Book Description

Wildlife biologist Terry Johnson has written a weekly column for the Monroe County Reporter for more than twenty-five years. These columns have taken readers on a journey of discovery that has wound its way through backyards and the countryside. Each week his readers eagerly await his next column to see where the journey leads them next. Johnson has now published a collection of more than seventy of his columns. These columns are packed with fascinating glimpses into the lives of the plants and animals that live in middle Georgia. Through Johnson's work readers are regaled with tips on transforming yards into wildlife havens. He reveals there really are black bluebirds and whether or not wild plants and animals can predict the weather. Johnson explains why birds attack windows, how deer stay warm in winter, and exposes the chorus frog as a false prophet. There is discussion about how more birds can be attracted with water than food, why mistletoe is much more than a holiday decoration, and that more species of hummingbirds are seen in winter than at any other time of the year. Johnson's charming columns lovingly chronicle the changing seasons and foster the belief that healthy wild plant and animal populations enhance our quality of life. He also encourages his readers to spend more time outside and enjoy the wonders of nature hiding in plain sight just outside their backdoor.