Search results for ""field guides""

The Beginner’s Guide to Mushrooms is your ultimate guide to mycology. Whether you’ve never picked a mushroom before in your life or you’ve been cultivating mushrooms at home for ages, the expert advice in this comprehensive mushroom manual will transform your practice. Never before have mushrooms generated so much interest, for their health benefits and medicinal properties, as well as a new understanding of their crucial role in a healthy environment and ability to regenerate damaged ones. If you are a newcomer, mycology, or the study of mushrooms and other fungi, can seem daunting. While other field guides are geared toward experts with advanced knowledge or regional in scope and aimed at only a few easy-to-recognize mushrooms, The Beginner’s Guide to Mushrooms by veteran mycologists Britt A. Bunyard and Tavis Lynch is a complete reference and guidebook to get you started identifying, cultivating, coo

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Learn the essentials of tropical fish with this useful and portable reference book.The tremendous abundance of fish seen during a single scuba dive or snorkeling session in the tropics is just staggering. Indeed in some areas, there are dozens of species inhabiting only one or two hectares of reef. But whether you get underwater, view marine life from the comfort of a glass-bottomed boat or just visit an aquarium, Handy Pocket Guide to Tropical Coral Reef Fishes provides an excellent introduction to 68 of the most commonly encountered tropical reef fishes. Written by Dr. Gerald Allen, international authority on reef fishes, it features stunning color shots by some of the world's best underwater photographers. Periplus Handy Pocket Guides are practical field guides, useful for identifying various natural objects ranging from plants and animals to gemstones and seashells. Each page of each title throughout the series is filled with clear, precise photographs and informative text. Scientific and local language names are given.

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A general “how-to” book for international birding is absent. This unprecedented new book by top-selling author Les Beletsky (Birds of the World, Birdsongs) will aim to explain why birders are interested in going to other countries and where they like to go. It will act as a “bridge” for domestic birders, allowing them to build on their exciting new knowledge as beginner birders by accessing other countries to see species they cannot see at home. The book, in six chapters, will describe each continent with respect to birds and birding, and tell what kinds of birds birders seek out in those places, along with practical pointers on international birding contacts and field guides. Engaging sidebars throughout the book, tell short stories of birding adventures looking for special birds or unique birding locations.

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Your beachcombing guide to California, Oregon, and Washington Keep this tabbed booklet close at hand on your next rock-hunting adventure. Based on Dan R. Lynch’s best-selling field guides and featuring the most common and desirable agates and other collectibles along the Pacific Coast, the booklet is organized by rocks/minerals and then by general appearance for quick and easy identification. With six varieties of agates, as well as popular finds like Jasper, Quartz, and even Jade, this handy guide has the information you want. Narrow your choices by appearance, and view photos of just a few specimens at a time. The easy-to-use format means you’ll quickly find what you need to know. Plus, the quick guide is much easier to use than laminated foldouts, and the tear-resistant pages help to make the book durable in the field.

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PETERSON: The best-selling field guides of all time This is the most comprehensive and trusted guide to reptiles and amphibians of western North America. The new edition retains the realistic and accurate paintings by Robert Stebbins and includes 160 color photographs for additional detail. All range maps are up to date and placed within their species accounts. Family, genus, species, and subspecies names have been updated to the currently accepted usage. Illustrations of eggs and larvae, which can aid in identifying salamanders and frogs, are a particularly helpful feature. The area covered includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, the western corner of Nunavut, Yukon, and Baja California. Sponsored by the National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Roger Tory Peterson Institute

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Your Quick Guide to Identifying Butterflies in the Southern USA Whether you’re in the backyard, tending to your garden, or out and about, keep this convenient butterfly guide close at hand. Designed for ease of use, the tabbed booklet is organized by color for quick identification. Narrow your choices by color, and view just a few butterflies at a time. The professional photographs showcase more than 100 species—from duskywings to swallowtails. Based on Jaret C. Daniels’ best-selling field guides, Butterflies of the South & Southeast features only species seen in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, eastern Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, eastern Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Book Features Pocket-sized format—easier than laminated foldouts Professional photos showing key markings Easy-to-use information for even casual observers Size ranges for quick comparison and identification Bring this lightweight quick guide along on your next hike, camping trip, or walk in the park, and improve your identification skills with every butterfly sighting.

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This 140-page book is the perfect gift for anyone interested in the lumberjack lifestyle. With beautiful illustrations and images, Lumberjack includes expert tutorials on mastering lumberjack skills, fashion and grooming tips for perfecting the look, features on tools and accessories, inspiring quotations, field guides on woodland animals and trees, homestyle recipes and adventure stories from North American lumberjack legend and lore. AUTHOR: Lauren Jarvis is an editor, writer and photographer specialising in adventure, wildlife and conservation. She has travelled extensively in North America and across the world's other six continents, taking on challenges including canoeing the Yukon River and trekking to Everest Base Camp. She is Travel Editor of Breathe magazine, the former Editorial Director of National Geographic Kids, a regular contributor to National Geographic, and co-author of the annual Visit USA Travel Planner. She is passionate about the planet's wild places and enjoys hiking and spending time in the woods. 156 photographs, 160 illustrations

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How to Know the Birds introduces a new, holistic approach to bird-watching, by noting how behaviors, settings, and seasonal cycles connect with shape, song, color, gender, age distinctions, and other features traditionally used to identify species. Expert author Ted Floyd begins by evoking a typical bird-watching moment, his entry into a thoughtful discussion of the traditions of field guides and bird identification. Then, with short essays on 200 observable species, he guides us through a year of becoming a better birder, each species representing another useful lesson: from explaining scientific nomenclature to noting how plumage changes with age, from chronicling migration patterns to noting hatchling habits. Pen-and-ink illustrations accompany Floyd's charming prose, making this book a unique blend of narrative and field guide. A pleasure for birders of all ages, this witty book promises solid lessons for the beginner and smiles of recognition for the seasoned nature lover.

