodes) in the subantarctic Auckland Islands, New Zealand 299 10. Development of aerial monitoring techniques to estimate population size of great albatrosses (Diomeda spp). 321 11. Variation in the bill colour of the white-capped mollymawk (Thalassarche cauta steadi). 333 12. Population trends of light-mantled sooty albatross (Phoebetria palpebrata) at Adams Island and trials of ground, boat, and aerial methods for population estimates 341 13. First northern giant petrel (Macronectes halli) breeding population survey and estimate for the Auckland Islands, New Zealand 357 14. Year-round distribution, breeding cycle, and activity of white-headed petrels (Pterodroma lessonii) nesting on Adams Island, Auckland Islands 369 15. White-chinned petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis) burrow density, occupancy, and population size at the Auckland Islands 387 16. Genetic analysis reveal an unexpected refugial population of subantarctic snipe (Coenocorypha aucklandica) 403 17. Macquarie Island shags (Leucocarbo purpurascens) at the Auckland Islands - an addition to the New Zealand list 419 18. First record of South Polar skua (Catharacta maccormicki) from New Zealand - Auckland Islands, March 1904 427 19. Endemic is good, introduced is boring? Biases in bird reporting rates at the Auckland Islands 431 Acknowledgements 435

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Book SynopsisA SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEARLonglisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year''Rich and joyous ...The book''s quiet optimism about our ability to change, and to learn to love small things passionately, will stay with me for a long time'' Helen Macdonald''Big-hearted and quietly gripping'' Guardian''I love Jon Day''s writing and his birds. A marvellous, soaring account'' Olivia Laing''[A] beautiful book about unbeautiful birds'' Observer''This is nature writing at its best'' Financial Times''Awash with historical and literary detail, and moving moments ... Wonderful''Telegraph''Every page of this beautifully written book brought me pleasure'' Charlotte Higgins''A vivid evocation of a remarkable speTrade ReviewPrecise and poignant * Spectator *I love Jon Day's writing and his birds. A marvellous, soaring account * Olivia Laing *A compelling blend of personal memoir, nature writing and popular science, Day's book considers the humble pigeon, probably our oldest companion species. * Mail on Sunday *Homing did something I thought would be impossible - made me fall in love with the humble, familiar feral pigeon. It is both a repository of fascinating stories and memorable characters, and a deeply felt personal enquiry into the nature of 'home'. Every page of this beautifully written book brought me pleasure * Charlotte Higgins *'A terrific book which explores the sport inside out, as well as our own human concept of what home is' * Daily Telegraph *In this lucid and beguiling book, Jon Day has written marvellously interwoven tale of our two species * Jonathan Raban *A meditation that swoops agilely over topics from tyranny of technology to the paradoxes of parenting and the rewards of simply staying put. . . . A joyful, richly rewarding book * Mail on Sunday *Big-hearted and quietly gripping * The Guardian *[A] Vivid evocation of a remarkable species and a rich working-class tradition...a charming defence of a much-maligned bird * Daily Mail *Day's stories from the history of human-pigeon relations are well chosen and well told ... there's a great deal to like in the simple imagery of a young family and their pigeons growing up together in an east London home * Literary Review *This beautiful book by an English lecturer-cum-pigeon fancier reveals eerie parallels between human and bird life ... [A] beautiful book about unbeautiful birds * The Observer *Jon Day takes on the humble racing pigeon to ask just what home is, how we establish it, miss it and depart and return to it. He elevates this heroic bird to its rightful place in natural history and our history too, and celebrates its shared instinct with us for home... the art his own family and academic career... He has many fascinating accounts of how we've exploited these miraculous birds' homing instincts in war and peace... Day swoops and soars over many fields of art and science to unravel our instinct for homeEndlessly interesting and dazzlingly erudite, this wonderful book will make a home for itself in your heart * Prospect Magazine *I totally love Jon Day's new book Homing. For people who recognise that feeling familiar to Freud, of being homesick for nowhere, Jon's sense of making a particular home, or of knowing your way back to one, is a miracle-narrative of birds and men. Humane and beautifully navigated, it is hands down a book of the year -- Andrew O'HaganA dazzlingly erudite memoir about family, children and pigeon-fancying. An unlikely combination perhaps, but Day pulls it off. * Prospect Magazine *Day's stories from the history of human-pigeon relations are well chosen and well told ... there's a great deal to like in the simple imagery of a young family and their pigeons growing up together in an east London home * Literary Review *

