2024 has seen a fantastic range of field guide, academic and nature writing releases, ranging from fascinating visual guides to British lichen, to deep dives into the peculiarities of the fungal kingdom. In this blog post, we highlight some of our favourite releases of 2024 that are sure to delight naturalists this festive season.
Marking the sixth volume in Stephen Moss’s Bird Biography series, The Starling delves into the fascinating life of one of our most talented and surprising birds. Starlings are renowned for their iridescent plumage, impressive vocal abilities and mesmerising murmurations, and this captivating tale explores how they’ve shaped our world, inspired art and music through the decades, influenced the agricultural industry and more.
A recent addition to the New Naturalist Series, this long-awaited title has been in the works since the 1950’s. This detailed account synthesizes a wealth of information on these valuable freshwater habitats, covering what they are, how they differ from rivers and lakes, their types, origins, abundance and distribution. This book has made an invaluable contribution to raising awareness of these overlooked freshwater habitats and concludes with a chapter on conservation and pond management.
Part of the British Wildlife Collection, Hedges introduces readers to the humble hedgerow, and celebrates the ecology, biology and cultural history of these rich habitats in Britain. In this book, Robert Wolton collates decades of research to explore the wider values of hedges and provides a comprehensive commentary on our relationship with these habitats.
ID Handbook of European Birds (2-Volume Set)
This groundbreaking photographic reference book provides the most in-depth coverage of European birds available to date and features stunning high-resolution photographs of over 733 European species to aid identification. This monumental work is a must-have for any birder.
Join author Jules Acton on a joyful and creative exploration of one of Britain’s most important trees and their incredibly diverse history. This fascinating book is a treasure trove of botanical information, insights and anecdotes into the historical, mythological and ecological significance of oaks.
Close Encounters of the Fungal Kind
Acclaimed scientist and author Richard Fortey reflects on the unique and otherworldly charm of the mysterious third kingdom. As told through the author’s own adventures to find the most extraordinary, strange and delicious fungi, this book explores the vast fungal kingdom with warmth and enthusiasm.
British and Irish Wildflowers and Plants
Brimming with full colour photos and macro shots, this pocket-sized book allows for straightforward identification of the most common wildflowers and plants found in Great Britain. It was designed with all capabilities in mind for a seamless identification process, with clearly illustrated drawings, species description and simple visual keys.
Dive deep into the inner workings of the Earth’s oceans with the winner of this year’s Wainwright Prize for Writing on Global Conservation. This timely book draws on years of experience at the forefront of marine science to illuminate the inner workings of the world’s oceans, and examines the people who live in it, rely on it and travel over it. This book elegantly explores this complex system and builds on knowledge that is crucial to our future.
Hoverflies of Britain and Ireland
A beautifully illustrated photographic field guide focusing on the most readily identified hoverflies in Great Britain. This fully updated third edition covers an additional thirteen species and contains remarkable photographs of hoverflies in multiple life stages to aid identification for beginners and seasoned naturalists alike.
A lyrical reflection of the natural world by Richard Mabey, inviting readers to reconsider the ‘disorder’ of nature. Rooted in the daily life of his own garden, Mabey shares a story where nature becomes its own gardener, reorganising itself against a background of disorder.
This Poyser monograph is a captivating dedication to the Osprey featuring more than 150 full-colour photographs. It looks at the distribution, foraging ecology, migration, breeding behaviour and population dynamics of the species and covers the conservation efforts that have been undertaken to successfully reintroduce Osprey in Britain.
Lichens of Ireland & Great Britain: A Visual Guide to Their Identification (2-Volume Set)
Brimming with detailed descriptions and lavish illustrations, this monumental work describes over 700 species and covers a wealth of information including: biology, ecology, microscopy, and a short history and lichenology. This book is an invaluable reference guide for both beginners and experienced lichen enthusiasts.