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Geared to meet the same standards of excellence as our previous pocket guides, this book is tailored to the needs of an eager beginner. Affordable and authoritative, this entry-level field guide will appeal to all animal-spotting newcomers, combining spot-on descriptive information, definitive photography, animal track silhouettes, and key facts in a handy, pleasant-to-hold, easy-to-reference volume. More robust than any other beginning field guides on the market, this book includes selected photography and newly commissioned art and graphics to help identify each mammal species. Tips throughout show how to observe, track, and identify mammals in nature. Beautifully designed and illustrated, with logical organization and bulleted information, these pocket guides are useful in the field or as an in-home reference. Tips throughout show how to observe, track, and identify mammals in nature.

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'Its long antennae waved inquiringly back and forth, its tiny eyes sparkled black with crimson points, and then it began to run. The Professor caught it in his hand as it toppled from the edge of the counter. It bit him.' A brush with a killer hornet upends a reverend's life. A moth wreaks a strange vengeance on an entomologist. Bees deliver a supernatural dilemma to a mother-to-be. This new anthology offers a broad range of stories from the long history of insect literature, where six-legged beasts play many roles from lethal enemies to ethereal messengers. With expert notes on how each tale contributed to insect horror literature, Janette Leaf and Daisy Butcher are your field guides for a tour through classic insect encounters from the minds of Edgar Allan Poe, E. F. Benson, Clare Winger Harris and many more.

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Just who was the Przewalski after whom Przewalski's horse was named? Or Husson, the eponym for the rat Hydromys hussoni? Or the Geoffroy whose name is forever linked to Geoffroy's cat? This unique reference provides a brief look at the real lives behind the scientific and vernacular mammal names one encounters in field guides, textbooks, journal articles, and other scholarly works. Arranged to mirror standard dictionaries, the more than 1,300 entries included here explain the origins of over 2,000 mammal species names. Each bio-sketch lists the scientific and common-language names of all species named after the person, outlines the individual's major contributions to mammalogy and other branches of zoology, and includes brief information about his or her mammalian namesake's distribution. The two appendixes list scientific and common names for ease of reference, and, where appropriate, individual entries include mammals commonly-but mistakenly-believed to be named after people. The Eponym Dictionary of Mammals is a highly readable and informative guide to the people whose names are immortalized in mammal nomenclature.

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From the Great Plains to the Arctic tundra, the American West, including Alaska, is home to a stunning variety of birds. This indispensable volume, both a field guide and a site-finding guide, provides an ideal introduction to the pleasures of birding west of the Mississippi. Featuring practical but little-known tips for identifying birds, it will be welcomed by beginning as well as seasoned birders. Birding in the American West: A Handbook *tells where to go, what birds to look for, and how to identify them. *describes the exciting and varied bird habitats found in the West. *is heavily illustrated with drawings and photographs to help birders in the field. *spells out useful techniques for distinguishing among similar-looking species and addresses difficult cases in far greater detail than do standard field guides. *features species accounts with valuable information on bird location, behavior, and field marks. *presents detailed listings by state on where to find birds, with an emphasis on the microhabitats of especially sought-after birds. *teaches bird-finding and bird-identifying skills applicable anywhere.

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In this groundbreaking and meticulously field-tested guide, the rich variety of Sierra life—trees, wildflowers, ferns, fungi, lichens, fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, and insects—comes alive."There are lots of Sierra field guides, some specialized, some general, but this is the best both for beauty and usefulness." —Kim Stanley RobinsonEasy-to-use features include: Intuitive organization, color tabs, and simple keys Similar-looking species side by side Over 2,800 full-color illustrations Range maps of species that are otherwise difficult to distinguish Index of common and scientific names Lightweight and compact—ideal for backpacking Impressively detailed and comprehensive, the guide includes: More than 1,700 species Descriptions of behavior, adaptations, and interactions between species Species and topics not found in most guides, including aquatic life, spiders and webs, plankton, plant galls, bark beetle galleries, animal tracks and evidence, seasonal star charts, weather patterns, and cloud formations

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Birds of Peru is the most complete and authoritative field guide to this diverse, neotropical landscape. It features every one of Peru's 1,817 bird species and shows the distinct plumages of each in 307 superb, high-quality color plates. Concise descriptions and color distribution maps are located opposite the plates, making this book much easier to use in the field than standard neotropical field guides. This fully revised paperback edition includes twenty-five additional species. * A comprehensive guide to all 1,817 species found in Peru--one fifth of the world's birds--with subspecies, sexes, age classes, and morphs fully illustrated * Designed especially for field use, with vivid descriptive information and helpful identification tips opposite color plates * Detailed species accounts, including a full-color distribution map * Includes 25 additional species not covered in the first edition * Features 3 entirely new plates and more than 25 additional illustrations

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Eastern North America is one of the richest foraging landscapes in the world, with a wild abundance of fruits, berries, nuts, roots, tubers, shoots, flowers, seeds, and leafy greens. This guide is the key to unlocking the nutritional and culinary secrets of the natural bounty around us. As the most comprehensive regional guide ever written, it contains detailed descriptions, range maps, and sharp color photos of 675 edible species as well as some of our most troublesome toxic plants. Sam Thayer’s Field Guide pioneers a novel identification system using everyday language accessible to beginning and advanced foragers alike, designed to stand alone or work with phone-based identification apps to confirm positive ID before a plant is eaten. Readers will also learn about the plant’s habitat, conservation, edible parts, seasons of harvest, and methods of preparation. Destined to become the new standard in foraging field guides.