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Book Synopsis‘[A] delightful hymn of praise to the most extraordinary of all the world's bird families – hummingbirds’ STEPHEN MOSS ‘A brilliant read’ MARK AVERY 'Ever thoughtful and engaging, Jon Dunn pursues these dazzling creatures through dust and jungle' BENEDICT ALLEN 'A warm-hearted and enthusiastic triumph of nature writing' TIM DEE _____________________ For centuries hummingbirds have captured our imaginations: revered by Native Americans, coveted by European collectors and admired worldwide for their jewel-like plumage, acrobatic flight and immense character. Though their renown extends throughout the world, hummingbirds are found exclusively in the Americas. Small in stature yet fiercely tenacious, they have conquered every habitat imaginable: from boreal woodlands to deserts, mangrove swamps to volcanic slopes, and on islands both tropical and sub-polar. The Glitter in the Green takes us on an unforgettable journey in search of the most remarkable examples of this wildly variable family. There’s the Bee Hummingbird in Cuba, the smallest species of bird to have ever lived; the diminutive Rufous Hummingbird, whose annual migration exceeds 3,000 miles; and the critically endangered Juan Fernández Firecrown, marooned on the remote Pacific island that inspired Robinson Crusoe. Jon Dunn brings us closer than ever before to these magnificent creatures, exploring a heady mix of rare birds, a history redolent with mythology, and the colourful stories of the people obsessed with hummingbirds through the ages. With great passion for his subject and a taste for adventure, Dunn transports us to wondrous landscapes from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, and invites us into the kaleidoscopic world of the hummingbird – the bird that has won the hearts and minds of mankind for millennia.Trade ReviewDunn's vast love letter is as gleaming and mesmeric as its tiny subject. His travels to observe the often elusive family Trochilidae take him from the smoky air of an Alaska besieged by wildfire, to coastal Santa Marta, Colombia. The book ... is as much an ode to our world writ large as it is to one of its most captivating birds * Vanity Fair *The Glitter in the Green braids the cultural history and daunting needs and feats of these wondrous birds with vivid accounts of the author’s sometimes hazardous, far-flung mountain, forest and island expeditions ... Exceedingly well-researched and packed with fascinating lore, it should appeal to avid birders and general readers alike -- Heller McAlpin * Wall Street Journal *Ever thoughtful and engaging, Jon Dunn pursues these dazzling creatures through dust and jungle to the chillier shores at the far end of the world -- Benedict AllenEnticing ... brilliant ... a warm-hearted and enthusiastic triumph of nature writing, passionate yet expert, human and humane as well as biologically spot on, freighted with life that is troublingly exciting, and sparkling with its subject ... a memorable and essential book -- Tim DeeAn adventure-filled, continent-spanning travelogue ... By carefully peeling back layers of history to find shimmering hummingbirds hidden within, Dunn has created essential reading to understand human obsession—past and present—with these remarkable creatures -- Jonathan C. SlaghtGlittering gems of the Americas and nowhere else on Earth, hummingbirds lure Jon Dunn from Alaska to Chile in this whizzing travelogue of hummer natural history ... exquisite -- Dan FloresMore than just an observant birdwatcher, Jon Dunn is a talented traveler and writer ... The Glitter in the Green is a vivid exploration of a dazzling subject -- Thor HansonAt a time when we are confined to our home patch, Jon Dunn transports us to the Americas, in this delightful hymn of praise to the most extraordinary of all the world’s bird families – hummingbirds -- Stephen MossFull of natural history, quotes from early explorers, local history, and adventure, Dunn’s chronicle of his hummingbird quests will make readers just as obsessed with these small, quick birds dipped in rainbows * Booklist, starred review *This is more than a bird book ... It combines one person’s adventure with arguably the most spectacular group of birds in the world: hummingbirds! The immensely talented writer Jon Dunn follows these highly diverse jewels from Alaska, down the Americas to Tierra del Fuego, and weaves an environmental and cultural dialogue around these hummers and the human-dominated world they live in -- Dr. Joel CracraftThe author chronicles his travels from his home in the Shetland Islands to the Americas in search of this alluring bird… A mesmerizing, wonder-filled nature study that also serves as a cautionary tale about wildlife conservation. * Kirkus Reviews, starred review *An engaging history of the species ... This inviting narrative describes the author’s search for the rare Mangrove Hummingbird in Costa Rica, as well as others threatened with habitat loss in Cuba and Mexico ... An essential book for bird watchers, especially hummingbird lovers, as well as anyone interested in natural history -- Mark Jones * Library Journal *Natural history writer Dunn takes readers on a wondrous globe-trotting pilgrimage to seek out hummingbirds... Dunn’s vivid prose, balanced with just the right amount of detail, will captivate birders and non-birders alike * Publishers Weekly, starred review *A delightful and rich adventure into hummingbird territory, recounted with a deftly literate touch. A glittering treat -- Dominic Couzens, author of 'A Bird a Day'A rich, fascinating and absorbing book, combining personal adventure with the natural history of the most magical birds on the planet -- Lev Parikian, author of 'Why Do Birds Suddenly Disappear' and 'Into the Tangled Bank'Jon Dunn's wide-ranging journey underlines how hummingbirds’ famous beauty has often blinded us to the deeper wonders of their daring, passionate lives. -- Jonathan Meiburg, author of 'A Most Remarkable Creature'Jon Dunn’s searching book on these tiny, enigmatic birds takes on a tour of brilliance ... In beautiful, measured prose, Dunn shows us the hummingbirds’ worlds and, of course, the challenges they face at our hands. It is a lovesong to the hummingbird that will make you wonder and hope for their survival in equal measure. -- Melanie Challenger, author of 'How to be Animal'It’s a brilliant read, and not only if you are keen on hummingbirds but just if you are keen on nature, and places, and people and history -- Mark AveryA good place to begin to understand the birds’ dramatic pleasures is with this entertaining book. One of Jon Dunn’s real achievements is his ability to conjure the plastic form and astonishing chromatic architecture of many hummingbird species -- Mark Cocker * Spectator *The Glitter In The Green contains astonishing photographs and stories about these rare and beautiful birds * Herald *At times, just reading the book was an adrenaline burner. Epic quest followed epic quest. I was swept along, wide-eyed at the places, the friendly people and the nail-biting conclusion of wondering if, after all the effort, the hummingbird in question would materialise -- Anthony Mcgeehan * Rare Bird Alert *

