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Books > Sport & Leisure > Natural history, country life & pets > Wild animals > Birds & birdwatching

Water Distribution System Monitoring - A Practical Approach for Evaluating Drinking Water Quality (Paperback, 2nd edition):... Water Distribution System Monitoring - A Practical Approach for Evaluating Drinking Water Quality (Paperback, 2nd edition)
Abigail F. Cantor
R2,234 Discovery Miles 22 340 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

To keep drinking water safe involves more than following the letter of the law. This book introduces a comprehensive perspective and a proactive step-by-step approach to maintaining drinking water quality in distribution systems, and aids in delivering verifiably safe and economical water to end users. This second edition is updated throughout, and reflects the latest processes for improving drinking water quality in water systems and bringing those systems into compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule, the Disinfection By-Products Rule, and the Total Coliform Rule. It also presents the latest techniques for calming discolored water issues, keeping microbiological growth and biofilm formation in check, and preventing the formation of pinhole leaks in copper pipes. The book also aids in determining side effects of treatment chemicals, achieving simultaneous compliance with multiple regulations, and optimizing treatment chemical dosages. A typical water distribution system is complex and chaotic with varying piping configurations, water flows, chemical reactions, and microbiological activity. It is, therefore, no surprise that monitoring and assessing water quality can be a daunting task. Water Distribution System Monitoring: A Practical Approach for Evaluating Drinking Water Quality simplifies this task by providing the tools for well-defined and measurable control of water quality.

Birds Of Costa Rica (Paperback): Dale Dyer, Steve N.G. Howell Birds Of Costa Rica (Paperback)
Dale Dyer, Steve N.G. Howell
R657 Discovery Miles 6 570 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Costa Rica is among the most popular birding destinations in the world, with a breathtaking diversity of neotropical birdlife and stunningly beautiful habitats ranging from shady mangrove swamps to mist-enshrouded mountaintops and verdant rainforest. Birds of Costa Rica is the essential illustrated pocket guide to this biologically rich country.

It covers all regularly occurring bird species found in the region and features facing-page plates and text that make field identification easy. Concise species accounts describe everything from size and distribution to voice, habitat, and status. This compact guide also features progressive taxonomy and a wealth of color range maps.

  • Covers more than 800 species of birds found in Costa Rica
  • Includes more than 200 superb color plates
  • Features concise species accounts, facing-page plates and text, and up-to-date range maps
  • Its compact size and field-friendly layout make it the ideal travel companion for any birder
Birding in Seattle and King County - Site Guide and Annotated List (Paperback, second edition): Eugene S Hunn Birding in Seattle and King County - Site Guide and Annotated List (Paperback, second edition)
Eugene S Hunn
R515 R482 Discovery Miles 4 820 Save R33 (6%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days
12 Birds to Save Your Life - Nature's Lessons in Happiness (Paperback): Charlie Corbett 12 Birds to Save Your Life - Nature's Lessons in Happiness (Paperback)
Charlie Corbett
R327 R265 Discovery Miles 2 650 Save R62 (19%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

Discover the healing power of nature through the stories of these characterful birds, whose song is never far away . . . LONGLISTED FOR THE 2022 WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 'A lyrical and life-affirming book that teaches us as much about birds as it does ourselves - a balm for the soul' Raynor Winn, author of The Salt Path 'Totally absorbing and completely engaging on so many levels . . . Charlie has opened my eyes to the constant joy of the sights and sounds of the birds that surround us. It is a book that really will save lives' Dr Richard Shepherd, author of Unnatural Causes _________ After the tragic loss of his mother, Charlie Corbett felt trapped by his pain. Having lost all hope and perspective he took to the countryside in search of solace. There, he heard the soaring, cascading song of the skylark - a sound that pulled him from the depths of despair and into the calm of the natural world. Weaving his journey through grief with a remarkable portrait of the birds living right on our doorstep, 12 Birds to Save Your Life is an invitation to stop, step outside, and listen. By following Charlie's path, opening your eyes and ears to what has been there all along, you will discover how nature can set you free.