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Naturalists, birders, students, teachers, conservationists, environmental consultants, wildlife biologists and botanists--amateur and professonal alike--will find this picture book of plant anatomy to be an invaluable reference alongside local floras and field guides. 620 Wild Plants of North America describes, in beautiful detail, the characteristic features of 89 families of vascular plants--including trees, shrubs, vines, wildflowers, grasses, sedges, horsetails, and club-mosses--using labeled ink drawings, text and range maps. The author's drawings are from plants in the field and freshly picked specimens. The text outlines habitat, flowers, fruit, seeds, leaves and stems. The range maps cover central North America from the three Prairie Provinces south to northern Texas and from Iowa west to Idaho. With its detailed, labeled drawings, 620 Wild Plants opens the door to understanding the unique morphological features of plants in all of the major families represented in the flora of

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Southern African Birdfinder: Guide to finding over 1 000 species from South Africa to Zambia, is the ideal companion to all local field guides to birds, and fills a gap in the market for a comprehensive guide to the region's top birding spots and to finding southern Africa's most desirable birds. After an introduction to birding in the southern African region, the authors identify and describe more than 200 top birding sites and associated birds across South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, the Indian Ocean islands and the little-documented, but increasingly popular areas of Angola, Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi. All sites are ranked into one of three categories of priority: essential (the region's best); excellent (top sites but expendable to a time-limited visitor) and local interest (ideal for those looking for new areas to explore). All sites include practical details of access, best times to visit, habitat diversity and general natural history. A guide to finding the region's top 100 birds and an annotated checklist conclude the book.

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Birdwatching is for everyone. No other outdoor pursuit yields so much knowledge of nature’s ways with so little effort—if one knows what to look for. Birding New England opens the world of birding to the novice and expert in this complete guide to getting the most out of birding in New England. Birding New England includes a chapter on birding technology and features detailed chapters on equipment, identification techniques, birding “by ear,” where to view birds, field guides, optics, and other essentials to get the beginner quickly into the field to identify birds throughout New England. Especially valuable are chapters on bird behaviors such as feeding, flight, courting and breeding, nesting, and migration—informing the reader not only about what kind of bird is on the other end of the binoculars, but what it is up to as well. Includes: ·GPS coordinates for each species of the top three to five locations where you’re likely to see the bird and what time of year is best for this ·Full-color photos ·Over 300 species

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The Hidden Science of Lost Civilisations is a guided tour through the most incredible scientific mysteries in the modern world, and a rediscovery of an ancient system of physics and spirituality that has since crumbled almost entirely into ruin. David Wilcock's extensive knowledge of contemporary science has led him to rewrite the Mayan myth; 2012 will not be the end of the world, but will be the start of mankind's golden period. A hidden intelligence, a living energy field that the universe is built from, which David Wilcock calls the Source Field, guides mankind's destiny. David Wilcock has studied this intelligence for over thirty years and has come to understand that the Source Field is the key to unlocking the mysteries mankind have always struggled to answer: who are we, how did we get here and where are we going? Drawing upon alternative science, as well as cutting-edge quantum physics and consciousness research, Wilcock connects the scientific with lost traditions of ancient wisdom to predict what lies in mankind's future.

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Birdwatching is for everyone. No other outdoor pursuit yields so much knowledge of nature’s ways with so little effort—if one knows what to look for. Best Easy Bird Guide Acadia National Park opens the world of birding to the novice and expert in this complete guide to getting the most out of birding in Acadia National Park. Best Easy Bird Guide Acadia National Park includes sections on birding technology, equipment, identification techniques, birding “by ear,” where to view birds, field guides, optics, and other essentials to get birders of all skill levels into the field to identify birds throughout Acadia National Park. Especially valuable are descriptions of habitat, feeding, nesting, and migration—informing the reader not only about what kind of bird is on the other end of the binoculars, but what it is up to as well.Includes: GPS coordinates for each species of the top three to five locations where you’re likely to see the bird and what time of year is best for this Full-color photos

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Whether you're fishing on shore, off a dock or in a boat, keep this tabbed booklet close at hand. Based on Dave Bosanko's field guides and featuring nearly 70 of the most popular freshwater and saltwater sport fish caught in the Middle and South Atlantic regions--including the states of Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia--the booklet is organized by fishing location for quick and easy identification. Further narrow your choices by tail shape, and view just a few species at a time. The pocket-sized format is much easier to use than laminated foldouts, and the waterproof and tear-resistant pages help to make the book safe to take anywhere you reel 'em in! Book Features Includes sport fish from freshwater, brackish water and saltwater Organized by where you're fishing, whether inland, close to shore or deep sea fishing Pocket-sized format--easier than laminated foldouts Waterproof and tear-resistant durability Professional illustrations that show key markings