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Book SynopsisAn invaluable site guide for New England birders, now available in a new updated edition. With over 470 species of birds recorded, Maine offers an abundance of birding opportunities for people of all levels of interest and experience, from those looking beyond their backyards for the first time to knowledgeable visitors looking to plug a hole in their list of sightings. The state’s wealth of undeveloped land and its extensive coastline, countless islands, and varied habitat combine to host an impressive diversity of birds at all times of the year. Birders travel to Maine from near and far to seek hard-to-find species, from the only Atlantic puffins breeding in the United States on offshore islands to Bicknell’s thrushes high in the mountains. This book fills an important niche for the birdwatching community by offering comprehensive entries detailing the best locations for finding birds throughout the state for enthusiasts of all levels of skill and interest. It contains descriptions of 202 birding sites in Maine, with explicit directions on how to get there, for all sixteen of the state’s counties, several as large as other New England states! Each chapter features a county map, a brief overview by Derek J. Lovitch, numerous specific site guides, and a list of rarities. The book also contains a detailed and useful species accounts guide for finding the most sought-after birds. Lavishly illustrated in color throughout, Birdwatching in Maine is the best available resource for finding birds in the largest of the New England states. This updated edition features a new introduction, as well as new birding sites and maps.Trade Review“Whether an experienced Maine birder or visitor, or even just a mildly interested bird enthusiast who likes to explore, this book . . . is a must-have for your personal library, although it may spend more time in the car and in your hands than on the shelf!” * Boothbay Register *“Lovitch’s new birding guide, Birdwatching in Maine, is a must-have for all who love Maine’s birds. The book is comprehensive, covering all the state’s best bird watching places.” * Bangor Daily News *Table of ContentsPreface xvIntroduction: Why Go Birding in Maine? 1Basics of Birding in Maine 3How to Use This Book 5American Birding Association Code of Birding Ethics 91 Y ork County 13Derek LovitchY1 Fort Foster and Seapoint Beach 14Y2 Mount Agamenticus 17Y3 The Nubble (Cape Neddick) 18Y4 Winter Alcid and Harlequin Duck Tour 20Y5 Moody-Ogunquit Beach and Beach Plum Farm 22Y6 Wells Marshes and Beaches 24Y7 Wells Reserve at Laudholm 26Y8 First Chance Whale Watch 27Y9 Kennebunk Plains 28Y10 Sanford Lagoons 31Y11 Timber Point and Fortunes Rocks Beach 33Y12 Biddeford Pool 35Y13 Saco “Yacht Club” and Riverwalk 41Y14 Pleasant Point Park 43Y15 Waterboro Barrens Preserve 44Y16 Killock Pond Road, and Maynard Marsh andLittle Ossippee River Wildlife Management Areas 45Y17 Sawyer Mountain Loop 482 C umberland County 51Derek LovitchC1 Scarborough Marsh 53C2 Crescent Beach and Kettle Cove State Parks 60C3 Dyer Point and Two Lights State Park 62C4 Village Crossings and the Cape Elizabeth Greenbelt Trail 64C5 Portland Harbor Winter Gull Loop 65C6 The Eastern Promenade 68C7 Back Cove 71C8 Evergreen Cemetery and Other Urban Sites 73C9 Capisic Pond Park 77C10 Odyssey Whalewatch 78C11 Casco Bay Islands (especially Peaks Island) and the Mailboat 80C12 Riverbank Park and Westbrook Riverwalk 82C13 Sebago Lake State Park and the Sebago Lake Loop 83C14 Sandy Point Beach, Cousin’s Island 87C15 “Greater Yarmouth Goose Fields” 89C16 Old Town House Park 91C17 Morgan Meadow Wildlife Management Area 92C18 Bradbury Mountain State Park and Spring Hawk Watch 93C19 Winslow Park and South Freeport 95C20 Florida Lake Park 98C21 Wharton Point to Simpson Point 100C22 Harpswell Neck 102C23 Bailey Island 1053 O xford County 107Kirk BettsO1 Brownfield Bog 109O2 Pleasant Mountain 111O3 Fryeburg Harbor Loop 112O4 Heald and Bradley Ponds 114O5 Streaked Mountain 115O6 Virgil Parris Forest (Packard Trail) 116O7 Norway Loop 116O8 White Mountain National Forest 118O9 Mount Will 119O10 Rumford Whitecap Mountain 120O11 Grafton Notch State Park 121O12 Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge 1224 A ndroscoggin County 125Dan NickersonAN1 Androscoggin River Tour, Durham to Lewiston 126AN2 Beaver Park, Lisbon 129AN3 Miller Park—Papermill Trail, Ricker Farm, and AndroscogginRiver Trails 131AN4 The “Louie” Loop 133AN5 Range Pond State Park 136AN6 Lewiston-Auburn Parks and Trails 137AN7 Auburn North Circuit 141AN8 Sabattus Pond 1445 S agadahoc County 149John BerrySA1 Morse Mountain and Seawall Beach 151SA2 Popham Beach State Park 152SA 3 Reid State Park 155SA4 New Meadows River 158SA 5 Bath Landfill and Waterfront 158SA6 Whiskeag Creek Trail (Sewall Woods and Thorne Head) 161SA 7 Bradley Pond 162SA8 Bisson’s Farm 163SA 9 Cathance Preserve 164SA10 Merrymeeting Bay (including the Mouth of the AbagadassetRiver) 165SA11 Green Point Wildlife Management Area 1686 L incoln County 171Allison Childs Wells and Jeffrey V. WellsL1 Monhegan Island 172L2 Boothbay Harbor Loop 177L3 Cap’n Fish’s Whale Watch 178L4 Boothbay Center Loop 179L5 Ocean Point—Linekin Preserve Loop 181L6 Pemaquid Point Loop 183L7 Eastern Egg Rock via the Hardy Boat 186L8 Schmid Preserve–Zak Preserve Loop 187L9 Old Cedar Grove Road and Pownalborough Court HouseTrails 189L10 Great Salt Bay Loop 191L11 Dresden Bog Loop 194L12 North Lincoln County Loop 1967 K ennebec County 199Herb WilsonKE1 Cobbosseecontee Lake 201KE2 Vaughan Woods 202KE3 Mill Park and Augusta State Airport (West Augusta) 203KE4 Viles Arboretum 204KE5 Hatch Hill Landfill 206KE6 Messalonskee Lake 208KE7 Sidney Bog 210KE8 China Lake 211KE9 Waterville Loop 213KE10 Kennebec River 216KE11 Kennebec Highlands Trails 217KE12 River Road Farmlands 2188 K nox County 221Kristen LindquistKX1 St. George River in Warren 222KX2 Weskeag Marsh 223KX3 Thomaston Waterfront 226KX4 Owls Head Area Loop 228KX5 Rockland Breakwater 230KX6 Vinalhaven Island (and Ferry) 232KX7 Chickawaukie Lake and Maces Pond 238KX8 Clarry Hill 239KX 9 Appleton Ridge to the Gibson Preserve 241KX10 Beech Hill Preserve 243KX11 Merryspring Nature Center 246KX12 Camden Harbor 248KX13 Camden Hills State Park 2499 Waldo County 253Seth BenzWO1 Fernald’s Neck Preserve 254WO2 Ducktrap Harbor 256WO3 Islesboro (Island) 257WO4 Lake St. George State Park 260WO5 James Dorso (Ruffingham Meadow) Wildlife ManagementArea 261WO6 Belfast Tour 262WO7 Head of Tide and Stover Preserves 266WO8 Bog Brook Sanctuary / Sheepscot-Wellspring Land AllianceProperties 269WO9 Frye Mountain State Wildlife Management Area 270WO10 Sears Island 272WO11 Cape Jellison Loop 276WO12 Sandy Point Beach and Sandy Point Wildlife ManagementArea 278WO13 Unity Area 279WO14 Howard L. Mendall (Marsh Stream) Wildlife ManagementArea 28310 Hancock County 285Rich MacDonaldH1 Deer Isle Tour 287H2 Blue Hill Peninsula Tour 290H3 Holbrook Island Sanctuary 292H4 Acadia National Park Tour (including Park Loop Road) 295H5 Mount Desert Island (West) Tour 301H6 East Mount Desert Island Tour 304H7 Bar Harbor Whale Watch 306H8 Trenton 308H9 Schoodic Peninsula Tour 309H10 Great Pond Mountain Wildlands 311H11 Ellsworth Tour 312H12 Route 9, Airline Road (“the Airline”) and Stud MillRoad Tour 31411 Franklin County 317Kirk BettsF1 White Granite Park 319F2 Foothills Land Conservancy 320F3 Whistlestop Trail 321F4 Mount Blue State Park 322F5 Perham Stream Birding Trail 323F6 Saddleback Mountain 324F7 Rangeley Lakes 326F8 Rangeley Loop Drive 328F9 Bald Mountain 331F10 Boy Scout Road and the Kennebago River 332F11 Quill Hill 334F12 Sugarloaf Area 335F13 Burnt Mountain (aka Burnt Hill) 33712 S omerset County 339Ron JosephSO 1 Mill Island Town Park 341SO2 Shawmut Dam 342SO3 Goodwill-Hinckley School Nature Trail, L. C. Bates Museum,and Kennebec Valley Community College Farm Fields 343SO4 Madawaska Bog Wildlife Management Area 344SO5 Gilman Pond Farm and Stream Inlet 345SO6 Long Falls Dam Road 346SO7 Moore Pond 35013 P enobscot County 353Luke SeitzPE1 Sebasticook Lake 354PE2 Corinna Marsh 355PE3 Plymouth Pond 357PE4 Essex Woods 358PE5 Bangor Waterfront Tour 359PE6 Penjajawoc Marsh 361PE7 Bangor City Forest and Orono Bog 362PE8 University of Maine Campus 363PE9 Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge 365PE10 Stud Mill Road 36614 W ashington County 369Herb WilsonWN1 Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge 370WN2 Southern Washington County Blueberry Barrens 371WN3 Addison Marsh 372WN4 Great Wass Island 372WN5 Roque Bluffs State Park 374WN6 Machias Loop 374WN7 Machias Seal Island 376WN8 Hamilton Cove and Boot Head Preserves 377WN9 Lubec and the Lubec Bar and Flats 380WN10 Quoddy Head State Park 383WN11 Campobello Island 386WN12 Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge: Edmunds Division 387WN13 Pleasant Island–Eastport Loop 388WN14 Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge: Baring Division 390WN15 The Burn Road 39115 P iscataquis County 393Luke SeitzPS1 Shirley Bog Railroad Bed 395PS2 Big Moose Mountain 397PS3 Lily Bay State Park 398PS4 Kokadjo Area 398PS5 Golden Road 400PS6 Harvester Road 401PS7 Baxter State Park: Nesowadnehunk Campground 405PS8 Baxter State Park: Roaring Brook Campground andSandy Stream Pond 406PS9 Baxter State Park: Mount Katahdin 40716 A roostook County 411Luke SeitzAR1 Mars Hill Pond 412AR2 Masardis Area 413AR3 Aroostook State Park 414AR4 Lake Josephine 415AR5 Christiana Reservoir 417AR6 Collins Pond 418AR 7 Limestone / Fort Fairfield Goose Tour 419AR8 Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge 421AR9 Stockholm–Van Buren Path 422AR10 Muscovic Road 424AR11 Sinclair Area 425AR12 Square Lake Road 426AR13 The North Maine Woods 42917 S pecies Accounts 432References 465About the Editor and Contributors 467Index of Bird Species 473

