Compiled by an ardent bibliophile, this weekly report includes Britain's Hoverflies: An Introduction to the Hoverflies of Britain; A Guide to the Rockfishes, Thornyheads, and Scorpionfishes of the Northeast Pacific; and The World's Rarest Birds; all of which were recently published in North America and the UK
Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them.
~ Arnold Lobel [1933-1987] author of many popular children's books.
Compiled by Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen, the Birdbooker Report is a weekly report that has been published online for years, listing the wide variety of nature, natural history, ecology, animal behaviour, science and history books that have been newly released or republished in North America and in the UK. The books listed here were received by Ian during the previous week, courtesy of various publishing houses.
*New and Recent Titles:*
· Ball, Stuart and Roger Morris. Britain's Hoverflies: An Introduction to the Hoverflies of Britain. 2013. Princeton University Press. Paperback: 296 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S./£ 24.95. [Guardian bookshop; Amazon UK; Amazon US].
SUMMARY: Britain's Hoverflies is a beautifully illustrated photographic field guide to all the genera of hoverflies found in Britain, focusing on the species that can be most readily identified. Designed to be accessible and to appeal to a wide audience, the book contains more than 500 remarkable photographs of the various life stages of 165 species, including at least one representative from each of the 70 British genera. Easy-to-use species accounts summarize the species' status, highlight the key identification features, provide notes on behaviour and habitat requirements, and contain a distribution map and phenology chart. The book contains a guide to the hoverfly tribes, and introductory chapters examine hoverfly biology, and where and when to look for hoverflies.
This field guide is the perfect companion for wildlife enthusiasts, professional ecologists, and anyone with an interest in this fascinating group of insects.
This book includes:
· More than 500 remarkable photographs.
· Covers 165 species that can be identified by eye or with a magnifying glass, including at least one representative from each of the 70 British genera.
· Species accounts highlight the key identification features of each genus and species, and provide information on status, behaviour, and habitat requirements.
· Maps and charts show the distribution of each species and their flight periods.
· A guide to hoverfly tribes provides an aid to identification.
· Introductory chapters explore hoverfly biology and where and when to look for them.
· A complete list of the 281 hoverfly species recorded in Britain to date, with an indication for each of the degree of identification difficulty.
IAN'S RECOMMENDATION: Anyone with an interest in these insects will want this book.
· Butler, John L., Milton S. Love and Tom E. Laidig. A Guide to the Rockfishes, Thornyheads, and Scorpionfishes of the Northeast Pacific. 2012. University of California Press. Paperback: 185 pages. Price: $29.95 U.S. [Amazon UK; Amazon US].
SUMMARY: Rockfishes and their close relatives are some of the most important fishes on the Pacific Coast. They occur on reefs, around sunken vessels, and among kelp beds, and they often comprise more than 90 percent of all the fishes living in these locations. Rockfishes are favorites of recreational and commercial fishers and have major economic value. They are the frequent subjects of underwater photographers, but in spite of a wide appreciation of their beauty, identifying these closely related species, particularly underwater, is challenging. With over 400 color photographs of both juveniles and adults, this is the first book to present all of these remarkable fishes in one guide and the first devoted solely to their identification.
IAN'S RECOMMENDATION: A must have for those with an interest in these fishes.
· Hirschfeld, Erik, Andy Swash, and Robert Still. The World's Rarest Birds. 2013. Princeton University Press. Hardbound: 360 pages. Price: $45.00 U.S./ £34.95. [Guardian bookshop; Amazon UK; Amazon US].
SUMMARY: This beautifully illustrated book vividly depicts the most threatened birds on Earth. It provides up-to-date information from BirdLife International on the threats each species faces, and the measures being taken to save them. Today, 590 bird species are classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered, or now only exist in captivity. This landmark publication features stunning photographs of 515 species -- including the results of a prestigious international photographic competition organized specifically for this book. This is the first time that images of many of these birds have been published. It also showcases meticulously accurate illustrations by acclaimed wildlife artist Tomasz Cofta for the 75 species of which no photographs are known to exist.
The World's Rarest Birds has introductory chapters that explain the threats birds face in a rapidly changing world, how their threat status is assessed, and how this information is used to set conservation priorities. The book is divided into seven regional sections--Europe and the Middle East; Africa and Madagascar; Asia; Australasia; Oceanic Islands; North America, Central America, and the Caribbean; and South America. Each section highlights particular conservation challenges and threatened bird hotspots, and includes a comprehensive illustrated directory of the most endangered birds, giving a concise description of their distribution, status, population, key threats, and conservation needs. This one-of-a-kind book also covers the 60 Data Deficient species. QR codes are included for every species, linked directly to the relevant species factsheet on BirdLife International's website, where detailed, up-to-date information is freely available.
IAN'S RECOMMENDATION: A must have for those with an interest in bird conservation.
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen is an avid book collector who is especially well-known to the publishing world. Mr Paulsen collects newly-published books about nature, animals and birds, science, and history, and he also collects children's books on these topics. Mr Paulsen writes brief synopses about these books on his website, The Birdbooker Report.
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Follow Grrlscientist's work on her other blog, Maniraptora, and also on facebook, G+, LinkedIn, Pinterest and of course, twitter: @GrrlScientist
GrrlScientist
guardian.co.uk © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds Reported by guardian.co.uk 1 hour ago.
