The Bad Birdwatcher's Companion


Book Description

Few books are more intimidating than a conventional field guide. There are simply too many birds in them. This book introduces the reader to Britain's most obvious birds. But it does more than that: it also explains them. It explains the way that different birds do different things, eat different food, sing different songs and live different lives, and it explains why they are different. If you are a would-be birdwatcher but don't know where to start, A Bad Field Guide is for you. It will help you understand birdwatching: but far more important, it will help you begin to understand birds. Robin...But have you ever wondered what a red breast means to a robin? A red breast is not just the way a human can recognise a robin when it comes a-calling, when it sits on a spade or a Christmas card. The red breast is not just a bit of chance colouration. No: the red breast is the core of the robin's being. The red breast is the love, the honour and the glory of a robin. Have you noticed that a robin positively flaunts it? It is as if he is telling the world: for God's sake, I'm a robin!




How to Be a Bad Birdwatcher


Book Description

THE BESTSELLING BIRDWATCHING CLASSIC - 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION 'A delightful ode to the wild world outside the kitchen window - leaves you with the warm feeling that a shared love conquers all.' The Daily Telegraph 'A witty, perceptive book; thoughtful, instructive and full of simple wisdom.' The Daily Mail Look out the window. See a bird. Enjoy it. CONGRATULATIONS! You are now a bad birdwatcher. Anyone who has ever gazed up at the sky or stared out of the window knows something about birds. In this fun, eye-opening and inspiring book, award-winning nature writer Simon Barnes paints a riveting picture of how birdwatching has framed his life and can help us all to a better understanding of our place on this planet. How to be a Bad Birdwatcher shows why birdwatching is not the preserve of twitchers, but one of the simplest, cheapest and most rewarding pastimes around.




Birdwatcher's Daily Companion


Book Description

Embrace your love of birdwatching, every day of the year! By nature, bird lovers are naturalists and collectors, and you know how easy it is to devote hours upon hours of time—a lifetime, in fact—to your hobby. Birdwatcher’s Daily Companion is a fun, sophisticated way to be newly inspired, every day of the year. Inside is insight into everything from how to identify look alike species to planting a hummingbird garden, planning birding travel, and so much more. Throughout the birdwatcher’s year, you’ll find: Mondays / bird-finding tips and techniques Tuesdays / all about species identification Wednesdays / ideas for birding excursions and travel Thursdays / learn to find and attract birds to your backyard Fridays / birds in history and mythology Saturdays & Sundays / birding projects and activities




Invasive and Introduced Plants and Animals


Book Description

There have been many well-publicized cases of invasive species of plants and animals, often introduced unintentionally but sometimes on purpose, causing widespread ecological havoc. Examples of such alien invasions include pernicious weeds such as Japanese knotweed, an introduced garden ornamental which can grow through concrete, the water hyacinth which has choked tropical waterways, and many introduced animals which have out-competed and displaced local fauna. This book addresses the broader context of invasive and exotic species, in terms of the perceived threats and environmental concerns which surround alien species and ecological invasions. As a result of unprecedented scales of environmental change, combined with rapid globalisation, the mixing of cultures and diversity, and fears over biosecurity and bioterrorism, the known impacts of particular invasions have been catastrophic. However, as several chapters show, reactions to some exotic species, and the justifications for interventions in certain situations, including biological control by introduced natural enemies, rest uncomfortably with social reactions to ethnic cleansing and persecution perpetrated across the globe. The role of democracy in deciding and determining environmental policy is another emerging issue. In an increasingly multicultural society this raises huge questions of ethics and choice. At the same time, in order to redress major ecological losses, the science of reintroduction of native species has also come to the fore, and is widely accepted by many in nature conservation. However, with questions of where and when, and with what species or even species analogues, reintroductions are acceptable, the topic is hotly debated. Again, it is shown that many decisions are based on values and perceptions rather than objective science. Including a wide range of case studies from around the world, his book raises critical issues to stimulate a much wider debate.




How to Know the Birds


Book Description

"In this elegant narrative, celebrated naturalist Ted Floyd guides you through a year of becoming a better birder. Choosing 200 top avian species to teach key lessons, Floyd introduces a new, holistic approach to bird watching and shows how to use the tools of the 21st century to appreciate the natural world we inhabit together whether city, country or suburbs." -- From book jacket.




The Meaning of Sport


Book Description

Takes you on a journey from the Olympic Games in Athens to the World Cup in Germany - via the Ashes series, the Ryder Cup, Wimbledon, and more. This book examines why sport holds us all in such thrall, how it uplifts and crushes us - and can seem to matter more than life itself.




Bird Therapy


Book Description

Longlisted for the 2020 Wainwright Prize 'I can't remember the last book I read that I could say with absolute assurance would save lives. But this one will' Chris Packham 'Fabulously direct and truthful, filled with energy but devoid of self-pity . . . I was impressed and enchanted. Highly recommended' Stephen Fry 'Succeeds – triumphantly – in articulating with great honesty what it is like to suffer with a mental illness, and in providing strategies for coping' Mail on Sunday When Joe Harkness suffered a breakdown in 2013, he tried all the things his doctor recommended: medication helped, counselling was enlightening, and mindfulness grounded him. But nothing came close to nature, particularly birds. How had he never noticed such beauty before? Soon, every avian encounter took him one step closer to accepting who he is. The positive change in Joe's wellbeing was so profound that he started a blog to record his experience. Three years later he has become a spokesperson for the benefits of birdwatching, spreading the word everywhere from Radio 4 to Downing Street. In this groundbreaking book filled with practical advice, Joe explains the impact that birdwatching had on his life, and invites the reader to discover these extraordinary effects for themselves.




Plant Partners


Book Description

Companion planting has a long history of use by gardeners, but the explanation of why it works has been filled with folklore and conjecture. Plant Partners delivers a research-based rationale for this ever-popular growing technique, offering dozens of ways you can use scientifically tested plant partnerships to benefit your whole garden. Through an enhanced understanding of how plants interact with and influence each other, this guide suggests specific plant combinations that improve soil health and weed control, decrease pest damage, and increase biodiversity, resulting in real and measurable impacts in the garden.




The Spectator


Book Description

A weekly review of politics, literature, theology, and art.




Pacific Northwest Birding Companion


Book Description

Your Bird-Watching Companion for Idaho, Oregon, and Washington Peaceful, relaxing, and inspiring—birding can yield a lifetime of satisfaction. For some, simple observation of birds is enough to fill them with joy. Others prefer to make it more interactive, striving to see a variety of species and learning to identify them. If you’re among the latter, the Pacific Northwest Birding Companion is just for you. Written by award-winning author, naturalist, and wildlife photographer Stan Tekiela (known throughout the region for his best-selling bird identification guides), the Pacific Northwest Birding Companion is part how-to book, part field guide, and part journal. Read Stan’s tips for identifying birds, and learn about everything from reporting a rare bird to dealing with injured birds. The field guide section organizes 145 species by color. When you see a yellow bird, go to the yellow section to discover what it is. There, you can also find range maps, as well as such information as nest descriptions, migration habits, and tips for attracting the species to your feeder. At the bottom of every page, there’s room to log information about when and where you saw that species. You can also keep track of your birding life list on the book’s closing pages—so you’ll always have a running total of the different birds you’ve seen. Use your birding companion on its own, or pair it with Stan’s bird identification guides. It will enhance your birding experience and bring even more enjoyment to the hobby that you love.