THE GREATEST OCEAN VOYAGERS
The lives and loves of 10 entrancing species.
The Seabird’s Cry By Adam Nicolson William Collins £16.99
WWatch a fulmar glide updraughts along a sea ccliff with barely a wing-flick and you’ll mmarvel at its aerial prowess. As it disappears ffrom view, you might wonder if it has flown tto the next bay or out into the Atlantic. AAnswers to such questions are now possible, thankst to technology that tracks seabird wanderingswanderings. ParPart of the pleasure in Adam Nicolson’s deftly crafted narrative comes from how he uses this new science to enliven his accounts of seabirds in both hemispheres. But part also comes from his fascination with how these creatures seem somehow “half part of our life, half from another realm”. Tantalised by this otherness, he draws on poetry, philosophy, folklore and his own seafaring history to paint portraits of seabirds in which fact and fancy sit pleasingly together, making his call for urgent conservation measures all the more poignant. A superb book that will inspire scientists, poets and environmental activists alike.
Kenny Taylor Puffinologist and writer
In the Company of Seahorses By Steve Trewhella and Julie Hatcher Wild Nature Press £19.99
Seldom seen in their natural habitat, seahorses convey an air of mystery. Their elegant bodyforms, unusual lifestyles and gentle natures conjure up the magic of the ocean for many of us from an early age. Testament to the years the authors have spent uncovering the secret lives of seahorses in Studland Bay, this book strikes a nice balance between images and text – on natural history, modern threats and the myriad other species with which these creatures share their watery home. Plenty here to inspire you about the UK’s seas. Matt Doggett Marine biologist
Oak and Ash and Thorn By Peter Fiennes Oneworld£ 16.99
Charting a year visiting woods and immersing himself in woodland history and culture, Peter Fiennes writes with a piercingly urgent tone as he examines what he sees as the desperate state of our trees.
By his own admission, his chapters scramble over one another, resulting in an unrestrained mix of facts, history, personal anecdotes, quotes and folklore. To conclude, he examines the work needed to slow the decline, reminding us that the continued deterioration of our woods is not inevitable. Emma Bonham Tree researcher
Waders of Europe By Lars Gejl Bloomsbury £35.99
Could you spot a curlew sandpiper in a flock of dunlin? Twenty years ago, the only resources available to birdwatchers who wanted to learn about waders were artists’ impressions in bird books. Digital cameras have changed all this – it’s now possible to inspect every feather of a tiny sandpiper or a moulting ruff in exquisite detail. Photographer Lars Gejl has made full use of digital technology in this new book, set in the context of species ecology and biology. His superb images illustrate even the finest feather contours, and detailed identification features will help you distinguish age, sex and subspecies. Every wader you might see in Europe is covered in detail, with plenty of photographs of tricky vagrants such as the little curlew, which migrates from Siberia to Australia. Immerse yourself, enjoy the images and learn all about our wonderful waders. Graham Appleton Wader expert
The Nature of Winter by Jim Crumley Saraband £12.99
If you ever felt like the good old-fashioned British winter was limping through climate change like a damp squib, take heart. This book is all luminous moments and bright meditations drawn from the northern cold. In his keen-eyed observations on the season some of us dread, Jim Crumley shows us a Scottish winter sparkling as we have never seen it sparkle before, drawing us into his Cairngorm world with the care of a knowledgeable uncle. From lunch with ravens to swans preening in ice, there is deeply indigenous wisdom here. Miriam Darlington Nature writer
Rise of the Necrofauna By Britt Wray Greystone £19.99
Jurassic Park was right about one thing: raising extinct species from the dead is about far more than science – there are also issues of welfare, legalities and philosophy to consider. Would a genetically authentic woolly mammoth born to a surrogate elephant mother be a mammoth or an elephant? Where would it live? Would it be happy? Would it do more harm than good ecologically? Britt Wray does a tremendous job of navigating the technicalities and controversies. The result is a triumph of clear thinking as gripping as any blockbuster. Stuart Blackman Science writer