From Hedwig, the Snowy Owl of Harry Potter fame, to Winnie-the-Pooh’s beloved friend Owl, this wide-eyed bird of the night has found its way into young hearts and imaginations everywhere. Owling invites young readers into the world of real-life owls, to learn about their fascinating behaviors and abilities. Wildlife photojournalist and nature educator Mark Wilson presents a one-of-a-kind look into the mysterious lives of these distinctive birds. Dramatic images of the 19 owl species of North America nesting, flying, hunting, and catching prey are accompanied by information about the birds’ silent flight, remarkable eyes and ears, haunting calls, and fascinating night life. Kids will learn how to spot owls; identify their calls, plumage, and pellets; and even carry on a hooting conversation with a nearby owl.
This is the story of Oriannon, a very human-looking girl with an extraordinary gift: the ability to record what she sees and experiences like the hard drive of a computer. When the mysterious Jesmet, thought to be a Magician in the Old Order, begins to connect with Oriannon, he is banished to Corista’s Shadowside. On another planet, the new faith of its first Believers is tested in the shadow of evilIn book two, readers can contemplate how biblical truths translate in another world. The planet of Corista has been thrown off its axis, and the bright side has been plunged into perpetual darkness. Are the Owling people of Shadowside to blame? With both sides of the planet in chaos, the world becomes even more confusing for 15-year-old Oriannon when her former music mentor Jesmet miraculously returns from the dead and promises his followers a special power called the Wind. But his is not the only offer of hope. Sola, Corista’s charismatic head of Security, proposes the “ultimate solution” for peace, and she recruits Oriannon to help her carry out a seemingly perfect plan. But Oriannon’s closest friends are skeptical and try to convince her that the plan involves evil acts against the Owling. Should Oriannon trust the feelings of her friends? Will she embrace Sola’s solution as the answer to the world’s dilemma? Or will she believe the promise of an Owling holy man before she can no longer discern between light and darkness?
Celebrating 30 years of the beloved classic Owl Moon from renowned children's book author Jane Yolen and Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator John Schoenherr! Late one winter night a little girl and her father go owling. The trees stand still as statues and the world is silent as a dream. Whoo-whoo-whoo, the father calls to the mysterious nighttime bird. But there is no answer. Wordlessly the two companions walk along, for when you go owling, you don't need words. You don't need anything but hope. Sometimes there isn't an owl, but sometimes there is. Distinguished author Jane Yolen has created a gentle, poetic story that lovingly depicts the special companionship of a young child and her father as well as humankind's close relationship to the natural world. Wonderfully complemented by John Schoenherr's soft, exquisite watercolor illustrations, this is a verbal and visual treasure, perfect for reading aloud and sharing at bedtime.
Long considered creatures of myth and mystery, owls actually are commonplace if one knows how and where to look--often no further than one's own backyard. The Suttons--husband and wife naturalist team--have created a lavish, full-color spotter's guide, with a thorough description of owls, their habitat, range, diet, breeding and nesting habits.
Updated to include a new chapter about the influence of social media and the Internet—the 20th anniversary edition of Bowling Alone remains a seminal work of social analysis, and its examination of what happened to our sense of community remains more relevant than ever in today’s fractured America. Twenty years, ago, Robert D. Putnam made a seemingly simple observation: once we bowled in leagues, usually after work; but no longer. This seemingly small phenomenon symbolized a significant social change that became the basis of the acclaimed bestseller, Bowling Alone, which The Washington Post called “a very important book” and Putnam, “the de Tocqueville of our generation.” Bowling Alone surveyed in detail Americans’ changing behavior over the decades, showing how we had become increasingly disconnected from family, friends, neighbors, and social structures, whether it’s with the PTA, church, clubs, political parties, or bowling leagues. In the revised edition of his classic work, Putnam shows how our shrinking access to the “social capital” that is the reward of communal activity and community sharing still poses a serious threat to our civic and personal health, and how these consequences have a new resonance for our divided country today. He includes critical new material on the pervasive influence of social media and the internet, which has introduced previously unthinkable opportunities for social connection—as well as unprecedented levels of alienation and isolation. At the time of its publication, Putnam’s then-groundbreaking work showed how social bonds are the most powerful predictor of life satisfaction, and how the loss of social capital is felt in critical ways, acting as a strong predictor of crime rates and other measures of neighborhood quality of life, and affecting our health in other ways. While the ways in which we connect, or become disconnected, have changed over the decades, his central argument remains as powerful and urgent as ever: mending our frayed social capital is key to preserving the very fabric of our society.
With enthusiasm and sincerity biologist Soren Bondrup-Nielsen recalls his experience as a graduate student in the 1970s researching the Boreal Owl in northern Ontario and Alberta. After receiving his BSc in the spring of 1974, Bondrup-Nielsen travels by train to Kapuskasing to begin his study of this tiny, elusive species, cousin to the Tengmalm's Owl of Scandinavia. Though initially dissuaded by his supervisor, the author sets about recording the owl's call and locating individual territories. On cross-country skis, pulling a toboggan of supplies, Bondrup-Nielsen begins his first field season with reason for optimism, recording two distinct calls and being struck in the head by a male Boreal within his first week. After repairing to the nearby logging camp (Camp 86) where the food is plentiful and the beds much warmer than his tent, Bondrup-Nielsen continues his research to the great amusement of the cutting crew and camp staff. Taking the first photos of the owls, learning to differentiate between male and female calls, and observing mating behaviour, he finishes the season having located ten males on territories. In subsequent field seasons, Bondrup-Nielsen completes his graduate research. The book details his experimental tracking and recording methods, including telemetry, homemade traps, and a recording device fashioned out of an alarm clock, some tinfoil and a sewing needle. Bondrup-Nielsen's inquiring mind and passion for both winter and the outdoors bring an infectious sense of adventure to his fieldwork. His studies are punctuated by close encounters with coyotes, bears and a moose, glimpses of the Aurora Borealis, first love and self-discovery. With some of the author's original journal entries, notes and sketches, A Sound Like Water Dripping captures the beginning of what continues to be a committed and inspiring dedication to the study of ecology. "Owls seem to hold a fascination for just about everyone," says Bondrup-Nielsen. "Maybe it's their appearance: We see ourselves reflected in their faces. Their beaks resemble our noses and their big eyes, similar to ours, look forward, with eyelids that close from above, unlike other birds whose eyelids close from below. They seem to represent wisdom rather than reminding us of the fierce predators that they are. Owls also have ghost-like qualities, flying on silent wings, active mainly at night. In some cultures, owls are harbingers of death. In any case, there's something magical about them. I studied the Boreal Owl in northern Ontario and Alberta from 1974 to 1976, and am still approached by naturalist societies with invitations to talk about this small northern owl so few people have ever seen. In my teaching, as well, when I get a chance to talk about my research on owls the whole class listens intently. Thus, after I had finished my first book, Winter on Diamond, I felt a longing for the solitary but exciting experience of disappearing into my head again, this time to relive my discovery of the Boreal Owl."
"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.