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Birdwatching is for everyone. No other outdoor pursuit yields so much knowledge of nature’s ways with so little effort—if one knows what to look for. Best Easy Bird Guide Cape Cod opens the world of birding to the novice and expert in this complete guide to getting the most out of birding in Cape Cod. Best Easy Bird Guide Cape Cod includes sections on birding technology, equipment, identification techniques, birding “by ear,” where to view birds, field guides, optics, and other essentials to get birders of all skill levels into the field to identify birds throughout Cape Cod. Especially valuable are descriptions of habitat, feeding, nesting, and migration—informing the reader not only about what kind of bird is on the other end of the binoculars, but what it is up to as well.Includes: GPS coordinates for each species of the top three to five locations where you’re likely to see the bird and what time of year is best for this Full-color photos

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The third book in the Backpack Explorer series from the Editors of Storey Publishing invites budding naturalists to head outside for a walk — in the woods, a park, or right in their backyard — to spot feathered friends. Backpack Explorer: Bird Watch leads kids aged 4 and up through the basics of birding, from identifying common birds to learning about habitat and migration and listening for bird songs. The pages are packed with prompts and activities, including 12 interactive field guides (for common birds, nests, eggs, tracks, and more), sensory scavenger hunts, activities such as building a bird nest, matching games, and simple discovery zone pages about food chains and the life cycle of birds. Equipped with a real magnifying glass, stickers, and a birding log for recording sightings and encounters, this book is the perfect take-along for any nature adventure. Also available in this series: Backpack Explorer: Beach Walk and Backpack Explorer: On the Nature Trail.

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Learn to identify all the turtles, snakes, lizards, salamanders, frogs, and toads in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.Get to know the amphibians and reptiles of the Upper Midwest! With Stan Tekiela’s famous field guide, identification is simple and informative. There’s no need to look through dozens of photos of species that don’t live in your area. This book features 68 species—all the turtles, snakes, lizards, salamanders, frogs, and toads in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Do you see a turtle and don’t know what it is? Go to the turtle section to find out.Book Features: 68 species—all the turtles, snakes, lizards, salamanders, frogs, and toads in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan Crisp, professional images that include color variations, bellies, scales, juveniles, and more Detailed Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan range maps Information that’s easily used by beginners and the experienced alike, complete with frog and toad croaking charts and status classifications Stan’s Notes with interesting facts and natural history information not found in other field guides Grab this handy book for your next outdoors adventure to help ensure that you positively identify the amphibians and reptiles you see.

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Introduce children to geoscience—including a study of the Earth, rock formation, and landforms—in this fun guide that includes hands-on educational activities. The Earth is our amazing planet—and when we consider what it is and how it’s formed, the answers are truly captivating! Become a young geoscientist. Learn about rocks and minerals, the layers of the Earth, the water cycle, and beyond. Dan R. Lynch, author of many field guides, presents an introduction to geoscience (or Earth sciences) in this easy-to-understand guide. Begin by learning about the Earth and what it’s made of. That’s followed by a look at what’s inside the Earth. A special section on rocks introduces different kinds of rocks and what makes each of them unique, and a chapter on landforms presents everything from mountains and oceans to volcanoes and erosion. As an added bonus, you’ll get 16 fun and simple activities to learn how crystals grow, how caves form, and how the Earth works. Build a molecule, make sandstone, and more. This kid-friendly guide is filled with full-color photographs and illustrations. It’s engaging and informative as it starts children on a path toward becoming successful Earth scientists!

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Bursting with beautiful images and completely authoritative text, this comprehensive nature field guide will help families, amateur adventurers, and empty nesters enjoy and understand nature--from wilderness camping to their own backyard. This nature guide introduces you to constellations and weather, rocks and minerals, plants and wildflowers, and trees and shrubs. All of the most common varieties in each natural category in North are identified and explained, from quartz and granite to dandelions and oak trees. Learn to read the clouds--and understand why one shape predicts rain and another sunshine. Point out constellations in the night sky and recognize planets visible to the naked eye. Each chapter identifies 160 species or phenomena by giving key information for each plus a readable paragraph accompanied by photos and original art that help you sharpen your eyes and knowledge. Five field guides in one, representing a total of 800 of North America's most common wildflowers, trees, rocks and minerals, constellations, and weather patterns. Generously illustrated and logically organized with pointers, pictures, and identification tips, this is the ultimate field guide, an essential family reference and an excellent starting point for anyone eager to learn more about the natural world.

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The Wayfarer's Handbook is a treasure trove of information about the art of travel that is specifically crafted for the modern adventurer. The book is an offbeat guide full of actionable advice, a worldwide exploration reference work, an unconventional collection of world trivia, and an exciting resource of inspiration, all designed for use in a great global adventure.With a visual aesthetic inspired by the look of vintage field guides, The Wayfarer's Handbook is tailor-made for modern readers, providing the distilled essentials of hundreds of interesting topics, presented in a direct and precise but stylish way. This twist on traditional travel genres covers everything from the world's 27 most common travel scams and the fascinating history of hot air balloons to everyday gestures that are offensive in foreign cultures and how to avoid a hippopotamus attack. Sketches, infographics, small maps, and illustrative charts appear throughout, allowing readers to open to any page and discover fascinating new insights into the art of travel.Though The Wayfarer's Handbook is compact enough for the road, it is equally suited to be a gem in the library of anyone interested in exploration.