Books to the ceiling,
Books to the sky,
My pile of books is a mile high.
How I love them! How I need them!
I'll have a long beard by the time I read them.
~ Arnold Lobel [1933-1987] author of many popular children's books.
Compiled by Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen, the Birdbooker Report is a weekly report that has been published online for years, listing the wide variety of nature, natural history, ecology, animal behaviour, science and history books that have been newly released or republished in North America and in the UK. The books listed here were received by Ian during the previous week, courtesy of various publishing houses.
*New and Recent Titles:*
· Ball, Stuart and Roger Morris. Britain's Hoverflies: An Introduction to the Hoverflies of Britain. 2013. Princeton University Press. Paperback: 296 pages. Price: $35.00 U.S./£ 24.95. [Guardian bookshop; Amazon UK; Amazon US].
SUMMARY: Britain's Hoverflies is a beautifully illustrated photographic field guide to all the genera of hoverflies found in Britain, focusing on the species that can be most readily identified. Designed to be accessible and to appeal to a wide audience, the book contains more than 500 remarkable photographs of the various life stages of 165 species, including at least one representative from each of the 70 British genera. Easy-to-use species accounts summarize the species' status, highlight the key identification features, provide notes on behaviour and habitat requirements, and contain a distribution map and phenology chart. The book contains a guide to the hoverfly tribes, and introductory chapters examine hoverfly biology, and where and when to look for hoverflies.
This field guide is the perfect companion for wildlife enthusiasts, professional ecologists, and anyone with an interest in this fascinating group of insects.
This book includes:
· More than 500 remarkable photographs.
· Covers 165 species that can be identified by eye or with a magnifying glass, including at least one representative from each of the 70 British genera.
· Species accounts highlight the key identification features of each genus and species, and provide information on status, behaviour, and habitat requirements.
· Maps and charts show the distribution of each species and their flight periods.
· A guide to hoverfly tribes provides an aid to identification.
· Introductory chapters explore hoverfly biology and where and when to look for them.
· A complete list of the 281 hoverfly species recorded in Britain to date, with an indication for each of the degree of identification difficulty.
IAN'S RECOMMENDATION: Anyone with an interest in these insects will want this book.
· Butler, John L., Milton S. Love and Tom E. Laidig. A Guide to the Rockfishes, Thornyheads, and Scorpionfishes of the Northeast Pacific. 2012. University of California Press. Paperback: 185 pages. Price: $29.95 U.S. [Amazon UK; Amazon US].
SUMMARY: Rockfishes and their close relatives are some of the most important fishes on the Pacific Coast. They occur on reefs, around sunken vessels, and among kelp beds, and they often comprise more than 90 percent of all the fishes living in these locations. Rockfishes are favorites of recreational and commercial fishers and have major economic value. They are the frequent subjects of underwater photographers, but in spite of a wide appreciation of their beauty, identifying these closely related species, particularly underwater, is challenging. With over 400 color photographs of both juveniles and adults, this is the first book to present all of these remarkable fishes in one guide and the first devoted solely to their identification.
IAN'S RECOMMENDATION: A must have for those with an interest in these fishes.
· Hirschfeld, Erik, Andy Swash, and Robert Still. The World's Rarest Birds. 2013. Princeton University Press. Hardbound: 360 pages. Price: $45.00 U.S./ £34.95. [Guardian bookshop; Amazon UK; Amazon US].
SUMMARY: This beautifully illustrated book vividly depicts the most threatened birds on Earth. It provides up-to-date information from BirdLife International on the threats each species faces, and the measures being taken to save them. Today, 590 bird species are classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered, or now only exist in captivity. This landmark publication features stunning photographs of 515 species -- including the results of a prestigious international photographic competition organized specifically for this book. This is the first time that images of many of these birds have been published. It also showcases meticulously accurate illustrations by acclaimed wildlife artist Tomasz Cofta for the 75 species of which no photographs are known to exist.
The World's Rarest Birds has introductory chapters that explain the threats birds face in a rapidly changing world, how their threat status is assessed, and how this information is used to set conservation priorities. The book is divided into seven regional sections--Europe and the Middle East; Africa and Madagascar; Asia; Australasia; Oceanic Islands; North America, Central America, and the Caribbean; and South America. Each section highlights particular conservation challenges and threatened bird hotspots, and includes a comprehensive illustrated directory of the most endangered birds, giving a concise description of their distribution, status, population, key threats, and conservation needs. This one-of-a-kind book also covers the 60 Data Deficient species. QR codes are included for every species, linked directly to the relevant species factsheet on BirdLife International's website, where detailed, up-to-date information is freely available.
IAN'S RECOMMENDATION: A must have for those with an interest in bird conservation.
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen is an avid book collector who is especially well-known to the publishing world. Mr Paulsen collects newly-published books about nature, animals and birds, science, and history, and he also collects children's books on these topics. Mr Paulsen writes brief synopses about these books on his website, The Birdbooker Report.
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
Follow Grrlscientist's work on her other blog, Maniraptora, and also on facebook, G+, LinkedIn, Pinterest and of course, twitter: @GrrlScientist
GrrlScientist
guardian.co.uk © 2013 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds Reported by guardian.co.uk 1 hour ago.