"Hartnett again captures the ineffable fragility of childhood in this keenly observed tale." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) Nine-year-old Adrian watches his world closely, but there is much he cannot understand. He does not, for instance, know why three neighborhood children might set out to buy ice cream one summer’s day and never be seen again...In a suburb that is no longer safe and innocent, in a broken family of self-absorbed souls, Sonya Hartnett sets the story of a lone little boy — unwanted, unloved, and intensely curious — a story as achingly beautiful as it is shattering. A Children’s Literature Choice List Title Two starred reviews (Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews)
The year is 1977, and Adrian is nine. He lives with his gran and his uncle Rory; his best friend is Clinton Tull. He loves to draw and he wants a dog; he's afraid of quicksand and self-combustion. Adrian watches his suburban world, but there is much he cannot understand. He does not, for instance, know why three neighbourhood children might set ...
Graham Martin takes the reader deep into the world of birds from a new perspective, with a ‘through birds’ eyes’ approach to ornithology that goes beyond the traditional habitat or ecological point of view. There is a lot more to a bird’s world than what it receives through its eyes. This book shows how all of the senses complement one another to provide each species with a unique suite of information that guides their daily activities. The senses of each bird have been fine-tuned by natural selection to meet the challenges of its environment and optimise its behaviour: from spotting a carcase on a hillside, to pecking at minute insects, from catching fish in murky waters, to navigating around the globe. The reader is also introduced to the challenges posed to birds by the obstacles with which humans have cluttered their worlds, from power lines to windowpanes. All of these challenges need explaining from the birds’ sensory perspectives so that effective mitigations can be put in place. The book leads the reader through a wealth of diverse information presented in accessible text, with over 100 colour illustrations and photographs. The result is a highly readable and authoritative account, which will appeal to birdwatchers and other naturalists, as well as researchers in avian biology. The author has researched the senses of birds throughout a 50-year career in ornithology and sensory science. He has always attempted to understand birds from the perspective of how sensory information helps them to carry out different tasks in different environments. He has published papers on more than 60 bird species, from Albatrosses and Penguins, to Spoonbills and Kiwi. His first fascination was with owls and night time, and owls have remained special to him throughout his career. He has collaborated and travelled widely and pondered diverse sensory challenges that birds face in the conduct of different tasks in different habitats, from mudflats and murky waters, to forests, deserts and caves. In recent years he has focused on how understanding bird senses can help to reduce the very high levels of bird deaths that are caused by human artefacts; particularly, wind turbines, power lines, and gill nets.
This book is a photographic journey of the Birds We See in the estuaries, arroyos and seashores of Los Cabos and the East Cape region of Baja. It contains more than 185 original photographs of some of the many birds that live here or stop over during annual migrations.
“With a birder’s eye for detail, White takes us on [Adrian Mandrick’s] painful, near death descent…[her] life-affirming conclusion reminds us that endangered species aren’t the only ones that need to change and adapt in order to survive.”—The New York Times Book Review H Is for Hawk meets Grief Is the Thing with Feathers in this evocative debut novel about a pill-popping anesthesiologist and avid birder who embarks on a quest to find one of the world’s rarest species, allowing nothing to get in his way—until he’s forced to confront his obsessions and what they’ve cost him. Adrian Mandrick seems to have his life in perfect order with an excellent job in a Colorado hospital, a wife and two young children he loves deeply, and a serious passion for birding. His life list comprises 863 species correctly identified and cataloged—it is, in fact, the third longest list in the North American region. But Adrian holds dark secrets about his childhood—secrets that threaten to consume him after he’s contacted by his estranged mother, and subsequently relapses into an addiction to painkillers. In the midst of his downward spiral, the legendary birder with the region’s second-longest life list dies suddenly, and Adrian receives an anonymous tip that could propel him to the very top: the extremely rare Ivory-billed Woodpecker, spotted deep in the swamplands of Florida’s Panhandle. Combining sharp, elegant prose with environmental adventure, The Life List of Adrian Mandrick is a poignant, engaging story that heralds the arrival of a new literary talent.
Like many of nature's wonders, birds are often taken for granted. But these birds won't go unnoticed! Spring, summer, autumn and winter birds, woodland, meadow, sea and marsh birds - all are brought to life in lively, lyrical prose and rich plasticine-relief illustration. Colour and movement abound in every word and every detail, making each bird memorable.
Must-See Birds of the Pacific Northwest is a lively, practical guide that helps readers discover 85 of the region’s most extraordinary birds. Each bird profile includes notes on what they eat, where they migrate from, and where to find them in Washington and Oregon. Profiles also include stunning color photographs of each bird. Birds are grouped by what they are known for or where they are most likely to be found—like beach birds, urban birds, colorful birds, and killer birds. This is an accessible guide for casual birders, weekend warriors, and families looking for an outdoor experience. Eight easy-going birding weekends, including stops in Puget Sound, the Central Washington wine country, and the Klamath Basin, offer wonderful getaway ideas and make this a must-have guide for locals and visitors alike.
The ever-curious Violet the mouse discovers big white snowflakes, long silvery icicles, and snowballs. Young children will enjoy Violet's latest nature adventure and share her sense of wonder and delight with a unique touch-and-feel snowflake included in the book.
Contains over 500 full-color photographs and illustrations of several varieties of birds along with a survey of major bird groups and families, distribution, habitats, and behaviors.
Foreword by Martin Harper, Global Conservation Director, RSPBThe author is a TV and radio broadcaster, with a large followingFeatures a wide range of birds, from the common woodpigeon to exotic South African sunbirdsTakes the reader on a brilliantly written, personal journeyThe perfect book for the amateur bird-watcherWhen we see a bird, do we really see it? It's perfectly possible to go through life with an almost total disregard for birds. However, in Britain, there are more than a million members of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. And thanks to Instagram - and other networking sites - there is also a growing number of bird photographers opening our eyes to unimagined treasures.From the giants of our skies to the sweetest singing garden warbler, from Matthew Stadlen's London street to the Indian jungle and taking in countries as far afield as Albania and Australia, this book is, in a way, also a story of his life. Starting with the smallest bird in each chapter and building towards the biggest, and using his photographs as a guide, How to See Birds takes us on a very personal bird-watching journey and in the process, helps us to see birds - to really see birds!