RSPB Spotlight Ospreys (Paperback): Tim Mackrill RSPB Spotlight Ospreys (Paperback)
Tim Mackrill 1
R387 R360 Discovery Miles 3 600 Save R27 (7%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

RSPB Spotlight: Ospreys is packed with eye-catching, informative colour photos, and features succinct, detailed text written by a knowledgeable naturalist. A hunting Osprey is one of the great sights of the natural world, and its fishing prowess is admired and revered around the globe. However, its penchant for taking fish from trout ponds resulted in a drastic decline in the UK with the species wiped out by human persecution and habitat loss. Thanks to concerted conservation efforts, it has made an encouraging comeback in recent decades, giving people across the country the chance to see this majestic hunter in action once again. This easy-to-read text explores all aspects of the Osprey's biology and ecology, including a detailed overview of the adaptations that make it such a skilled and proficient hunter. There is also a chapter dedicated to Osprey migration with a summary of the findings of groundbreaking satellite tracking research. Tim Mackrill also explores the relationship between humans and Ospreys, from the days of Shakespeare to the recent rise of Osprey tourism. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviour of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photographs and informative expert text.

The Peregrine Returns - The Art and Architecture of an Urban Raptor Recovery (Hardcover): Mary Hennen The Peregrine Returns - The Art and Architecture of an Urban Raptor Recovery (Hardcover)
Mary Hennen; Illustrated by Peggy Macnamara; Photographs by Stephanie Ware
R775 Discovery Miles 7 750 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Peregrine falcons have their share of claims to fame. With a diving speed of over two hundred miles per hour, these birds of prey are the fastest animals on earth or in the sky, and they are now well known for adapting from life on rocky cliffs to a different kind of mountain: modern skyscrapers. But adaptability only helps so much. In 1951, there were no peregrines left in Illinois, and it looked as if the species would be wiped out entirely in North America. Today, however, peregrines are flourishing. In The Peregrine Returns, Mary Hennen gives wings to this extraordinary conservation success story. Drawing on the beautiful watercolors of Field Museum artist-in-residence Peggy Macnamara and photos by Field Museum research assistant Stephanie Ware, as well as her own decades of work with peregrines, Hennen focuses her tale on Illinois's Chicago Peregrine Program, a collaboration between researchers and citizen scientists. She follows the journey of Illinois's peregrines from their devastating decline to the discovery of its cause (a thinning of eggshells caused by a byproduct of DDT), through to recovery, revealing how the urban landscape has played an essential role in enabling falcons to return to the wild and how people are now learning to live in close proximity to these captivating raptors. Both a model for conservation programs across the country and an eye-opening look at the many creatures with which we share our homes, this richly illustrated story of the Chicago Peregrine Program is an inspiring example of how urban architecture can serve not only our cities' human inhabitants, but also their wild ones.

Call of the Eagle (Paperback, New): Dave Walker Call of the Eagle (Paperback, New)
Dave Walker
R513 R468 Discovery Miles 4 680 Save R45 (9%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

This is an account of one man's 30-year involvement with England's rarest bird, the golden eagle. Initially employed by the RSPB as a senior species protection warden at a secret location in Cumbria, the author describes the intricacies of establishing a protection regime by wardens that would operate for the next 26 years and his efforts to protect and study this iconic species. The Lakeland eagles were at their most productive during his tenure, rearing six eaglets in the six years before he widened his interest to study eagles in Scotland as well as England. The author discovered and recorded many previously unknown facts about golden eagles. He began to plan and implement projects which would expand knowledge of the species as well as helping to secure their foothold in England. His project is the most detailed and complete study of a pair of golden eagles with, at its heart, the life and times of an eagle he followed from its arrival in 1982 until its death, 22 years later. A bird that would eventually show little fear of him and accept his presence rather than flee. The author recounts the hardships experienced by the eagle and eagle-watcher alike, and his record of behaviour at the nest is unparalleled. However, working with golden eagles is not without difficulties and the author's encounters with unsympathetic shepherds and poor decision-making are also described, as are his dealings with egg collectors who craved to add the rare English eagle eggs to their collections. His efforts to counter their intrusions even saw him rebuilding eagle eyries that had been so dispassionately destroyed! However, "Call of the Eagle" amply illustrates the close attachment and passion that drove the author to devote so much of his life to this magnificent raptor, famed as the King of Birds.

The Warbler Guide (Paperback, Flexibound): Tom Stephenson, Scott Whittle The Warbler Guide (Paperback, Flexibound)
Tom Stephenson, Scott Whittle
R839 R723 Discovery Miles 7 230 Save R116 (14%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days

Warblers are among the most challenging birds to identify. They exhibit an array of seasonal plumages and have distinctive yet oft-confused calls and songs. "The Warbler Guide" enables you to quickly identify any of the 56 species of warblers in the United States and Canada. This groundbreaking guide features more than 1,000 stunning color photos, extensive species accounts with multiple viewing angles, and an entirely new system of vocalization analysis that helps you distinguish songs and calls.