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This guide is packed with practical, interpretative information on the most commonly encountered animals and plants of the Lowveld - information that is usually only available if you have a game ranger or field guide by your side in the bush! It teaches people how to observe, identify and interpret what they see in the bush in a meaningful way, without having to wade through the reams of technical information found in most other field guides. The reader-friendly mind-map layout of the book, with pictures linked to brief but informative text boxes, makes pertinent information accessible at a glance. Other features include colour-coded chapters for ease of reference, while blocked information and icons in the mammals and trees sections provide technical details in a concise form. Hundreds of stunning interpretative images, highlighted keywords and a flowchart structure to each spread direct the eye to the different topics on each featured species, allowing the reader to pick out whatever is of interest to him or her. Game Ranger in your Backpack is an essential companion for amateur naturalists of all descriptions including first-time international visitors to South Africa's bushveld, annual local holidaymakers or aspiring 'game rangers'.

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Increasingly the segmentation between birders, butterfly watchers, dragonfly watchers and photographers is reducing as interests overlap and there is a demand for books that cover the three popular groups. The emphasis for the 148 species of butterfly and 78 dragonflies featured in this second edition is on the commoner species, covering around 90 per cent of those that a visitor is likely to see. It is also an excellent book for residents to learn about the commoner butterflies and dragonflies before progressing to more advanced technical books. The guide is focussed on field use to help beginners and experts identify species and provides information on their distribution and habitats. As identification of butterflies and dragonflies require a different approach, the two sections are done as two mini photographic field guides with common introductory sections to wildlife watching in Sri Lanka. The book includes information on the key wildlife sites, general introductions to the biology of dragonflies and butterflies, up-to-date checklists with local status and useful references for people who wish to progress further with their study of these charismatic and photogenic animals.

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National Geographic- publisher of the authoritative birding guide, Field Guide to the Birds of North America- expands its series of regional bird field guides, focusing on two northern birding hotspots: MICHIGAN and NEW JERSEY. New Jersey, a favourite among birders, is home to urban birds, suburban birds, and shore birds, while Michigan provides the opportunity to view glorious birds of the northland and Great Lakes areas. The variety and beauty of the bird populations in these regions make them popular destinations for birding trips, but the success and enjoyment of a trip often depends on the quality of the birding guide. National Geographic Field Guide to Birds provides affordable, portable, reliable region specific information, perfect for the novice or experienced birder. Each guide features 150 specimens, grouped by family with quick-reference alphabetical and colour-coded indexes that provide easy ways to identify a bird quickly. Each entry has a vivid photograph showing the bird in its native habitat. On the facing page, a list of bulleted points confirms at a glance the bird's identity.

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With nearly six hundred identified species of birds—and an average of five "new" species discovered annually—Belize is becoming a birding hotspot for amateur and professional birders from around the globe. Thousands of birders visit the country each year to enjoy Belize's amazing abundance and variety of both temperate and tropical birds in natural habitats that remain largely unspoiled. But until now, despite the growing need for an authoritative identification guide, birders have had to rely on regional field guides that offer only limited information on Belizean birds.Birds of Belize provides the first complete guide to the identification of all currently known species—574 in all. The birds are grouped by families, with an introduction to each family that highlights its uniquely identifying characteristics and behaviors. The species accounts include all the details necessary for field identification: scientific and common names, size, plumage features, thorough voice descriptions, habitat, distribution, and status in Belize. Full color, expertly drawn illustrations by noted bird artist Dana Gardner present male and female, juvenile and adult, and basic and alternate plumages to aid visual identification throughout the year, while 234 range maps show the birds' distribution and seasonality in Belize. A comprehensive bibliography completes the volume.

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Celebrate North America’s banded gemstones with this stunning coffee-table book about agates.Agates—few other natural formations exhibit the tremendous variety seen in these curiously banded gemstones. No two agates are exactly alike when it comes to color, pattern, or shape. Although they are found on every continent, many well-known and significant varieties are present in North America—fortification agates, fire agates, Lake Superior agates, and more.The Wonder of North American Agates was written and photographed by Dan R. Lynch and Bob Lynch, expert authors of the popular Rocks & Minerals series of field guides. This book features some of the most famous, most valuable, and rarest agates found in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.Inside you’ll find: More than 60 of the most beautiful varieties of agates from across North America Intriguing, informative text that explains the fascinating differences between agates and why each is significant Compelling, true-to-life photos that show each agate’s special beauty Casual fans and experienced collectors alike will appreciate the facts and photographs presented in this incomparable book.

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A colourful and comprehensive handbook packed with all the basic skills and knowledge you need to become a better birder.Targeted to beginners and beyond, National Geographic’s fun, inspiring guide to the art, craft, and science of bird-watching combines practical know-how and expert knowledge. Bursting with helpful illustrations and photographs, Birding Basics offers new ideas for when, where, and how to get to know the birds in your world.Not a field guide but a primer in best practices, authored by birding expert Noah Strycker, this breezy book features easy-to-follow advice on what to look and listen for, how to use field guides and birding apps, the best equipment to start with, and ways to engage with other birders around the world. Filled with fun facts and seasoned advice, this useful book will help you attract birds to your backyard, master bird identification, name a bird by its song, and witness the magic of migration. Sidebars feature fun facts, identification tips, and easy projects for exploring the world on the wing.