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Book Synopsis‘Whether you are new to wanting to understand birdsong, or are already a fully fledged birdwatcher, this book casts a spell. A truly lovely reading experience’ - Love Reading This is a book full of fascinating stories about birdsong for every week of the year, with QR codes to bring each song to life. Leading bird expert and writer, Dominic Couzens, takes you on a journey to enjoy an authentic year of birdsong around the world, one for every week of the year. From the ancient song of the Rifleman that was likely the first sound made by a songbird to the Eurasian Skylark who evokes the zenith of summer, from the constant companion of the American Robin whose song resonates from the top of skyscrapers and complements the howling of a wolfpack in Alaska to the drumming rhythm of the Great Spotted Woodpecker. This book covers a myriad of topics including bird nature and behaviour, stories and literary masterpieces inspired by birdsongs, the musicality of the notes, and what different songs communicate. Each of these fascinating stories are accompanied by illustrations by award-winning artist Madeleine Floyd and a QR code to let you listen to the birdsong while you read. A natural wonder that has captivated and fascinated generations, birdsong is the soundtrack to life. This book offers the perfect tonic whether you are an avid birdwatcher or just want to understand the songs that are often the first thing we hear in the morning and the last thing we hear at night.Trade ReviewGorgeous illustrations' Evergreen ‘Delightful illustrations’ Country Life ‘Whether you are new to wanting to understand birdsong, or are already a fully fledged birdwatcher, this book casts a spell. A truly lovely reading experience’ Love Reading ‘Charming… I love the illustrations’ Miranda Mills YouTube

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Book SynopsisThis wonderful book describes the fascinating lives of the two most ubiquitous shorebirds in the world. Between them the Common Sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) and Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia) make use of a large part of the world's terrestrial habitat and they exhibit many of the exciting features of shorebirds. As the birds arrive on the breeding ground, their displays are spectacular and their sounds are an exciting announcement of springtime. Unusually, the Spotted Sandpiper appears to be the only bird where the female is the territory holder, laying successive clutches of eggs for different males to care for, while the male of the Common Sandpiper holds the territory, has one mate, and shares most duties. They stay on the breeding grounds only as long as is essential to reproduce before making a migration southwards to a broad range of non-breeding homes in Central and South America, Africa, India, and eastwards to Australia with vagrants reaching as far as Tristan da Cunha and New Zealand. The Common Sandpiper has also been recorded breeding in East Africa and wintering in Scotland so their flexibility is amazing. The author has spent over 40 years studying the lives of these fantastic birds and provides a wealth of information including their breeding behaviour, migrations, distribution, food sources, habitats and their history from the present back to 36 million years ago. This beautiful book will hopefully stimulate others to watch these worldwide birds more appreciatively and add to our knowledge.Trade Review`…a fascinating insight into the lives of the two Actitis species. It’s almost as if the reader is allowed to sit on a bank with the author and share intimate moments with these birds. Wader Tale Blog -------------------- `Much of this fascinating information will be new to general UK birders. Throughout, there are clear and concise tables, maps, and many well-chosen images on both species... The author's style here is relaxed and reveals a true affection for his study species and their habitats - he has produced a great addition to all birdwatchers' libraries, amateur and professionals alike'. Scottish Birds -------------------- `...this book will be appreciated by many wader and riverine enthusiasts. I am glad we have it'. Birdwatch -------------------- `...this would be perfect for anyone wanting to know these birds better...' The Birders Library -------------------- `...the book is a real compendium of information on the two species and will be a very useful addition to any shorebirder's library'. British Birds -------------------- `This delightful book brings all aspects of their behavior and ecology to life... ...this is an excellent book that makes the most of the long-term studies on Common Sandpipers undertaken in the UK by the author... ...is highly internationally relevant... I would heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in finding out more about these two fascinating species'. BTO - British Trust for Ornithology -------------------- `...I was very pleasantly surprised to receive an attractive softback book... The graphics are refreshingly original, adding greatly to the personal feel of the book...just the right amount of information, presented in an interesting and engaging way'. Sussex Ornithological Society Newsletter -------------------- `For those with a serious interest in either of these species'. The Birdbooker Report -------------------- `...is brim-full of photographs, sketches and graphs illustrating the points being made by the author, which make it a more informative read. The author ha crammed 40 years' experience of studying the live of these birds into a book which will undoubtedly give pleasure and knowledge to most birders'. Wildlife Detective, The blog of Alan Stewart -------------------- `This beautiful book describe the fascinating life of the two most popular species of wading birds in the world'. Alauda

