Owls of the Eastern Ice

Owls of the Eastern Ice PDF Author: Jonathan C. Slaght
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 0374718091
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 263

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Book Description
A New York Times Notable Book of 2020 Longlisted for the National Book Award Winner of the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award and the Minnesota Book Award for General Nonfiction A Finalist for the Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year Award Winner of the Peace Corps Worldwide Special Book Award A Best Book of the Year: NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Smithsonian, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, The Globe and Mail, The BirdBooker Report, Geographical, Open Letter Review Best Nature Book of the Year: The Times (London) "A terrifically exciting account of [Slaght's] time in the Russian Far East studying Blakiston’s fish owls, huge, shaggy-feathered, yellow-eyed, and elusive birds that hunt fish by wading in icy water . . . Even on the hottest summer days this book will transport you.” —Helen Macdonald, author of H is for Hawk, in Kirkus I saw my first Blakiston’s fish owl in the Russian province of Primorye, a coastal talon of land hooking south into the belly of Northeast Asia . . . No scientist had seen a Blakiston’s fish owl so far south in a hundred years . . . When he was just a fledgling birdwatcher, Jonathan C. Slaght had a chance encounter with one of the most mysterious birds on Earth. Bigger than any owl he knew, it looked like a small bear with decorative feathers. He snapped a quick photo and shared it with experts. Soon he was on a five-year journey, searching for this enormous, enigmatic creature in the lush, remote forests of eastern Russia. That first sighting set his calling as a scientist. Despite a wingspan of six feet and a height of over two feet, the Blakiston’s fish owl is highly elusive. They are easiest to find in winter, when their tracks mark the snowy banks of the rivers where they feed. They are also endangered. And so, as Slaght and his devoted team set out to locate the owls, they aim to craft a conservation plan that helps ensure the species’ survival. This quest sends them on all-night monitoring missions in freezing tents, mad dashes across thawing rivers, and free-climbs up rotting trees to check nests for precious eggs. They use cutting-edge tracking technology and improvise ingenious traps. And all along, they must keep watch against a run-in with a bear or an Amur tiger. At the heart of Slaght’s story are the fish owls themselves: cunning hunters, devoted parents, singers of eerie duets, and survivors in a harsh and shrinking habitat. Through this rare glimpse into the everyday life of a field scientist and conservationist, Owls of the Eastern Ice testifies to the determination and creativity essential to scientific advancement and serves as a powerful reminder of the beauty, strength, and vulnerability of the natural world.

Owls of the Eastern Ice

Owls of the Eastern Ice PDF Author: Jonathan C. Slaght
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 0374718091
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 263

Get Book Here

Book Description
A New York Times Notable Book of 2020 Longlisted for the National Book Award Winner of the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award and the Minnesota Book Award for General Nonfiction A Finalist for the Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year Award Winner of the Peace Corps Worldwide Special Book Award A Best Book of the Year: NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Smithsonian, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, The Globe and Mail, The BirdBooker Report, Geographical, Open Letter Review Best Nature Book of the Year: The Times (London) "A terrifically exciting account of [Slaght's] time in the Russian Far East studying Blakiston’s fish owls, huge, shaggy-feathered, yellow-eyed, and elusive birds that hunt fish by wading in icy water . . . Even on the hottest summer days this book will transport you.” —Helen Macdonald, author of H is for Hawk, in Kirkus I saw my first Blakiston’s fish owl in the Russian province of Primorye, a coastal talon of land hooking south into the belly of Northeast Asia . . . No scientist had seen a Blakiston’s fish owl so far south in a hundred years . . . When he was just a fledgling birdwatcher, Jonathan C. Slaght had a chance encounter with one of the most mysterious birds on Earth. Bigger than any owl he knew, it looked like a small bear with decorative feathers. He snapped a quick photo and shared it with experts. Soon he was on a five-year journey, searching for this enormous, enigmatic creature in the lush, remote forests of eastern Russia. That first sighting set his calling as a scientist. Despite a wingspan of six feet and a height of over two feet, the Blakiston’s fish owl is highly elusive. They are easiest to find in winter, when their tracks mark the snowy banks of the rivers where they feed. They are also endangered. And so, as Slaght and his devoted team set out to locate the owls, they aim to craft a conservation plan that helps ensure the species’ survival. This quest sends them on all-night monitoring missions in freezing tents, mad dashes across thawing rivers, and free-climbs up rotting trees to check nests for precious eggs. They use cutting-edge tracking technology and improvise ingenious traps. And all along, they must keep watch against a run-in with a bear or an Amur tiger. At the heart of Slaght’s story are the fish owls themselves: cunning hunters, devoted parents, singers of eerie duets, and survivors in a harsh and shrinking habitat. Through this rare glimpse into the everyday life of a field scientist and conservationist, Owls of the Eastern Ice testifies to the determination and creativity essential to scientific advancement and serves as a powerful reminder of the beauty, strength, and vulnerability of the natural world.