"The Warbler Guide" revolutionizes birdwatching, making warbler identification easier than ever before. For more information, please see the author videos on the Princeton University Press website.Covers all 56 species of warblers in the United States and CanadaVisual quick finders help you identify warblers from any angleSong and call finders make identification easy using a few simple questionsUses sonograms to teach a new system of song identification that makes it easier to understand and hear differences between similar speciesDetailed species accounts show multiple views with diagnostic points, direct comparisons of plumage and vocalizations with similar species, and complete aging and sexing descriptionsNew aids to identification include song mnemonics and icons for undertail pattern, color impression, habitat, and behaviorIncludes field exercises, flight shots, general identification strategies, and quizzesA complete, page-by-page audio companion to all of the 1,000-plus songs and calls covered by the book is available for purchase and download from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Macaulay Library by using the link at www.TheWarblerGuide.com

Birds of the Northwestern National Parks - A Birder's Perspective (Paperback, 1st ed): Roland H Wauer Birds of the Northwestern National Parks - A Birder's Perspective (Paperback, 1st ed)
Roland H Wauer; Illustrated by Mimi Hoppe Wolf
R478 R421 Discovery Miles 4 210 Save R57 (12%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days

From the bald eagle to the pileolated woodpecker, the varied and abundant birdlife of the northwestern national parks is as impressive as the parks' dramatic scenery. To help both beginning and advanced birders make the most of their visits to these parks, Roland Wauer has written this finding guide, which introduces the most common birds and the most likely places to see them.

The book opens with practical advice on getting started in birding--choosing binoculars, bird identification, proper field techniques, etc. Then after a concise discussion of the national parks as "islands" of bird habitat, the succeeding chapters fully describe each park, including its plant and animal communities and the facilities and interpretive activities available to visitors. Wauer takes readers on "walks" through each park's most popular and accessible places, where he explains the identification and behavior of the birds that visitors are most likely to see. He closes each account with a review of the park's bird life and a list of key species. Pen-and-ink drawings illustrate many of the birds.

Captive Raptor - Management & Rehabilitation (Hardcover): Richard Naisbitt, Peter Holz Captive Raptor - Management & Rehabilitation (Hardcover)
Richard Naisbitt, Peter Holz
R1,143 Discovery Miles 11 430 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

An indispensable reference for every rehabilitator, falconer, zoo keeper, or aviculturist working with hawks, falcons, eagles, vultures, or owls. The book combines the authors' years of experience with rehabilitation and capture management, veterinary medicine and falconry techniques, supplemented with co-operation from rehabilitation from around the world. The authors have worked with rehabilitation from all over the world to bring this international guide of captive raptor management together.

All About Birds Northwest - Northwest US and Canada (Paperback): Cornell Lab Of Ornithology All About Birds Northwest - Northwest US and Canada (Paperback)
Cornell Lab Of Ornithology
R385 Discovery Miles 3 850 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

The perfect guide to the birds of the northwestern United States and western Canada, from the #1 birding website AllAboutBirds.org The All About Birds Regional Field-Guide Series brings birding enthusiasts the best information from the renowned Cornell Lab of Ornithology's website, AllAboutBirds.org, used by more than 21 million people each year. These definitive books provide the most up-to-date resources and expert coverage on bird species throughout North America. This dynamic guide is the perfect companion for anyone interested in the birds of the northwestern United States and western Canada. The guide offers fascinating details about the birds around you, useful bird ID tips, and handy bird-watching information. It presents full accounts of the 213 species most commonly seen in these regions; beautiful photographs of male, female, and immature birds, as well as morphs, and breeding and nonbreeding plumage (so you can ID birds all year long); current range maps; and so much more. The northwestern USA and western Canada edition of All About Birds is easy to use and easy to share. This volume features the following states, provinces, and territories: Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, British Columbia, Yukon, and western Northwest Territories. Descriptions of 213 bird species, including four photos for each bird chosen specifically for better ID and sourced from the Macaulay Library (a collection of bird photos from citizen scientists) Quick and easy index with illustrations on cover flaps, with complete index at the back Information on Cornell Lab citizen-science programs and how to participate Bonus content includes identification best practices and tips on bird photography, birdscaping, food and feeding, and more Free MERLIN Bird ID app (downloaded more than 5 million times) for quick ID in the wild using photos and birdsong