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Book SynopsisVolume III in our In Arcadia Series is a beautiful bird book - elegant descriptions of our best-loved birds alongside simple, yet stunning woodcuts.

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Book SynopsisGeorge Archibald heads the International Crane Foundation. In this charmingly illustrated book he shares his experience of the 15 species of crane in amusing and interesting anecdotes.

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Book Synopsis The robin was hardly understood when David Lack - Britain's most influential ornithologist - started his scientific observations. This book is a landmark in natural history, not just for its discoveries, but because of the approachable style, sharpened with an acute wit. It reads as fascinatingly today as when it was written.

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Book SynopsisUsually observed as a flash of blue and orange from a riverbank, most people are aware of Kingfishers, but few of us are familiar with the intricacies of their day-to-day lives.With their long, dagger-like bills, bright blue plumage and characteristic fast, low flight over water, Common Kingfishers are instantly recognisable. The 90 or so species that belong to this colourful family have a cosmopolitan distribution and, in Spotlight Kingfishers, David Chandler celebrates their remarkable existence, studying their unique adaptations and their courtship, breeding and feeding habits. He also investigates historical threats to Kingfishers, considers their future, and offers practical advice on how to find and see these glorious birds.Table of Contents1. Meet the Kingfisher 2. The Kingfisher family 3. Home and away: habitat and movements 4. Catching fish... and more 5. Finding and keeping a territory 6. A mate and a tunnel 7. From egg to adult 8. Life and death on the riverbank 9. Past imperfect: future tense? 10. How to see a Kingfisher Glossary Resources Image credits Index

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Book Synopsis''Packed with insight and anecdote, his story brings the Tower ravens to vivid life, each bird with a personality of its own. I''ve been fortunate enough to tour the Tower and meet the ravens a few times in years past; after reading this book, I cannot wait to go back'' George R. R. MartinFor centuries, the Tower of London has been home to a group of famous avian residents: the ravens. Each year they are seen by millions of visitors, and they have become as integral a part of the Tower as its ancient stones themselves. But their role is even more important than that legend has it that if the ravens should ever leave, the Tower will crumble into dust, and great harm will befall the kingdom.One man is personally responsible for ensuring that such a disaster never comes to pass the Ravenmaster. The current holder of the position is Yeoman Warder Christopher Skaife, and in this fascinating, entertaining and touching book he memorably describes the ravens' formidable intelligence, their iTrade Review‘He is a born storyteller’ Evening Standard ‘A born storyteller with a gift for banter honed by years in the British army, Skaife has written a book that is far from a dry monograph about the species … [it is] a beguiling, fascinating, and highly amusing account of the strangely magical birds. He is making us love them in a way that makes them more than mere symbols’ Helen Macdonald, author of H is for Hawk, Atlantic ‘A natural story teller, Skaife writes with affection and insight about these powerful, unpredictable and highly intelligent birds … a wonderfully personal account’ Guardian ‘The best Christmas presents are often a little unexpected and this lovely memoir of Yeoman Warder Christopher Skaife's experience of looking after the Tower of London ravens fits the bill. A beguiling mixture of personal experience, folklore and humour, The Ravenmaster is a charming delight’ iNews ‘A strange, wise and fascinating book that takes you deep into the interwoven myth and history of the raven. At a time when we're thinking more than ever about tradition and identity, this is a book that feels both urgent and timeless, with the Ravenmaster himself an eccentric, genial and quintessentially British narrator’ Alex Preston, author of When Kingfishers Catch Fire ‘The London book of the year this year has to be The Ravenmaster, a funny and informative account of life with the royal ravens’ Evening Standard ‘Balancing fascinating tidbits with macabre details (blood-soaked dog biscuits and ghostly sightings), [Skaife] titillates as he educates, rehabilitating the gloomy reputation of the raven. Skaife’s conversational style and disarming candor make this a rollicking tale fit for nearly any armchair adventurer’ Publisher's Weekly

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Book SynopsisEven the most delightful ducks can have a bad day . . . What's the matter with Dick the Duck? He's usually so kind and friendly!But today Dick got out on The Wrong Side of Bed. He feelshumpy and grumpy, cranky and cross. How can his friends cheer himup?A magnificently funny rhyming story about the power of kindness andfriendship.