The Last Giant of Beringia

The Last Giant of Beringia PDF Author: Daniel T. O'Neill
Publisher: Westview Press
ISBN: 9780813341972
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 254

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Book Description
Chronicles the work of geologist Dave Hopkins, whose research solved the mystery of the existence of Beringia, the Bering Land Bridge.

If the Owl Calls Again

If the Owl Calls Again PDF Author: Myra Cohn Livingston
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
ISBN: 9780689505010
Category : Owls
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
A collection of poems about owls by many different authors.

Asia's Wildlife

Asia's Wildlife PDF Author: Fanny Lai
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462919928
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 315

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Book Description
"Close-up views of endangered fauna in their natural habitats are difficult enough to obtain, but the breathtaking artistic quality of the photography in this valuable documentation of Asia's disappearing forest habitats makes this book highly recommended for both scientists and nature lovers alike." --Robert Stuebing, The Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago. Author of A Field Guide to the Snakes of Borneo Asia's Wildlife provides rare insights into Asia's breathtaking tropical forests and the rare species that inhabit them--many of which are now endangered. Proceeds from this book will go to support the conservation activities of BirdLife International. Produced to raise funds and awareness of nature conservation through their Forest of Hope program, Asia's Wildlife is a mesmerizing year-long photographic journey of the expedition taken by Fanny Lai and photographer Bjorn Olesen. Readers can become part of their journey as they observe, photograph, and describe Asia's most distinctive animal species. The trip brings you to the most remote and biodiverse forests in eight different countries in Asia, and gives you the opportunity to learn about rarely seen--let alone photographed--endangered animal species. Over 190 images and illustrations feature 129 different animal species, of which 72 are national endemics, including: The Giant Cloud Rat The majestic Philippine Eagle The critically endangered Helmeted Hornbill And many other fascinating creatures! Discover the ongoing conservation efforts to protect these precious forests, as well as very real threats to the future of the animals and habitats.

The Rise of a Legend (Guardians of Ga'Hoole)

The Rise of a Legend (Guardians of Ga'Hoole) PDF Author: Kathryn Lasky
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
ISBN: 0545509807
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 248

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Book Description
Bestselling author Kathryn Lasky takes flight once more with a brand-new Guardians of Ga'Hoole novel! An owlet hatches out onto Stormfast Island and into a world torn by war. For one hundred years, his people have fought off enemy owls from the Ice Talons, but the tide has turned. An invasion is coming, one the Kielian League won't have the strength to resist. Soon the tyrant owl Bylyric will rule over everything, and no honorable owl will be safe. Only the small owl from Stormfast stands between Bylyric and total victory. Lyze is not very impressive to look at, but he has a wild idea for a snake and owl strike unit that just might give the soldiers of the Kielian League the edge they need.This is his story, the story of an ordinary owl who rose to become Ezylryb of the Great Tree. This is the story of what it takes to make a Guardian of Ga'Hoole.

Big Book of Dragons, Monsters, and Other Mythical Creatures

Big Book of Dragons, Monsters, and Other Mythical Creatures PDF Author: Ernst Lehner
Publisher: Courier Corporation
ISBN: 0486435121
Category : Design
Languages : en
Pages : 194

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Book Description
Provides an illustrated look at dragons, griffins, werewolves, serpent monsters, sirens, mermaids, and other mythical creatures of land, sea, and air and includes text with legends from around the world.