Be a Birder - The joy of birdwatching and how to get started (Hardcover): Hamza Yassin Be a Birder - The joy of birdwatching and how to get started (Hardcover)
Hamza Yassin
R424 R341 Discovery Miles 3 410 Save R83 (20%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

'He is delight and joy personified' - MARIAN KEYES 'Set to become BBC's next David Attenborough' - DAILY MAIL 'Brings a little bit of joy to us all' - GUARDIAN Discover the wonderful world of birdwatching with wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin - winner of BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing 2022. 'Birds have been with me my entire life - from the colourful weaver birds on the banks of the Nile in Sudan to the magpies of Newcastle, from the roosting peregrine falcons near my parents' house in Northampton to the white-tailed eagles on the west coast of Scotland. I love them. If you take the time to stop and listen, you'll see the world through different eyes. It's all out there, waiting for you to find it. And it might just bring you as much joy as it's brought me.' Journey along with Hamza in Be a Birder as he recounts stories of his birding adventures, and shares tips and tricks to help you get started in birdwatching. In this beautifully illustrated guide, featuring fifty of Hamza's favourite birds, you will learn how to start identifying birds, understand their behaviour and movements, and find even more exciting birds, wherever you are. Starting with the goldfinch in your garden, to tawny owls in woodlands, to the elusive kingfisher near rivers and marshes, you will build your birdwatching confidence and push yourself further afield to find new feathered wonders. Encouraging us all to stop, step outside and listen, Be a Birder is both a practical guide and a joyous celebration of these incredible creatures. Once you start looking for them, and with Hamza as your guide, your world will be forever changed.

Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Backyard Chickens: Watch Chicks Grow from Hatchlings to Hens (Paperback): Jenna... Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Backyard Chickens: Watch Chicks Grow from Hatchlings to Hens (Paperback)
Jenna Woginrich
R349 Discovery Miles 3 490 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

With delightful photographs, Jenna Woginrich chronicles the life journey of three chickens (Amelia, Honey, and Tilda) from fluffy, newly hatched bundles to grown hens laying eggs of their own. Following their progress from day to day and week to week, you'll learn everything you need to know to be successful in raising and keeping a happy, healthy flock. Topics covered include understanding chicken behavior; housing and feeding requirements; hygiene and basic health care. Both entertaining and educational, this highly accessible book provides just the right amount of information to get started and enjoy the pleasures of keeping backyard chickens.

Guide to the Birds of China (Paperback, 2nd Revised edition): John Mackinnon Guide to the Birds of China (Paperback, 2nd Revised edition)
John Mackinnon; Illustrated by Karen Phillipps, Yang Xiao Nong, Liu Lihua, Xiao Yao, …
R1,748 R1,573 Discovery Miles 15 730 Save R175 (10%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

China covers about 7% of the earth's land surface and encompasses a hugely diverse range of habitats. As a result, it boasts a rich and diverse avifauna, including some of the most spectacular and fascinating birds to be found anywhere in the world. Building on the enormous popularity and reputation of the original A Field Guide to the Birds of China (2000), John MacKinnon's fully updated and refreshed work remains a truly comprehensive, taxonomically modern, fully illustrated, and authoritative field guide. 1484 bird species are richly illustrated in 164 annotated colour plates, which are closely integrated with up-to-date colour distribution maps, QR codes providing easy access to birdcalls, IUCN Red List status indicators and new, concise descriptions. These descriptions feature key observations as well as conveying crucial changes to species distributions resulting from climate change and landscape transformation. Guide to the Birds of China will appeal to an international and growing audience of professional and amateur ornithologists and birding enthusiasts, academic researchers and students, wildlife photographers, and conservationists.

Field Guide to the Birds of Argentina and the Southwest Atlantic (Hardcover): Mark Pearman, Juan Ignacio Areta Field Guide to the Birds of Argentina and the Southwest Atlantic (Hardcover)
Mark Pearman, Juan Ignacio Areta; Edited by (associates) Nigel Redman
R1,358 Discovery Miles 13 580 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

This spectacular new field guide is the ultimate reference to the birds of Argentina and the islands of the South-west Atlantic, essential for researchers, birders and conservationists alike. Covers Argentina and all Fuegian and Hornean islands south to the Diego Ramírez Islands and east to the Falklands. More than 2,300 images of original artwork illustrate 1,075 species, including all residents, migrants and most vagrants. 199 stunning colour plates depict every species and many distinct plumages and subspecies, including 28 endemics and 17 near-endemics. Concise text on key identification features and accurate, up-to-date colour distribution maps opposite the plates for ease of reference.

