It includes details about and identification tips for the flora, fauna, and geology of the region. If you are looking for a simple way to discover the great outdoors, this is the perfect overview of the Pacific Northwest.Covers the Coastal and Cascade Mountain Ranges, as well as the Olympic Mountains and Coast Mountains of southern British ColumbiaDescribes more than 950 species of plants, animals, and mushrooms with helpful keys for easy identificationUser-friendly, color coded layout Compelling stories of the region’s plants, animals, and people bring the mountains aliveThe essential trailside reference for naturalists, hikers, and campers

    This comprehensive, full-color guide is organized to follow the order in which groups and species are presented by the American Union. Range maps for each species provide valuable information for identification. Detailed accounts of nearly 400 bird species, including common favorites and rare curiosities More than 870 spectacular photographs of relevant plumages and birds in flight Precise descriptions of voices, behaviors, and habitats Top birding sites in the Pacific Northwest Individual range maps, showing seasonal and migratory patterns Easy to use for beginners and experts alike

    Superbly designed and organized, this is an indispensable source of information with extensive profiles for twenty-seven bee genera, plus twelve summary profiles for uncommon genera, and approximately one hundred native trees, shrubs, and perennials for the Midwest, Great Lakes, and Northeast regions. With over 1500 stunning photographs, detailed descriptions, and accessible science, environmental educator and research assistant Heather Holm brings to light captivating information about bees' life cycles, habitats, diet, foraging behaviors, crops pollinated, nesting lifestyles, seasonality, and preferred native forage plants.Bees are a singularly fascinating group of insects and this book makes it possible to observe, attract, and support them in their natural setting or in one's own garden. Not only does this guide assist the reader with bee identification in the field or by photo, it also notes microscopic features for the advanced user. The factors impacting bee populations, and the management of farms and public and residential landscapes for bees are also covered. Included in the bee forage (plant) chapters are plant profiles with range maps, habitat information, floral features and attractants, common bees attracted to the particular plant, and details about the ecological connections between the native plant and other flower-visiting insects. Noted also are birds dependent upon the product of the pollinated flowers (fruits and seeds).This is an excellent reference for amateur and professional naturalists, educators, gardeners, farmers, students, nature photographers, insect enthusiasts, biologists, and anyone interested in learning more about the diversity and biology of bees and their connection to native plants and the natural world.

    Bird songs and calls are just as important as visual field marks in identifying birds. But until now, the only way to learn them was by memorization. With this groundbreaking book, it’s possible to visually distinguish bird sounds and identify birds using a field guide format.   At the core of this guide is the spectrogram, a visual graph of sound. With a brief introduction to five key aspects—speed, repetition, pauses, pitch pattern, and tone quality—readers can learn to visualize sounds, without any musical training or auditory memorization. Picturing sounds makes it possible to search this book visually for a bird song heard in the field.    The Sound Index groups similar songs together, narrowing the identification choices quickly to a brief list of birds that sound alike. Readers can then turn to the species account for more information and/or listen to the accompanying audio tracks available online, through Cornell's Lab of Ornithology.   Identifying birds by sound is arguably the most challenging and important skill in birding. This book makes it vastly easier to master than ever before.

    Looking at more than 900 species, The Australian Bird Guide is the most comprehensive field guide on Australian birds available, and contains by far the best coverage of southern seabirds. With 249 color plates containing 4,000 stunning images, this book offers a far more in-depth treatment of subspecies, rarities, and overall plumage variation than comparative guides. The artwork meets the highest standards, and the text is rigorously accurate and current in terms of identification details, distribution, and status. The Australian Bird Guide sets a new bar for coverage of Australia's remarkable avifauna and is indispensable to all birders and naturalists interested in this area of the world, including the southern oceans.Brand-new guide with an attractive look and design249 color plates containing 4,000 superb images by some of the most talented illustrators working in Australia todayEvery bird species in Australia is covered (more than 900), including subspecies and raritiesUp-to-date maps reflect the latest information on distributionAccurate and detailed text

