Hoopoe – A blog by nhbs

From the depths of the densest forest, of the world’s fourth largest island arises one of the most spectacular limestone landscapes I have ever seen. ‘Like a lost city strecthed out to infinity’ as the author and one of the photographers, David Wolozan so elegantly puts it.

The ‘beauty and mystery’ of Madagascar’s Bemaraha National Park, aptly named the “stone forest” is truly captured by Tsingy – Stone Forest, Madagascar. From the deceiving “Tsingy” topography (from the Malagasy word “mitsingitsigina” or “to walk on tip toe”), where you’ll discover some of the most inhospitable terrain on earth, to the world of forest canyons, caves, karren and mangrove that lies beneath, to the interesting animals that inhabitat these environments, this book details it all with its series of breathtaking photographs and excellent commentary. ‘This book will lead you to their discovery…’

Suitable for all those interested generally in landscapes and landscape photography, to those who would simply like to see why this World Heritage site is fast becoming the most popular natural site in Madagascar, short of visiting it themselves. See the authors’ website (in French) for more details @ www.editionsaltus.com

It’s always a pleasure when a new book arrives in the NHBS office which stands out as being something a little bit special – and Turtles of the World is very much one of those books. There’s no doubt that this is a noticeable step up in terms of both quality and comprehensiveness from previous turtle publications.

The book details the distribution, description, natural history, and protection of all 300 extant species in clear, logical prose with informative photographic illustrations and distribution maps. Although that’s a lot of material for a single volume to tackle in adequate depth, this book certainly does not leave the reader feeling short-changed. In fact, on the contrary, this title will undoubtedly prove to be highly informative to even the most knowledgeable of turtle-lovers. I see no reason why Turtles of the World should not cement a place amongst biologists as the most important book on this subject to date. Surely a modern classic.

It’s no mean feat compiling a comprehensive account of the geographical distribution, population estimate and population growth trends for all 878 species of recognised waterbirds. But, thanks to a team of approximately 15,000 (predominantly volunteer) workers, Wetlands International is honing in on that goal.

This 4th edition of Waterbird Population Estimates is the most thorough account to date of the condition of international waterbird populations, and a new benchmark for conservationists to work from.

The importance of monitoring these species can not be underestimated considering that their prosperity is reflective of the state of numerous wetland habitats across the globe which lie along their migratory flyways. Hats off to Wetlands International and all the volunteers involved in putting this volume together.

This week saw the publication of the latest addition to Harper Collins’ prestigious New Naturalist Series. The book is a definitive natural history of this popular region, revealing the beautiful flora and fauna found in Galloway and the Scottish-English border counties.

Galloway and the Borders continues in the same vein as previous New Naturalist titles, which have built a reputation as visually impressive, high-class books which really engage their reader – exactly what we need to sweep away those winter blues.

NHBS is currently offering massive reductions on both the hardback and paperback versions of this title, so you can enjoy Galloway and the Borders for less.

Trace Fossils: Concepts, Problems, Prospects delivers both a historical perspective to ichnology and a comprehensive manual for the method and application of trace fossil analysis.

Particularly impressive is Stephen T. Hasiotis’ chapter on the distribution of trace fossils – including a wonderfully detailed diagram on p.271 identifying groundwater profiles and associated distribution of trace fossils in time and space, as well as the brilliant figure on p.277 linking organism size, life-cycle presence in substratum with activity.

On the same subject – Trace Fossil Analysis is to be published in March.

I have to confess that (aside from a handful of dusty old memories from school biology textbooks) the finer details of botanical reproduction have always managed to pass me by without much resistance. Much was my surprise, therefore, when I found myself unintentionally making loud exclamations with each turn of the page whilst flicking through Pollen: The Hidden Sexuality of Flowers.

Apparently, far from being microscopic irritants that make me sneeze during the summer, pollen grains are some of the natural world’s most fascinating and beautifully designed objects. Unfortunately, you wouldn’t happen to know this unless you could see the world through a microscope. Thankfully then, photographer Rob Kesseler and leading botanist Madeline Harley have combined their talents to produce a book which reveals a side of nature which you feel genuinely privileged to witness. There is something quite alien about the world around us which is too small to see, and this book manages to capture both the fantasy and the science of that world.

I now realise that if the textbooks I read at school had contained just a modicum of the interest of Pollen, my knowledge of biology would be considerably less dusty. This is an ideal title for all botanists and those just looking for an enjoyable bit of intellectual spring cleaning. Also recommended is Seeds: Time Capsules of Life, which also contains photography by Rob Kesseler.

Years ago I was mesmerised by the sumptuous, leather bound facsimile of John Gould’s Monograph of the Ramphastidae or Family of Toucans, but the price tag of £1200 put it somewhat beyond my means. But now there is Toucans of the Americas/Tucanos das Americas which, although lacking the leather and enormous size of the facsimile, is equally as beautiful, informative – and I can afford it! Thank you Herculano Alvarenga and Eduardo Brettas, for producing such a glorious book.

Toucans. Tucanos. It really doesn’t matter what language you speak, there’s definitely something special about them. Whether you think that their brightly coloured, over-sized bill, wide, playful eyes and dinner jacket feathering makes them beautiful, funny or a little bit of both, it’s difficult not to be swayed by their appearance. It’s certainly no coincidence that, from Guinness to Disneyland (not to mention a dubious assortment of breakfast cereals), these iconic neo-tropical birds have been used by marketing men to charm customers the world over. Thankfully, therefore, this family of birds are accurately represented here in the concordantly charming Toucans of the Americas/Tucanos das Americas, one of those delightful books which has you smiling without realising.

It’s a fairly rare find to come across a book which so agreeably combines a work of science and a work of art – a feat this book manages to achieve quite effortlessly – whilst also being entirely bi-lingual. And, although it is too big to be used as a field identification guide, the scientific descriptions of each species will educate and inform whilst the accurate full-page colour plates skillfully capture the unique appeal of these birds whilst also staying true to the scientific nature of the book. This excellent book is available now and comes highly recommended.

Considering the universal appeal of birdsong, and the phenomenal quantity of birding literature which is published each year, it seems suprising that bird calls are, by and large, marginalised by authors. The phoentic notes often included in field guides consistently appear to be little more than afterthoughts on behalf of the authors to placate the reader rather than to actually help them identify birds auditorially. Consequently, The Sound Approach to Birding is an indispensible title for all birders, as it describes the ins, outs, how and whys of understanding bird calls in more than adequate detail. Thankfully, it is also written with a good deal of humour and personability which makes it an enjoyable read as well.

Birding beginners will find that after a couple of chapters of this book they will have the knowledge to show up more seasoned individuals, whilst experienced bird watchers will find this book fills in many vital gaps in their understanding of birds. Add to all of this 2 CDs of beautifully recorded bird calls from around the world and you’ve got a pretty special book. It’s education, but not as we know it.