RSPB Spotlight Swifts and Swallows (Paperback): Mike Unwin RSPB Spotlight Swifts and Swallows (Paperback)
Mike Unwin 1
R315 Discovery Miles 3 150 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

People all over Britain and Europe have long welcomed the arrival of swifts and swallows as a promise of summer being just around the corner. And with their similar long wings and dashing flight, it is perhaps understandable that we often confuse the two birds. After all, they have much in common: both feed on flying insects, both breed around buildings, and both are long-distance migrants that spend winter in Africa. But appearances can be deceptive. Swifts and swallows are completely unrelated birds that have adapted through evolution to survive in similar ways. In Spotlight: Swifts and Swallows, Mike Unwin reveals their fascinating lifestyles, explains how and why they have acquired their similarities, and ways in which we can help protect them. The Spotlight series introduces readers to the lives and behaviour of our favourite animals with eye-catching colour photography and informative expert text.

Lapwings, Loons and Lousy Jacks - The How and Why of Bird Names (Hardcover): Ray Reedman Lapwings, Loons and Lousy Jacks - The How and Why of Bird Names (Hardcover)
Ray Reedman
R631 Discovery Miles 6 310 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

The Lapwing once had many regional names; the Loon has a British-American identity crisis and the respectable-sounding Apostlebird is often called a Lousy Jack. Why do bird names, both common and scientific, change over time and why do they vary so much between different parts of the English-speaking world? Wandering through the scientific and cultural history of ornithology takes us to the heart of understanding the long relationship between birds and people. Lapwings, Loons and Lousy Jacks uncovers the stories behind the incredible diversity of bird names, explains what many scientific names actually mean and takes a look at the history of the system by which we name birds. Ray Reedman explores the natural history and folklore behind bird names, in doing so unlocking the mystery of the name Scoter, the last unexplained common name of a British bird species.

A Naturalist's Guide to the Birds of the Hong Kong (2nd ed) (Paperback): Ray Tipper A Naturalist's Guide to the Birds of the Hong Kong (2nd ed) (Paperback)
Ray Tipper
R388 R316 Discovery Miles 3 160 Save R72 (19%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

A fully updated second edition of this introductory identification guide to the 279 bird species most likely to be seen in Hong Kong, including every species classified as Abundant, Common or Uncommon in the Hong Kong Bird Report. High quality photographs from the region's top photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers geography and climate, vegetation, opportunities for naturalists and the main sites for viewing the listed species. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the birds of Hong Kong, encompassing, for each species, its common, Chinese and scientific name, and its current IUCN status.

The Birds of Vancouver Island's West Coast (Hardcover): Adrian Dorst The Birds of Vancouver Island's West Coast (Hardcover)
Adrian Dorst
R867 Discovery Miles 8 670 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

The rugged physical beauty of the west coast of Vancouver Island has long been a major attraction, but its distinctive avian population has also made it a major birdwatching destination. The Birds of Vancouver Island's West Coast presents accounts of all of the species thus far recorded as occurring in the region - 360 in total - and updates the 231 species recorded up to 1978. Each account includes a brief introduction to the species and an overview of its total range. The essential guide to the birds of the region, this book will inform, delight, and surprise amateur and professional birders alike.

Birds of Peru - Revised and Updated Edition (Paperback, Revised edition): Thomas S. Schulenberg, Douglas F. Stotz, Daniel F.... Birds of Peru - Revised and Updated Edition (Paperback, Revised edition)
Thomas S. Schulenberg, Douglas F. Stotz, Daniel F. Lane, John P. O'Neill, Theodore A. Parker; Foreword by …
R1,328 R1,095 Discovery Miles 10 950 Save R233 (18%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days

Birds of Peru is the most complete and authoritative field guide to this diverse, neotropical landscape. It features every one of Peru's 1,817 bird species and shows the distinct plumages of each in 307 superb, high-quality color plates. Concise descriptions and color distribution maps are located opposite the plates, making this book much easier to use in the field than standard neotropical field guides. This fully revised paperback edition includes twenty-five additional species. * A comprehensive guide to all 1,817 species found in Peru--one fifth of the world's birds--with subspecies, sexes, age classes, and morphs fully illustrated * Designed especially for field use, with vivid descriptive information and helpful identification tips opposite color plates * Detailed species accounts, including a full-color distribution map * Includes 25 additional species not covered in the first edition * Features 3 entirely new plates and more than 25 additional illustrations

Whitetail Deer Facts and Strategies (Paperback): Dennis Keller Whitetail Deer Facts and Strategies (Paperback)
Dennis Keller
R345 R290 Discovery Miles 2 900 Save R55 (16%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days
Pacific Northwest Birding Companion - Field Guide & Birding Journal (Paperback): Stan Tekiela Pacific Northwest Birding Companion - Field Guide & Birding Journal (Paperback)
Stan Tekiela
R466 Discovery Miles 4 660 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

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.