Wesley the Owl

Wesley the Owl PDF Author: Stacey O'Brien
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1416551735
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 243

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Book Description
Chronicles the author's rescue of an abandoned barn owlet, from her efforts to resuscitate and raise the young owl through their nineteen years together, during which the author made key discoveries about owl behavior.

The Lost Pianos of Siberia

The Lost Pianos of Siberia PDF Author: Sophy Roberts
Publisher: Grove Press
ISBN: 0802149308
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 443

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Book Description
This “melodious” mix of music, history, and travelogue “reveals a story inextricably linked to the drama of Russia itself . . . These pages sing like a symphony.” —The Wall Street Journal Siberia’s story is traditionally one of exiles, penal colonies, and unmarked graves. Yet there is another tale to tell. Dotted throughout this remote land are pianos—grand instruments created during the boom years of the nineteenth century, as well as humble Soviet-made uprights that found their way into equally modest homes. They tell the story of how, ever since entering Russian culture under the westernizing influence of Catherine the Great, piano music has run through the country like blood. How these pianos traveled into this snowbound wilderness in the first place is testament to noble acts of fortitude by governors, adventurers, and exiles. Siberian pianos have accomplished extraordinary feats, from the instrument that Maria Volkonsky, wife of an exiled Decembrist revolutionary, used to spread music east of the Urals, to those that brought reprieve to the Soviet Gulag. That these instruments might still exist in such a hostile landscape is remarkable. That they are still capable of making music in far-flung villages is nothing less than a miracle. The Lost Pianos of Siberia follows Roberts on a three-year adventure as she tracks a number of instruments to find one whose history is definitively Siberian. Her journey reveals a desolate land inhabited by wild tigers and deeply shaped by its dark history, yet one that is also profoundly beautiful—and peppered with pianos. “An elegant and nuanced journey through literature, through history, through music, murder and incarceration and revolution, through snow and ice and remoteness, to discover the human face of Siberia. I loved this book.” —Paul Theroux

Owling

Owling PDF Author: Mark Wilson
Publisher: Storey Publishing
ISBN: 1612129625
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 121

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Book Description
From Hedwig, the Snowy Owl of Harry Potter fame, to Winnie-the-Pooh’s beloved friend Owl, this wide-eyed bird of the night has found its way into young hearts and imaginations everywhere. Owling invites young readers into the world of real-life owls, to learn about their fascinating behaviors and abilities. Wildlife photojournalist and nature educator Mark Wilson presents a one-of-a-kind look into the mysterious lives of these distinctive birds. Dramatic images of the 19 owl species of North America nesting, flying, hunting, and catching prey are accompanied by information about the birds’ silent flight, remarkable eyes and ears, haunting calls, and fascinating night life. Kids will learn how to spot owls; identify their calls, plumage, and pellets; and even carry on a hooting conversation with a nearby owl.

The Evolution Underground

The Evolution Underground PDF Author: Anthony J Martin
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1681773759
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 307

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Book Description
Humans have "gone underground" for survival for thousands of years, from underground cities in Turkey to Cold War-era bunkers. But our burrowing roots go back to the very beginnings of animal life on Earth. Many animal lineages alive now—including our own—only survived a cataclysmic meteorite strike 65 million years ago because they went underground.On a grander scale, the chemistry of the planet itself had already been transformed many millions of years earlier by the first animal burrows which altered whole ecosystems. Every day we walk on an earth filled with an underground wilderness teeming with life. Most of this life stays hidden, yet these animals and their subterranean homes are ubiquitous, ranging from the deep sea to mountains, from the equator to the poles. Burrows are a refuge from predators, a safe home for raising young, or a tool to ambush prey. Burrows also protect animals against all types of natural disasters. Filled with spectacularly diverse fauna, acclaimed paleontologist and ichnologist Anthony Martin reveals this fascinating, hidden world that will continue to influence and transform life on this planet.