    It is written for all those who want to know more about the amazing world of lightning bugs and learn the secrets hidden in the flash patterns of the 75+ species found in the eastern and central United States and Canada. As an independent researcher working with numerous university teams, naturalist Lynn Frierson Faust, "The Lightning Bug Lady," has spent decades tracking the behavior and researching the habitats of these fascinating creatures.Based on her twenty-five years of fieldwork, this book is intended to increase understanding and appreciation of bioluminescent insects while igniting enthusiasm in a fun and informative way. Species accounts are coupled with historical backgrounds and literary epigraphs to engage and draw readers young and old into the world of these tiny sparklers. A chart documenting the flash patterns of the various species will aid in identification.Clear photos illustrate the insects' distinguishing physical characteristics, while habitats, seasonality, and common names are provided in easy-to-understand yet scientifically accurate language. The guide will be welcomed by everyone who wants to learn more about fireflies' and glow-worms' unique traits and fragile niche in the ecosystem.Features: Over 600 color photographsDetailed accounts and anatomical diagrams of 75+ species, as well as aids in distinguishing between similar speciesA first-of-its-kind flash-pattern chart that folds out on heavy-weight paperExtensive scientific details written in an understandable and engaging wayColorful common names--Twilight Bush Baby, Shadow Ghosts, Snappy Syncs, and more--for easy species identification based on flash patternsTips on ideal sites and times of year for firefly watchingConservation-oriented approach

    Highly accurate and vetted by experts, it contains the most up-to-date taxonomy information and is the most comprehensive account of Australian spiders ever published. With more than two-thirds of Australian spiders yet to be scientifically described, this field guide sets the scene for future explorations of our extraordinary Australian fauna.

    Mushrooms of the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada is a compact, beautifully illustrated guide packed with descriptions and photographs of more than 400 of the region's most conspicuous, distinctive, and ecologically important mushrooms. The geographic range covered by the book includes Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Ontario, and most of Quebec. In addition to profiles on individual species, Mushrooms of the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada also includes a general discussion and definition of fungi; information on where to find mushrooms and guidelines on collecting them; an overview of fungus ecology; and a discussion on mushroom poisoning and how to avoid it.

    A Field Guide to Tracking Mammals in the Northeast gives you all the details necessary for following animals large and small—from chipmunks and woodchucks to bobcats and black bears. Meticulously drawn illustrations and informative discussions provide the user with an array of tools for identification unmatched in any other tracking book.This guide also includes thorough discussions of distinguishing features, illustrations of scat, notes on other signs and habitat, measurements for tracks and gaits, and diagrams of characteristic gaits. Lightweight, portable, and comprehensive, this book is an ideal tool for trackers at all levels.

    This will complement the HBW collection and each volume will be the same size as a HBW Volume, with Volume 1 covering the non-passerines, and volume 2 covering the passerines.These books are really two works in one. They are a complete checklist whose taxonomy incorporates the most up-to-date information and an exhaustive methodology (Tobias et al. 2010) in an entirely systematic and consistent way. At the same time, they contain illustrations and distribution maps for every bird species in the world. This includes the original artwork from the HBW series, as well as hundreds of new illustrations, all in two compact volumes.An extensive introduction, with many illustrated examples, explains the rationale and advantages of the taxonomic system adopted in the Checklist, as well as how to use the book. With the guidance of many genetic studies and the aid of the scoring system employed to evaluate differences in morphology, vocalizations, ecology and geographical relationships, the number of taxonomic changes for the passerines has been significantly high. At present (totals may change slightly before publication), the volume 2 has 41 lumps and 628 splits, compared with the taxonomy presented in the HBW series.Large-format maps offer the reader assistance in interpreting the distribution sections. They provide both administrative and physical details, for greater clarity of use.In total, Volume 2 deals with 1 order, 138 families, 1,358 genera, 6,592 extant species, 57 extinct species, and has 2809 bibliographical references."[...] The great thing about this list compared to [...] others is that every species is both illustrated and has a distribution map. Both of these have been carefully updated as necessary from the original HBW volumes and there are nearly 650 completely new illustrations as well as revisions of about 10% of the others. [...] The price is quite high but if you want a world checklist and an impressive book which contains an enormous amount of information then it is probably worth it."– Peter Lack, BTO book reviews

    With their large, brightly colored wings and beneficial pollinator roles in the ecosystem, it's no wonder they have such a big fan base amongst their human observers. Now, for anyone who's ever wondered which exact butterfly it is that they're admiring, there's a resource with all the answers: the Butterflies Backyard Guide.Replete with more than 50 of the most common butterflies in North America, the book is a fully illustrated guide that makes it easy to identify these fragile winged insects. You will find within:Each butterfly in the book is presented on a two-page spread with images and facts about the butterfly, as well as tips for what you can plant in order to attract that particular butterfly to visit your backyard.Other information provided for each butterfly includes: size, lifespan, habitat, diet, range, predators, and reproduction.The guide is organized by major butterfly type, so you can easily flip open the guide and zero in on the facts about the specific butterfly you're identifying.Keep this guide close at hand for a quick analysis of the iridescent butterflies you see floating from flower to flower. You'll be pointing out Monarchs, Eastern Tiger Swallowtails, and Common Buckeyes before you know it.