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Education is a continuing key political issue for the UK government. It is seen as a crucial factor in ensuring economic productivity and competitiveness, in generating social mobility and tackling social inequality - but are these goals either feasible or compatible? In this fully updated edition of this bestselling book, Stephen J. Ball, a leading author in the field, guides us through the flood of government initiatives and policies of the past 20 years, including the Academies programme, parental choice, Free schools, National Curriculum and teaching standards. He looks at how these policy interventions have changed the landscape and meaning of education, turned children into 'learners' and parents into 'consumers', and played their part in the re-formation of contemporary governance. This authoritative and accessible book uses Ball's sociological approach to the analysis of current policies and ideas around education to address issues of class, choice, globalisation, race and citizenship, as well as the conflicting needs of children and families on the one hand and the economy and the state on the other.

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Thorough, detailed dendrological coverage of North American trees, shrubs, and vines This comprehensive field guide/procedural handbook provides extraordinarily detailed descriptions of trees, shrubs, and vines of North American forests. Written at a more detailed level than most field guides, it introduces basic taxonomic concepts and methods and explains the rationale behind taxonomic classification systems. Entries include Latin and common names for each species as well as physical descriptions at various levels of maturity and for different seasons. Also noted are regional and state distributions, soil conditions, cover types, shade tolerances, and common diseases and pests. This remarkably thorough and reliable reference includes: * Detailed descriptions of more than 800 species * Hundreds of additional varieties and cultivars * 550 exquisitely detailed line drawings of leaves, bark, fruit, and seeds * Broad coverage of commercial and noncommercial species * An emphasis on the silvical features of each species * A unique section on forest community ecology and cover types * The new North American Classification System Well-organized and practical, this authoritative guide is an immensely useful resource for foresters, wildlife and field biologists, naturalists, environmental scientists, and land managers.

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The guide to neotropical bird behavior that picks up where field guides leave off.Why are tropical birds like parrots and quetzals so much more colorful than those in more temperate climates? How can a vulture soaring thousands of feet above the canopy spot a dead rodent no bigger than a mouse on the rainforest floor? What permits sparrow-sized antbirds to not only survive but to thrive among relentless hordes of army ants that devour every other living thing in their path?Steven Hilty has led birding tours to the American Tropics for decades. By providing answers to the hundreds of questions asked by participants of these expeditions, Hilty has produced a natural history of the bird life of the New World Tropics that is at once practical, accurate, and as endlessly fascinating as the species whose lives it reveals.Birds of Tropical America was published by Chapters Publishing in 1994 and went out of print in 1997. UT Press is pleased to reissue it with a new epilogue and updated references.

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Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world and is one of the planet's richest places for bird diversity, especially when it comes to the number of endemic species. Brazil's Atlantic Forest region is one of the most dazzling of all. Immediately surrounding São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, this area of Brazil is also a relatively accessible area to birders from around the world. In the Birds of Brazil Field Guides, the Wildlife Conservation Society brings together a top international team to do justice to the incredible diversity of Brazilian birds. This second guide presents 927 bird species, 863 illustrated, that occur in just the southeastern Atlantic Forest biome (Mata Atlântica in Portuguese). Of these species, 140 are endemic and 105 near endemic to just this region; 83 of these are threatened. Modern and compact, this field guide provides illustrations of unparalleled quality, key field marks, and regional range maps to facilitate easy recognition of all species normally occurring in this vibrant and critically important area of Brazil.

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This new, thoroughly revised edition of Bradt's Southern Africa Wildlife guide provides an overview of all southern African wildlife - not only 'big game' and other large mammals, but also birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates. Excellent for independent travellers, it is reliable as a standalone guide combining both wildlife and visitor information, and is also a perfect complement to traditional field guides. Countries covered include Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini and Zimbabwe, with Malawi and Zambia both added to this new edition. Colour photographs illustrate all key species and the engaging text extends beyond basic identification features to illuminate the natural history and ecology of the wildlife that visitors will encounter. Text has been updated throughout to reflect the latest conservation initiatives and wildlife population figures. Included are a practical guide to tracks and signs, plus top tips for optimising your wildlife experience, as well as a 'where to go' overview which outlines the key wildlife attractions of each country and, together with a seasonal highlights calendar, enables visitors to plan a safari that suits their interests.

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With some 6,000 species of plants, Texas has extraordinary botanical wealth and diversity. Learning to identify plants is the first step in understanding their vital role in nature, and many field guides have been published for that purpose. But to fully appreciate how Texas's native plants have sustained people and animals from prehistoric times to the present, you need Remarkable Plants of Texas.In this intriguing book, Matt Warnock Turner explores the little-known facts—be they archaeological, historical, material, medicinal, culinary, or cultural—behind our familiar botanical landscape. In sixty-five entries that cover over eighty of our most common native plants from trees, shrubs, and wildflowers to grasses, cacti, vines, and aquatics, he traces our vast array of connections with plants. Turner looks at how people have used plants for food, shelter, medicine, and economic subsistence; how plants have figured in the historical record and in Texas folklore; how plants nourish wildlife; and how some plants have unusual ecological or biological characteristics. Illustrated with over one hundred color photos and organized for easy reference, Remarkable Plants of Texas can function as a guide to individual species as well as an enjoyable natural history of our most fascinating native plants.