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Book Synopsis''The best piece of nature writing since H is for Hawk, and the most powerful work of biography I have read in years'' Neil Gaiman''Wonderful - I can''t recommend it too highly'' Helen Macdonald''One of those rare, enchanted books'' Isabella Tree''Beautiful - it made me cry'' Simon Amstell''I was entranced'' Cathy RentzenbrinkThis is a story about birds and fathers.About the young magpie that fell from its nest in a Bermondsey junkyard into Charlie Gilmour''s life - and swiftly changed it. Demanding worms around the clock, riffling through his wallet, sharing his baths and roosting in his hair... About the jackdaw kept at a Cornish stately home by Heathcote Williams, anarchist, poet, magician, stealer of Christmas, and Charlie''s biological father who vanished from his life in the dead of night. It is a story about repetition across generations and birds that run in the blooTrade ReviewFeatherhood is one of the best books I've ever read. I urge you to seek it out, buy it, and be enchanted. It's incredibly moving and I loved every single page * Elton John *The best piece of nature writing since H is for Hawk, and the most powerful work of biography I have read in years. It announces Charlie Gilmour as a major new writing talent * Neil Gaiman *Wonderful - I can't recommend it too highly * Helen Macdonald, author of H IS FOR HAWK *Beautiful, wise, compassionate and powerful, Featherhood is one of those rare, enchanted books that sings to the soul of what it is to be * Isabella Tree, author of WILDING *What a book! I was entranced. A personal reckoning which is simultaneously brutal and joyous. It's full of light. I want to tell everyone about it * Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of THE LAST ACT OF LOVE *This stunning memoir flashes with as many colours as its enchanting subject, and draws us into a world of eccentric characters impossible to predict or forget. Savage, mischievous, moving, sublime * Rhik Samadder, author of I NEVER SAID I LOVED YOU *FEATHERHOOD, it would be tempting to say, is where Helen Macdonald's H Is For Hawk meets Gerald Durrell's My Family And Other Animals. But Charlie Gilmour's memoir is so original and ingeniously wrought, it stands on its own as a book to which others will surely be compared... Gilmour's language is as precise as his gaze is forensic. He is something of a magician himself, conjuring whole vivid personalities with a few deft strokes of his pen... He can slay you with his succinct summoning of a small boy's struggles... and he can dazzle you with the gem-like images of nature he creates which, like all writers who draw you into their orbit, thrum with life... Remarkable.' -- Ginny Dougary * DAILY MAIL, Book of the Week *It is wise, self-aware, never forced, often funny, beautifully crafted, and, in the end, as moving as Kes, that other great work about a boy who is given the gift of liberation by a bird. -- Craig Brown * MAIL ON SUNDAY *A soaring debut... A sincere and searing tale of loss, addictive despair, the redemptive power of love, the natural world and a shit-dropping, feather-moulting talking magpie... This will undoubtedly be held up alongside H Is for Hawk, Helen Macdonald's memoir that saw her tame her grief and a bird of prey in her living room. But Featherhood is an equal, if not better, work of magpie investigation that ranks among the best modern coming-of-age memoirs. -- Helen Davies * SUNDAY TIMES CULTURE *A profound exploration of grief, fragmented families, nature versus nurture and whether we are doomed to repeat the sins of our fathers. But it is also a gladdening celebration of what it is to nurture and bring forth new life. -- Caroline Sanderson * SUNDAY EXPRESS S MAGAZINE *A beautiful book, sensitive and compelling - it made me cry * Simon Amstell *I loved Featherhood. About nature and growth, about belonging and not belonging, it is beautiful * Andrew O’Hagan, author of THE ILLUMINATIONS *Utterly absorbing, astonishingly well-written, full of heart, Featherhood is the most arresting book I've read for a very long time * Cressida Connolly, author of AFTER THE PARTY *The extraordinary story of an extraordinary family * Sophie Heawood, author of THE HANGOVER GAMES *Featherhood is an incisive, funny and at times traumatic study of the damage done by destructive father-son relationships and the struggle to smash generational cycles. -- David Marsland * EVENING STANDARD *A wonderful, moving book. His account of raising a young magpie offers a lovely insight into this fascinating bird * James Macdonald Lockhart, author of RAPTOR *[An] affecting and beautifully written memoir. * THE BOOKSELLER, Editor's Choice *A good time in a weird way - I have never read anything so filthy * Nell Zink, author of THE WALL CREEPER *Emotional, touching and often odd, Gilmour's memoir about two key relationships - one with his late father and the other with a magpie - lingers long after the final page. -- Sarah Hughes * I NEWSPAPER *I'm having a lovely time with Featherhood by Charlie Gilmour. He is such a tender writer, the book is a magical encounter with birds and fathers. * Andrew O'Hagan in GUARDIAN *Touching and true, with flashes of black humour, it's a fascinating story. It's also a brilliant examination of nature vs nurture. Gilmour is certainly a born writer. -- Cressida Connelly * THE SPECTATOR, Books of the Year *Written with economy, insight, and rare beauty - a perfect nature memoir for our times -- Andrew Lycett * THE SPECTATOR *A tender coming-of-age memoir. It's an intelligent debut that shows that Gilmour, for all his celebrity family connections, is undoubtedly a remarkable writer in his own right. -- Lucy Knight * THE SUNDAY TIMES, Memoir of the Year *Featherhood is an incisive, funny and at times traumatic study of the damage done by destructive father-son relationships. * THE OLDIE *Gilmour's unforgettable memoir is both a beautiful piece of nature writing about caring for a magpie and a brutally honest account of his difficult relationship with his late father, the poet Heathcote Williams. -- Sarah Hughes * I NEWSPAPER, Best Books of 2020 *A delicately choreographed story of salvation through a bird, with echoes of Barry Hines's classic A Kestrel For A Knave. -- Craig Brown * MAIL ON SUNDAY, Best Books of the Year *Bird and author explore this explosive terrain in an exhilarating dance of transformation, from wild to tame, captivity to freedom and darkness to light. -- Ariane Bankes * THE TABLET, Best Books of the Year *Gilmour... is fearless in sharing himself with readers. As he works through his relationships, the emotional freight is not always subtle, but this comes from a generosity and openness on his part, which, ultimately, is what makes "Featherhood" so lovely and inviting. Gilmour practices no magic here; he distracts the reader with no glitzy baubles. He gives us a man and a bird and tells us, best he can, what they've come to know about the world as it is. He is willing to spill a little blood. -- C J Hauser * THE NEW YORK TIMES *Redemptive, beautifully written and often very funny, this is a moving study of the power of human (and magpie) love to repair even the most wounded heart. -- Jane Shilling * DAILY MAIL *

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Book SynopsisWhether you are a beginner or an expert, this beautifully detailed field guide to the common birds of Ireland will give invaluable advice on how to identify each species: their calls, songs, diets and habitats, as well as up-to-date distribution maps of each species.Eric Dempsey's text covers all the important bird identification features, while the superb illustrations of over 200 bird species by Michael O'Clery highlight these features in lifelike detail.This long-awaited new edition reflects the changes that have occurred in the distribution and breeding status of Ireland's common birds as well as including species once considered rare but which are now more regularly seen.This is an ideal companion to the Complete Field Guide to Ireland's Birds.

