Bird Spotting in a Small Town


Book Description

My feet are itching to walk to the shore, to leave the kids again, to sit with the birds and pretend none of this has happened. In a small, isolated town on the North Norfolk coast, Fran's life is unravelling. As she fills her days cleaning the caravan park she owns, she is preoccupied by worry - about the behaviour of her son, the growing absence of her husband and the strained relationship with her sister. Her one source of solace is slipping out to the beach early in the morning, to watch the birds. Small-town tension simmers when a new teacher starts at the local school and a Romany community settle in the field adjoining Fran's caravan park. From the distance of his caravan, seventy-year-old Tad quietly watches the townspeople - mainly, Fran's family. When the schoolteacher and Fran's brother-in-law both go missing on the same night, accusations fly. Yet all Fran can seem to care about is the birds. An eerie and unsettling novel, Bird Spotting in a Small Town perfectly encapsulates the intensity of rural claustrophobia when you don't know who you can trust. 'A haunting, disquieting novel, exquisitely written. The detail throughout is like acupuncture and the whole thing is difficult to pull away from. I read it in short bursts because each sitting left me with something new to think about' - IAN MOORE, author of Death and Croissants 'The kind of book that gets under your skin, hugely atmospheric and dark in the best possible way' - JENNIE GODFREY, author of The List of Suspicious Things Perfect for fans of Francine Toon's Pine and hit British crime dramas like Broadchurch and Hollington Drive.




Birdwatching in New Hampshire


Book Description

Designed to appeal to expert and backyard birdwatchers alike, this comprehensive guide reveals where, when, and how to watch and enjoy birds in New Hampshire. It not only offers the latest information about the seasonal status and distribution of birds in New Hampshire but also features a thorough introduction to the art and practice of birdwatching, including equipment, ethics, migration, conservation, and most of all, finding that "good bird." The heart of the book is the detailed descriptions and maps that outline more than 120 birding sites across the state, from the Connecticut River Valley to Jeffreys Ledge and Cashes Ledge far off the coast. Drawing upon his extensive knowledge of the habits and habitats of New Hampshire birds, the author has divided the state into six regions, each with a rich diversity of birdwatching destinations. The guide also features informative accounts of the more than 300 bird species regularly seen in the Granite State, including their preferred habitats and graphs illustrating when each is most likely to be encountered. In addition, Masterson also provides a useful guide to rare and accidental bird sightings. The essential guide to birdwatching in New Hampshire for beginners and accomplished regional birders.




Waiting for a Warbler


Book Description

Short listed for the Green Earth book award In early April, as Owen and his sister search the hickories, oaks, and dogwoods for returning birds, a huge group of birds leaves the misty mountain slopes of the Yucatan peninsula for the 600-mile flight across the Gulf of Mexico to their summer nesting grounds. One of them is a Cerulean warbler. He will lose more than half his body weight even if the journey goes well. Aloft over the vast ocean, the birds encourage each other with squeaky chirps that say, “We are still alive. We can do this.” Owen’s family watches televised reports of a great storm over the Gulf of Mexico, fearing what it may mean for migrating songbirds. In alternating spreads, we wait and hope with Owen, then struggle through the storm with the warbler. This moving story with its hopeful ending appeals to us to preserve the things we love. The backmatter includes a North American bird migration map, birding information for kids, and guidance for how native plantings can transform yards into bird and wildlife habitat.




Cemetery Birding


Book Description

It might seem unlikely that a place designed for the departed could be teeming with life. Cemeteries have a long history of serving the dual purpose of honoring the deceased while also proving a space for the living to gather and grieve in the embrace of nature. Touted as some of the earliest public parks in the country— with mature trees, open grasslands, meadows of wildflowers—cemeteries are also attractive to birds and wildlife. In an age of distractions and disconnection, cemeteries create a sense of place where visitors can reconnect with nature while exploring the cultural history of a region. For bird watchers, cemeteries offer easy walking, open spaces to peer into habitats, and a peaceful place to feel the breeze and listen to the quiet conversations of nature. Cemetery Birding builds upon the unique and approachable experiences introduced in Jennifer L. Bristol’s first book, Parking Lot Birding. While cemeteries offer accessible places to bird watch, Bristol highlights the need to tread carefully and ethically when exploring these sacred spaces. Her treatment of each of the nearly 100 locations provides information about what birds can be observed in various seasons and offers readers a snapshot of the cemetery and community’s history. Filled with rich photos, Bristol deciphers headstone symbolism in “Tombstone Tales” and offers fun facts about individual species of birds in “Tombstone Tails.” Locations range from the heart of Houston to the wide-open spaces of West Texas and every ecoregion in between.