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Featuring a silver-foil-embossed cloth cover, a ribbon marker and sprayed silver edges, this gorgeous volume is filled with beautiful illustrations and precise notes detailing the secret life of mermaids. In 1872, intrepid (fictional) explorer Darcy Delamare disguised herself as a man to claim a place on board the (real life) scientific expedition of the HMS Challenger. She made a record of her findings on the trip, recounting the extraordinary sea creatures she witnessed: creatures that, until now, nobody had believed really existed... mermaids! Following on from the beautiful A Natural History of Fairies and A Natural History of Magick, this beautifully illustrated vintage album is filled with descriptions and illustrations of Delamare's findings, from tales of mermaids in ancient lore to more recent sightings as well as facts on the beliefs and superstitions surrounding these elusive creatures. Children will delight in discovering the anatomy, behaviour and lifecycles of the Merfolk and how they have hidden themselves from human discovery over millennia. Pore over the anatomy of tails, learn how these mysterious creatures communicate and immerse yourself in their underwater world. The Folklore Field Guides series is a charming collection of beautifully illustrated handbooks on topics of lore and legend. Fascinating facts are accompanied by breathtaking illustrations, all presented in an engaging narrative form.

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Featuring a gold-foil-embossed cloth cover, a ribbon marker and sprayed gold edges, this gorgeous volume is filled with beautiful illustrations and precise notes detailing the secret lives of magical beasts. Tales of magical creatures have been told across the world for generations... but are these stories merely flights of fancy, or is there any truth to the legends of unicorns and dragons, centaurs and griffins? Presented as the notebook of a 1920s zoologist, this lavish volume sets out to answer this question, revealing the hidden world of the magical beasts that live among us. Within these pages you will meet bizarre and beautiful creatures from around the globe, discovering their habits, habitats and the legends surrounding them. Learn about the anatomy of a unicorn, the life cycle of a phoenix, incredible dragon courtship dances and much more in this ultimate guide to magical creatures. This exquisitely illustrated album will entrance all true-believers and fantasy enthusiasts. Following on from A Natural History of Fairies, A Natural History of Magick and A Natural History of Mermaids, this vintage notebook is part of the Folklore Field Guides series: a charming collection of beautifully illustrated compendiums on topics of lore and legend. Fascinating facts are accompanied by breathtaking illustrations, all presented in an engaging narrative form.

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Enjoy a whole year of the very finest nature writing, with one carefully selected piece to savour every day. This beautifully illustrated daily anthology brings you the very best of nature writing from around the world and through the centuries, from Pliny the Elder’s Natural History to modern authors such as Helen Macdonald and Robert Macfarlane. Encompassing fact and fiction, essays and field guides, letters and diaries, it’s a rich banquet of prose, the perfect companion to help your mind escape into the world of nature every day. It contains descriptions of nature in all its guises: Virginia Woolf on snails, Kenneth Grahame on the charms of a riverbank, Willa Cather on the rolling American prairies, and, via L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables on Octobers. David Attenborough pops up to talk about our responsibility to the natural environment, Edith Holden provides evocative descriptions from The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady, and Henry David Thoreau, of course, sends dispatches from Walden Pond. We meet Rudyard Kipling’s jungle animals and Jack London’s wild dogs, and Mark Twain explains why a camel is not jumpable. Keep this wonderful celebration of nature by your bedside and it will become the perfect start or close to each day of the year.

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A compact, lightweight and informative guide to 310 of the most common birds found in the UK. RSPB Pocket Guide to British Birds is a compact, lightweight and informative field guide, featuring 310 bird species regularly seen in the UK. Species are illustrated in all distinct plumage forms likely to be observed in the wild by renowned bird artist Stephen Message, and a detailed distribution map for the British Isles is also provided. Concise text covers appearance, behaviour and voice – focusing on key identification points – and also outlines where you will find the species, describes its seasonal movements and includes the latest UK population data. Finally, confusion species are cross-referenced, with their most important and easily noted differences from the subject species described. A comprehensive introduction provides a guide on how and where to find birds, and how to make the most useful and rewarding observations for newcomers to birdwatching. Uniquely, this guide also provides images and descriptions for not only a selection of rarer visitors, but also for a range of domestic species and certain commonly observed aberrant forms of more familiar birds, all of which are omitted from most field guides but can cause great confusion for beginners when encountered in the wild.

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Butterflies of Oklahoma, Kansas, and North Texas focuses on one hundred butterfly species common to the southern plains, a crucial crossroads region of the central United States. Each species is illustrated with one to four color photographs of butterflies in free flight and other natural settings. These candid shots are a welcome departure from the dried-and-pinned specimen photographs of some field guides. Photographs are placed alongside each butterfly's physical description and natural history, eliminating the need to flip between galleries and text. Other unique features include:modern terminology that general readers will understanddescriptions of twenty prime butterfly spotting sites in the tri-state region information on how to raise butterflies from larval to adult stages an extensive bibliography of additional resources.With increasing interest in butterfly gardening, many readers will appreciate practical how-to chapters for planning, installing, and maintaining a custom butterfly sanctuary in their own yards.More conservationists are recognizing the importance of butterflies to the ecosystem - as plant pollinators and examples of natural mimicry and coloration. The authors of this guidebook hope that a deeper understanding of these intriguing insects will lead to their protection and to preservation of their habitat.