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Book SynopsisMost bird books are designed to help you identify the birds that you''ve seen. This book is different.It is a species-by-species guide that shows you how to find and watch more than 250 species of birds that can be seen in Britain. Some are common; others are rare migrants or scarce breeding birds, but this book will tell you the best places to see and watch all of them.Sections include:- How to find including the best time of day, how to search the habitat and behavioural signs - Watching tips including ways to get close to the bird without disturbing it and how to attract it to your garden. - Super sites includes a short list of some of the best places to see the species.Readers will be able to see their most coveted species but also enjoy rewarding watching experiences that will enhance their understanding of the species, of bird behaviour and of key fieldcraft techniques.Trade ReviewNot only will casual birdwatchers find this book an excellent addition to their library many new birders will too. * Fatbirder *If you're new to birding or have a wishlist of species you've always wanted to see - then RSPB British Birdfinder is right up your street. * BBC Wildlife *A great idea for beginners. * Scottish Birds *With its eye-catching cover and attractive use of colour throughout, including some fine photographs, this is a brilliant guide to finding about 300 species of birds in the British Isles. * IBIS - The International Journal of Avian Science *Table of ContentsIntroduction Finding and watching Common, scarce and rare How to use this book The Birdwatcher's Code Species Accounts Watching Winter Waterfowl The Breeding Season Seawatching Watching Birds of Prey Found a Rare Bird? Seabird Colonies Woodland Birdwatching Autumn Passerine Migration Garden Birds Exploring the Country Glossary Acknowledgements Recommended reading

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Book Synopsis'Twelve men have walked on the moon. But how many have spent an entire season with the Emperors in Antarctica? Maybe more, likely less. Lindsay McCrae has - and this is his wonderful and frank story.' - Chris PackhamWhen the BBC asked BAFTA-winning cameraman Lindsay McCrae to go to Antarctica to film emperor penguins he was thrilled. After discussing it with his wife Becky they agreed that, although it would mean him being away for 11 months, he should do it. But then she became pregnant and it seemed like the worst idea in the world - not just to miss the birth of his first child, but the first 7 months of his life. Weeks of anguished discussions followed before they decided he should go because it was his dream project and the chance might never come again.My Penguin Year recounts Lindsay's adventure to the end of the Earth, filming the most resilient creatures in nature, while coping with being over 15,000km away from Becky and all the comforts of home - something which almost proved too much. Out of that experience he has written an unprecedented portrait of Antarctica's most extraordinary residents, the emperor penguins. They march up to 100 miles over solid ice to reach their breeding grounds. They choose to breed in the depths of the worst winter on the planet; and in an unusual role reversal, the males incubate the eggs, fasting for over 100 days to ensure they introduce their chicks safely into their new frozen world. And they are uniquely vulnerable to the unprecedented melting of the polar ice cap.In weaving their story with his epic journey, Lindsay has created a masterpiece of natural observation - and a deeply moving tale of human endeavour in the harshest environment on the planet.Trade Review'[McCrae's] remarkable memoir is rich in the technological and logistical challenges of filming in extreme conditions. But most gripping are his fine-tuned observations of these beautiful metre-high birds, which must survive and raise their young in temperatures as low as -60?°C' * Nature *'My Penguin Year is an immersive insight into the life of a wildlife filmmaker and the challenges of surviving in the harshest, most unforgiving environment on Earth.' * The Herald *With heart-stopping accounts of human and penguin jeopardy - including the moment when the team had to decide whether to dig an ice ramp to save a trapped penguin colony from certain death - this is a candid and moving memoir of the reality behind the making of a stunning documentary. * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisEmbroidered Birds and their Habitats explores the author’s fascination with birds and the ways they interact with their surroundings. The book is divided into three parts: Part 1 covers the basic requirements of what the reader needs, including design requirements, embroidery materials and additional equipment. It also includes a section on research and choosing a suitable bird and its habitat, and information on drawing up a design related to the bird and its placement in the wider landscape. Part 2 explores processes and techniques used in designing and working more complicated elements through two projects. These guide the reader through the entire process, from inspiration through to working design. The reader learns techniques for layering the background and stitching; picking up all the skills and techniques needed to complete a hand-stitched, low-relief panel. This includes elements embroidered both on- and off-frame. Part 3 includes further examples of the author’s embroideries, and drawn designs that could be used in future works. This section also includes information on finishing the work (mounting and framing), a stitch glossary, reference section and acknowledgements.Trade ReviewEmbroidered Birds and their Habitats is divided into three parts, Part one covers the basics for getting started, from choosing a suitable bird to how to draw up the design. Part two takes a look at the processes and techniques involved in creating your own designs. Part three showcases examples of the author's own work. Plus there's info on finishing and framing, a stitch glossary and a handy reference section. * Stitch *Beautiful birds, no complicated jargon or ‘impossible’ stitches. It’s a great book, no complicated jargon or ‘impossible’ stitches, with clear and concise guidance throughout. The book covers so much more than how to embroider birds, it walks you through everything needed to create your own artwork. The author’s love of birds and nature is reflected throughout the book – the birds shown are native to Australia however this in no way detracts from its use. It’s hard to choose a favourite embroidered bird from the book although the Forest Kingfishers (page 15) are so striking, and the colouring and texture of the tree branch and Grey Strike Thrush (page 50) is amazing. If you like birds and nature you will love this book. -- Mandy Strahand * Customer Review *I was particularly interested in this book as I love nature, the seasons, garden birds and also love embroidery. I was attracted by the front cover that immediately grabbed my attention and I was not disappointed. The format was very clear, beautiful photographs, clear instructions with useful advise and tips throughout. There was information how to research habitats, useful resources and how to draw and get started. I particularly found this informative as I am a beginner with drawing and has given me confidence to try. I watch my garden birds every day. I would consider this book for an advanced level however I know all the embroidery stitches in the stitch glossary and how to build the picture is very clearly explained. I loved the idea to create a stitch sampler and will definitely do this. I highly recommend this book, it is beautifully researched and designed, very inspirational and will be an invaluable reference book. -- Margaret Hitchins * Customer Review *Beautifully produced, this book focuses on hand embroidery rather than machine, which makes a refreshing change. There are chapters on how to sketch out your composition and design your project, with ideas for utilising photos as an aid. Samples of finished work are scattered throughout, rather than just at the end which I really liked. There are hints and tips on choosing fabric to enhance your work. Then come three very detailed projects, again interspersed with stitch ideas for the birds and habitats, full of photos, text and diagrams. So comprehensive that following a project through would be like a private workshop with the author. Finally, there's a section on framing up your work, examples of finished work and a stich guide complete with diagrams. I really do love this book, which I received for review, and can't wait to try some of the techniques. It's a joy! -- Christi Poulsom * Customer Review *Are you fascinated by birds? Embroiderer Judy Wilford was too. Choose your favourite bird, learn about its habitat and draw up a working design. Get inspired by two completed projects and discover how to layer and stitch your own background. There's even a section on how to mount and frame your pieces. * Sew Magazine, April 2023 *Table of ContentsPART I - Overview of embroidery Introduction 6 Equipment and materials 10 Resource and research 20 Design 28 The order of work 50 PART II - Projects and techniques A Brief Flash of Red – Red-browed firetail finch 56 The Nestlings – Rose Robin 100 Natural elements of a landscape 118 PART III - Inspiration and reference Studio folios 128 Finishing the work 142 Master works 148 Stitch glossary 154 Bibliography 159 Index 160