Proceedings RMRS.


Book Description




The Guide to Kansas Birds and Birding Hot Spots


Book Description

Kansas is a bird-watcher's paradise, with its key location at the hub of the hemisphere's migration corridors and exceptional habitat diversity; 470 avian species have been documented within its borders. From spectacularly beautiful birds like Painted Buntings to elegant migrants like Hudsonian Godwits, birders can find abundant rewards every time they take to the field. The Guide to Kansas Birds and Birding Hot Spots focuses on 295 species that are most likely to be encountered in the state. It helps occasional day-trippers or backyard observers identify and learn about birds that regularly occur in Kansas, with stunning color photos that enable those new to the hobby to identify their discoveries, plus tips on where to search for these species with the greatest likelihood of success. Gress and Janzen have produced an exceptionally well-organized guide that divides birds into 18 groups based on similarity in appearance, habitat, or behavior, following taxonomic order only partially to make identification easier for the beginner. The entry for each bird gives its size, identifying features (including sexual and seasonal distinctions), and where and when it can be found. And each account includes a brilliant color photo of an adult of the species, with additional views of selected birds to illustrate male, female, or juvenile plumages. The authors point out the best birding locations in the state-more than two dozen hot spots of which they have intimate knowledge-that reflect utterly different bird communities thriving only a few hours apart. They also provide a checklist for all state birds, a calendar of Kansas bird activity, and recommendations for binoculars and other field guides.




National Geographic Guide to Birding Hot Spots of the United States


Book Description

Pinpoints the best places to view more than four hundred species of birds, utilizing color photographs and maps to identify bird sanctuaries, national and state parks, wildlife refuges, nature trails, and other birding locales.




Birding the Delaware Valley Region


Book Description

For the thousands of local birdwatchers and the many hundreds of visitors, this glove compartment-sized book places the excitement and opportunity of the Delaware Valley's 335 species of birds within convenient reach. Each question the visitor might ask and the native might wonder about is answered concisely and fully.




Australian Good Birding Guide: South Australia


Book Description

This is the sixth book in the series of comprehensive travel guidebooks to birdwatching destinations in Australia For the South Australian travel guide, the authors selected a wide range of exciting while still reasonably accessible birding spots of the State. Description of each birding site includes, at a minimum, habitat description, site facilities and key avifauna. The authors have cross-checked and supplemented their findings with verified sightings reported online. The book is richly illustrated with photographs of birds and bird habitats. Other books by Ted & Alex Wnorowski: Australian Good Birdwatching Guide: NSW-ACT Australian Good Birdwatching Guide: Tasmania Australian Good Birdwatching Guide: Victoria Australian Good Birdwatching Guide: Southern & Central Queensland Australian Good Birdwatching Guide: Northern Queensland In preparation: Australian Good Birdwatching Guide: Northern Territory




Birding with Benefits


Book Description

A divorcee embarks on her “year of yes” and crosses paths with a shy but sensitive birdwatcher who changes her life in this charming rom-com that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Ali Hazelwood. Newly-divorced, almost-empty-nester Celeste is finally seeking adventure and putting herself first, cliches be damned. So when a friend asks Celeste to “partner” with his buddy John for an event, Celeste throws herself into the role of his temporary girlfriend. But quiet cinnamon roll John isn’t looking for love, just birds—he needs a partner for Tucson’s biggest bird-watching contest if he’s ever going to launch his own guiding business. By the time they untangle their crossed signals, they’ve become teammates…and thanks to his meddling friends, a fake couple. Celeste can’t tell a sparrow from a swallow, but John is a great teacher, and the hours they spend hiking in the Arizona wilderness feed Celeste’s hunger for new adventures while giving John a chance to practice his dream job. As the two spend more time together, they end up watching more than just the birds, and their chemistry becomes undeniable. Since they’re both committed to the single life, Celeste suggests a status upgrade: birders with benefits, just until the contest is done. But as the bird count goes up and their time together ticks down, John and Celeste will have to decide if their benefits can last a lifetime, or if this love affair is for the birds.