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Better Birding reveals the techniques expert birders use to identify a wide array of bird species in the field--quickly and easily. Featuring hundreds of stunning photos and composite plates throughout, this book simplifies identification by organizing the birds you see into groupings and offering strategies specifically tailored to each group. Skill building focuses not just on traditional elements such as plumage, but also on creating a context around each bird, including habitat, behavior, and taxonomy--parts so integral to every bird's identity but often glossed over by typical field guides. Critical background information is provided for each group, enabling you to approach bird identification with a wide-angle view, using your eyes, brain, and binoculars more strategically, resulting in a more organized approach to learning birds. Better Birding puts the thrill of expert bird identification within your reach. * Reveals the techniques used by expert birders for quick and easy identification* Simplifies identification with strategies tailored to different groupings of birds* Features hundreds of photos and composite plates that illustrate the different techniques* Fosters a wide-angle approach to field birding* Provides a foundation for building stronger birding skills

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“Only artworks are capable of transmitting chthonic echo-signals,” Susan Howe has said. In Concordance, she has created a fresh body of work transmitting vital signals from a variety of archives. “Since,” a semi-autobiographical prose-poem, opens the collection: concerned with first and last things, meditating on the particular and peculiar affinities between law and poetry, it ranges from the Permian time of Pangea through Rembrandt and Dickinson to the dire present. “Concordance,” a collage poem originally published as a Grenfell Press limited edition, springs from slivers of poetry and marginalia, cut from old concordances and facsimile editions of Milton, Swift, Herbert, Browning, Dickinson, Coleridge, and Yeats, as well as from various field guides to birds, rocks, and trees: the collages’ “rotating prisms” form the heart of the book. The final poem, “Space Permitting,” is collaged from drafts and notes Thoreau sent to Emerson and Margaret Fuller's friends and family in Concord while on a mission to recover her remains from the shipwreck on Fire Island. The fierce ethic of salvage in these three very different pieces expresses the vitalism in words, sounds, syllables, the telepathic spirit of all things singing into air.

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This indispensable guide offers all the information you need to get the most out of wildlife watching in East Africa. Accessible and beautifully illustrated, this revised second edition of Bradt's much praised guide to East African Wildlife will appeal to both the first-time visitor and to the serious naturalist seeking a compact volume to carry around. Written by Africa expert Philip Briggs, this guide provides a colourful overview of the region's variety of large animals together with information on their habits and habitats. The book also provides an excellent introduction to the region's less heralded variety of smaller creatures including 1,500 bird species and butterflies. It also makes a great souvenir. The wildlife of east Africa is the major visitor attraction of this region, thanks to the legendary game reserves of Serengeti and the Maasai Mara. Bradt's fully illustrated wildlife guides focus on regions of the world particularly celebrated for their amazing and often unique species. With spectacular photography or exclusive watercolour drawings throughout, each visitors' guide provides an introduction to the region's principal flora and fauna alongside suggested wildlife itineraries, practical information on when to go and what to take and photography tips. Written in a deliberately engaging way, they offer something different from dry field guides, and will appeal to the interested layman as much as the wildlife devotee. Ideal as a lightweight companion to any wildlife trip.

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A beautiful new memory game based on the popular gift book A Natural History of Fairies. Fairy matching game: Can you reunite the fairies with their friends in this fun and easy-to-learn game? Sturdy gift box contains: 40 cards, each measuring 8.8 × 6.6 cm / 3.5 × 2.6 in., and a 28-page booklet; box size is 10 × 14.4 × 4.7 cm / 4 × 5.5 × 1.75 in. A beautiful new memory game based off the popular gift book A Natural History of Fairies. 20 diverse fairy species: With fairies from all parts of the world, match the pairs who belong to the same species Includes an illustrated booklet: Covering game rules, fairy facts and tips for finding them yourself Fairy fun for ages 4+: Delightful screen-free entertainment for fairy lovers everywhere. Discover enchanting fairies from all around the world with this stunningly illustrated matching game. Based on the popular book from the Folklore Field Guides series A Natural History of Fairies, the cards feature naturalist illustrations of fairy species from different regions of the world, from the Alpine Sprite to the Savannah Fairy, and the Rainforest Nymph to the Polar Wanderer. The booklet, in addition to explaining how to play the game, serves as a field guide to the fairy species on the cards, with details on their habitats, dwellings, distinctive features and habits. For instance, learn how the Firefly Sprite (Nympha scintilla) uses bioluminescence to make their way through the bamboo forests of China and how the Himalayan Oread (Nympha nipalensis) hibernates in a snowy burrow through the winter, but descends to mountain meadows to feed on flower nectar in the summer. You’ll also find out where and when to look for fairies, and signs of their presence. To play the game, arrange the cards face down on a table, then flip two over – do they show the same fairy species? If they do, you collect the pair. If not, try to remember where the different fairy species are located so you can make a match on your next turn. Put your memory skills to the test and learn about the diverse fairies of the world while you play. Gather more pairs than your opponent to win!The Folklore Field Guides series is a charming collection of beautifully illustrated handbooks on topics of lore and legend. Fascinating facts are accompanied by breathtaking illustrations, all presented in an engaging narrative form.Also available from the series:A Natural History of Fairies, A Natural History of Magical Beasts, A Natural History of Mermaids and A Natural History of Magick.

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