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Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING 2022 James Aldred’s prize-winning lockdown diary of his summer in the New Forest, featuring a stunning new linocut cover by illustrator Nick Hayes. ’A beautiful inspirational tale set in an extraordinary time.’ Ray Mears ‘Wonderful … they don’t come much more expert than James Aldred’ Lauren Laverne What happens to nature when we are no longer there? In early 2020, wildlife cameraman James Aldred was commissioned to film the lives of a family of goshawks in the New Forest. Then lockdown. No more cars, no more aeroplanes, no one in the woods – except James – in a place empty of people but filled with birdsong and new life. In these silver nights and golden days, there were tumbling fox cubs, calling curlew and, of course, the soaring goshawks – shining like fire through one of our darkest times. A goshawk summer unlike any other; an extraordinary season in the forest. ‘Magical and transporting… a beautiful and deeply evocative hymn to love, hope and connection.’ HELEN MACDONALD, author of H is for Hawk  ‘[An] entrancing, acutely observed, beautifully paced diary of the secretive raptor’s breeding season… Fascinating.’ BBC WildlifeTrade Review’A beautiful inspirational tale set in an extraordinary time.’ Ray Mears ‘Wonderful … they don’t come much more expert than James Aldred’ Lauren Laverne ‘Magical and transporting… a beautiful and deeply evocative hymn to love, hope and connection.’ Helen MacDonald, author of H is for Hawk ‘[An] entrancing, acutely observed, beautifully paced diary of the secretive raptor’s breeding season… Fascinating.’ BBC Wildlife ‘I was struck throughout by the power and visceral beauty of Aldred’s prose. He writes almost like a poet, placing such emphasis on using precise and beautiful vocabulary’ NB Magazine ‘A wonderful insight into natural history filmmaking.’ The Bay Magazine ‘Really gets into the heart of the area … not just an enjoyable book to read, but one to learn from’ Bird Watching ‘Enchanting … the goshawks are the book’s central characters but there is much else besides not least the foxes and curlews captured by Aldred’s lens.’ Country & Town House ‘Highly readable and informative … In Goshawk Summer, Aldred succeeds in bringing his childhood home to life … This book has opened my eyes to [the New Forest’s] scale and richness.’ The Pilgrim ‘An extraordinary book … Aldred’s observations from nest-building to egg laying, hatching, chick feeding and fledging are spellbinding and educational.’ Wild Things

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Book SynopsisThe Bird explores the fascinating world of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century ornithological illustration. This was a period of scientific, artistic and geographic discovery, when people began to fully appreciate the immense variety of form and colour within the natural world. This book celebrates this beauty through the lavish illustrations produced at that time. Each chapter focuses on a category of birds, from shorebirds to birds of prey. Feature sections on key ornithological artists such as John James Audubon, Elizabeth Gould and Edward Lear demonstrated how technology, travel and ambition shaped these amazing images, and how their work transformed our understanding of the wonderful world of birds.

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Book SynopsisWhen Puffling finds a lost egg on Skellig Michael, she sets off to return the egg to its nest!She travels all over the island searching the owner of this stray egg, meeting lots of new friends along the way ... but who lost this mystery egg? And what kind of baby animal is going to hatch from it?

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Book SynopsisOne of our most eloquent nature writers offers a passionate and informative celebration of birds and their ability to help us understand the world we live in. As well as exploring how birds achieve the miracle of flight; why birds sing; what they tell us about the seasons of the year and what their presence tells us about the places they inhabit, The Meaning of Birds muses on the uses of feathers, the drama of raptors, the slaughter of pheasants, the infidelities of geese, and the strangeness of feeling sentimental about blue tits while enjoying a chicken sandwich. From the mocking-birds of the Galapagos who guided Charles Darwin toward his evolutionary theory, to the changing patterns of migration that alert us to the reality of contemporary climate change, Simon Barnes explores both the intrinsic wonder of what it is to be a bird – and the myriad ways in which birds can help us understand the meaning of life.Trade ReviewFinely illustrated and wonderfully tactile * NFU Countryside *A well written, heartfelt book about the wonders of birds * Nudge Book *He is a fine professional writer who enjoys his craft * Bird Watch *Barnes infuses this playful, conversational exploration of the relationship of birds to humanity with a sense of well-informed wonder... This is a generous volume in which Barnes unabashedly shares his affinity for "anyone with birding in the blood"' * Publishers Weekly *Barnes' fascination with the avian world is at the heart of this book, a passion shared through engaging, often lively and always conversational text * BBC Wildlife *Eclectic and often witty volume that aims to show how birds live their lives and in doing so, how they've touched on ours * BBC Countryfile (Great gifts for book lovers this Christmas) *A celebration of birds and how they help us understand the world we live in' * Nature's Home *A wise and witty celebration of birds * The Countryman *He has an eye for the telling detail... a very attractive range of reference... More seriously, he has particularly important points to make about the way birds define places and are in turn defined by them, about the deep human responses to birdsong and the avian capacity for flight, and about our special fascination with raptors' * TLS. *A heartfelt celebration of birds - and of their ability to draw us into the world beyond humanity' * Reader's Digest. *A thought-provoking account of why birds are as essential to our pleasure as they are necessary for our survival... Highly readable... I really enjoyed Simon Barnes' writing style' * Cage & Aviary Birds *

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Book SynopsisThe Return of the Grey Partridge tells the extraordinary story of how wildlife is restored to the Arundel Estate in West Sussex. Prompted by the collapse in numbers of one species, the grey partridge of the title, the managers of the estate woke up to the devastating effect modern farming methods were having on wildlife.Following the estate through the seasons of one year, the book shows how the farm of Peppering is gradually renatured: fields are divided up with hedgerows and trees, beetle banks are built across fields, the land is manured rather than fed with artificial fertilisers, and much of it is returned to pasture. Detailed descriptions of nature give a sense of this large estate coming back to life - still very much farmland, but with a rapid increase in wildlife and biodiversity. And the partridges return.Written in collaboration with the Duke of Norfolk, owner of the Arundel Estate, this moving and hopeful account shows how modern farming can work in partnership with nature

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Book Synopsis

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