Hunting with Eagles: In the Realm of the Mongolian Kazakhs (Hardcover): Palani Mohan Hunting with Eagles: In the Realm of the Mongolian Kazakhs (Hardcover)
Palani Mohan
R936 R787 Discovery Miles 7 870 Save R149 (16%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

For many hundreds of years Kazakh nomads have been grazing their livestock near the Altai Mountains in western Mongolia. The Altai Kazakhs are unique in their tradition of using golden eagles to hunt on horseback. The lifestyle of these hunters, known in Kazakh as burtkitshis, is changing rapidly, and over the last few years the award-winning photographer Palani Mohan has spent time with these men and their families, documenting a culture under threat. The special bond between a hunter and his eagle begins when the hunter takes an eagle pup from a nest high on the rock face. The pups are usually about four years old (a golden eagle can live to 30 years of age). It's important that the pup has learned to hunt and is not still dependent on her mother; but neither can she be too old nor experienced, or she will not learn to live with humans. The hunters take only female pups from the nest, as females are larger and more powerful and aggressive than the males. Adult female golden eagles can have a wingspan of up to 9 feet, and weigh over 15 pounds. The eagle pup gradually learns to accept food from the hunter, and once trust has been established, the hunter begins to train the bird. The hunters describe the eagle as part of their family. The eagle takes pride of place in the home most of the time except during the day in the summer months or the warmest part of the day in the winter months. While all the men in the family handle the eagle, only the man who took her from the nest hunts with her. Hunting takes place in winter, when temperatures can plummet to minus 40 degrees Farenheit. The birds are carried in swaddling, which the hunters claim keeps them both warm and calm. The strong bond between hunter and eagle is strengthened by the amount of time they spend together. Hunting trips can last many days, as the hunter and eagle trek up to a mountain ridge to obtain a good view across the landscape. Once the prey - usually a fox - is spotted, the hunter charges towards it to flush it into the open, then releases the eagle to make the kill. Hunters traditionally wear fur coats made from the skins of the prey their eagle has caught. The relationship between hunter and eagle typically lasts six to eight years, then the eagle is released back into the wild to breed. One hunter tells Mohan: 'You love them as your own, even when you set them free at the end.' In his book, which comprises an introductory essay and 90 dramatic duotone images, Mohan explains how the burkitshis are slowing dying out. Rather than endure the brutal winters, their children choose to move to the capital, Ulan Bator, for a better way of life. There are also fewer golden eagles in the Altai Mountains. Although the 'Golden Eagle Festival' takes place every October to showcase the ancient art of hunting with eagles, attracting tourists from across the world, there are only between 50 and 60 'true' hunters left. This book is therefore a timely, important record of these proud men and their magnificent eagles in a remote, unforgiving part of the planet.

RSPB British Birdfinder (Paperback): Marianne Taylor RSPB British Birdfinder (Paperback)
Marianne Taylor
R405 R379 Discovery Miles 3 790 Save R26 (6%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Most bird books are designed to help you identify the birds that you've seen. This book is different. It is a species-by-species guide that shows you how to find and watch more than 250 species of birds that can be seen in Britain. Some are common; others are rare migrants or scarce breeding birds, but this book will tell you the best places to see and watch all of them. Readers will be able to see their most coveted species but also enjoy rewarding watching experiences that will enhance their understanding of the species, of bird behaviour and of key fieldcraft techniques. Sections include: - How to find including the best time of day, how to search the habitat and behavioural signs - Watching tips including ways to get close to the bird without disturbing it and how to attract it to your garden. - Super sites includes a short list of some of the best places to see the species.

The Helm Guide to Bird Identification (Paperback): Keith Vinicombe The Helm Guide to Bird Identification (Paperback)
Keith Vinicombe; Illustrated by Alan Harris
R899 R777 Discovery Miles 7 770 Save R122 (14%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

This book covers difficult identification issues by looking at tricky species pairs or groups of birds, and comparing and contrasting their respective features. Designed as a field companion, it supplements the standard field guides and provides much additional information. As well as detailed texts, the books include extensive illustrations of all relevant ages and plummages of the species concerned.

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