Naturalist S Guide To Observing Nature

A fresh look at the fundamentals of observing nature that will not only help you identify wildlife more accurately, it will lead to a deeper understanding of the natural processes going on around you.

Become a more attentive observer and deepen your appreciation for the natural world. The unique five-year calendar format of The Naturalist’s Notebook helps you create a long-term record and point of comparison for memorable events, such as the first songbird you hear in spring, your first monarch butterfly sighting of summer, or the appearance of the northern lights. Biologist Nathaniel T. Wheelwright and best-selling author Bernd Heinrich teach nature lovers of all ages what to look for outdoors no matter where you live, using Heinrich’s classic illustrations as inspiration. As you jot down one observation a day, year after year, your collected field notes will serve as a valuable record of your piece of the planet. This deluxe book, with a three-piece case, gilt edges, a burgundy ribbon bookmark, and a belly band with gold foil stamping, is a perfect gift for all nature lovers.

An innovative guide to making the most of the wilderness experience.

Describes the author's experiences observing birds and other wildlife around the world, and includes advice on studying and understanding nature.

A newly updated, expanded edition of the spectacular bestselling field guide to the plants and animals of the North America's Northwest Coast. “A must have for any naturalist in the region.”—Douglas Justice, Associate Director, Horticulture & Collections, UBC Botanical Garden With its temperate climate and rich biodiversity, the coastal Pacific Northwest is an ideal environment for nature lovers of all sorts. Stretching from Juneau, Alaska, south to coastal British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and all the way down to California's San Francisco Bay, this vast region is home to an incredibly rich variety of flora and fauna. Packed with over 1,500 photographs and essential information about more than 900 commonly found plant and animal species across the region, this second edition of The Flora and Fauna of Coastal British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest is a colourful, concise, easy-to-follow resource guide. Accessible for anyone with an interest in nature—from amateur arborists to avid gardeners, from weekend hikers to experienced beachcombers—this book provides an essential overview of the region's trees, shrubs, bushes, flowering plants, berries, ferns, fungi, marine plants, marine and land mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and insects. With expanded flora and fauna sections; revised species organization; and new information about at-risk species, toxicity, edibility, and traditional uses, this book is an essential guide to the abundance of nature in this beautiful part of the world.

Once in a great while, as the New York Times noted recently, a naturalist writes a book that changes the way people look at the living world. John James Audubon’s Birds of America, published in 1838, was one. Roger Tory Peterson’s 1934 Field Guide to the Birds was another. How does such insight into nature develop? Pioneering a new niche in the study of plants and animals in their native habitat, Field Notes on Science and Nature allows readers to peer over the shoulders and into the notebooks of a dozen eminent field workers, to study firsthand their observational methods, materials, and fleeting impressions. What did George Schaller note when studying the lions of the Serengeti? What lists did Kenn Kaufman keep during his 1973 “big year”? How does Piotr Naskrecki use relational databases and electronic field notes? In what way is Bernd Heinrich’s approach “truly Thoreauvian,” in E. O. Wilson’s view? Recording observations in the field is an indispensable scientific skill, but researchers are not generally willing to share their personal records with others. Here, for the first time, are reproductions of actual pages from notebooks. And in essays abounding with fascinating anecdotes, the authors reflect on the contexts in which the notes were taken. Covering disciplines as diverse as ornithology, entomology, ecology, paleontology, anthropology, botany, and animal behavior, Field Notes offers specific examples that professional naturalists can emulate to fine-tune their own field methods, along with practical advice that amateur naturalists and students can use to document their adventures.