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Know Your Birds Here is a book for those of us whose knowledge of birds is pretty basic — they have feathers, wings and can fly! |
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The book is written in plain English, the birds indexed under common names. Open the book at any page and the left page will give information on colour, size, food preferences, habits, nest sites etc. The facing page is a full-colour plate picture and a map at the foot of the page shows where the bird is found.
These are birds that visit our gardens and generally live close to urban areas.
Greatly recommended for anyone who would like to identify and know more about the birds that share our patch.
- Gloria Branson
Australia — An Ecotraveller's guide
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Australia — An Ecotraveller's guide An Ecotravellers Guide provides a guide to the most popular of Australia’s locations for ecotourism, from the Blue Mountains across to the Kimberleys, from Kakadu down to Tassie. |
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It’s strong on ecological information and attractively presented but foreigners, in particular, would probably want to supplement it with something like a more traditional guide. Information is a bit thin on the gritty details of travelling (like accommodation) and the writer perhaps assumes too much local knowledge - when is the wet season in Cape York anyway? Still, the book is useful for anyone who wants to tour Australia as an ecological adventure.
- Tony Garske
As it Happened 1803-2003
Colin Watson OAM
The Budawang Committee Inc
$49 (inc. postage )
In his most extraordinary and interesting autobiography, Colin Watson begins with brief histories of his first Australian ancestors and then the story of his life as it happened.
Colin’s book of 392 pages includes over 200 photos of people, places and occasions and the 20 maps include one of his tours of Australia (39,000 kilometres!) following his retirement.
In 1956 Colin’s life’s direction changed when he discovered the beautiful coast and hinterland ranges south of Sydney which he felt should be in national parks. He joined the Coast and Mountain Walkers of NSW, then the National Parks Association of NSW learning much about conservation, parks and politics.
In 1956 Colin’s life’s direction changed when he discovered the beautiful coast and hinterland ranges south of Sydney which he felt should be in national parks. He joined the Coast and Mountain Walkers of NSW, then the National Parks Association of NSW learning much about conservation, parks and politics.
In 1999 – after receiving an Order of Australia Medal a decade before — Colin was awarded the National Parks and Wildlife Foundation’s ‘Friend of the Century’ honour.
Throughout even his busiest years, Colin maintained his interest in local and family affairs, in music and travel … on foot, on wheels, on water or wings! A great life story and a wonderful book.
- Jean Edgecombe OAM
Copies of As it Happened may be obtained by phoning
Colin on 9874 2901
or writing to 40 Alexandria Avenue, Eastwood. NSW 2122
They called themselves the Narrabeen Lagoon Committee. After that win, they decided to try to stop water skiing which dominated so much of the lagoon. Our successes over the next 20 years, protecting wetlands, being partly responsible for the formation of Garigal National Park, fighting SEPP 5 developments, doing bush regeneration and massive tree planting and becoming a valuable partner with Warringah Shire Council in overall lagoon management — all of this effort by up to 700 members — finally started to bear fruit with the publication on 12 December of the book The Birds of Warriewood Wetland and Irrawong Reserve. This wetland and reserve would not exist today without the NLC, although that Committee ceased to exist two years ago. As the introduction says “By late 2004, 148 species of birds had been recorded in this area ... This book introduces you to some of the most easily seen or very special birds of one of Pittwater’s best bird habitat areas". (In full colour I might add.) This book, largely the effort of Marita Macrae AM, and supported by the Australian Government’s Envirofund, is published by the Pittwater Natural Heritage Association, with all profits going to the wetland’s conservation. To order the book contact either Marita Macrae, (9918 3368), the Coastal Environment Centre at Narrabeen (9970 6905) or Angus & Robertson, Warriewood Square. - Phil Colman |
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Flora’s Plant Names A handy paperback guide with references to 20,000 entries in an A–Z format with both common and botanical names. Gardeners will find this book especially useful when looking for particular plants at nurseries and in seed catalogues. |
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- R.P.
Flora’s Native Plants
Bloomings Books 2004
rrp $75
This is a beautifully presented book packed with information about native Australian plants and their cultivation. The book is arranged into sections for annuals and perennials, shrubs, trees, ferns, palms and cycads, orchids, climbers and creepers. This provides easy access to the species details for both plant identification and gardening. The comprehensive Cultivation Table is an excellent guide to the general requirements of each species for soils, moisture, sunlight, size and shape, and attraction for birds and butterflies.
Each of the 1800 plant species covered has a paragraph describing the characteristics and natural range of the plant and features of interest such as flowering details or distinctive fruits. Many are pictured. Any native plant gardener on the east coast will appreciate identification of those enticing WA species that just can’t survive our humid summers. Some one-quarter of the species have additional cultivation notes regarding optimum growing conditions, propagation, pruning and tolerance of frost or drought. A note such as “can be invasive” against a species that you have been nurturing will be valued by many bushcare volunteers and gardeners.
This is not a coffee table book. However, it is a book for enjoyable browsing as well as reference use. The photos are beautiful but functional. The print size may be uncomfortably small for some eyes, particularly the index. In general the whole publication strikes a nice balance between plant identification, practical gardening and enjoyable reading.
- Joy Scott
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Flora — the Gardener’s Bible I have been gardening for over 65 years and still found this new version of Flora an excellent guide to gardening. It shows absolutely all garden plants and flowers. I even found some names of old garden plants that I have had for years but wasn’t sure of the correct name. I didn’t realise there were so many varieties of Lilium and I was also pleased to see some common but interesting garden varieties like the Duck plant and Lamb’s ear included. The photographs are splendid and the descriptions clear and easy to follow. A bit like the phone book, the big Flora is contained in two sturdy parts — A–K and L–Z Highly recommended. - Gwen Pryor
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| Owls — Journeys around the
world David Hollands Bloomings Books 2004 rrp $59.95 A beautifully presented hardcover book for owl enthusiasts — indeed for anyone. The wise birds peer out from the pages in photos which are large and striking. Over the book's 192 pages, Hollands tells stories of an owl which attacks during the day — the Ural Owl of Finland — and one that goes fishing at night (Pel's Fishing Owl of Africa), among many others including Australia's Powerful and Barking Owls. All in all there are 21 main accounts of owls' habitats, habits and stories. |
Christmas Island Hawk Owl |
This book could double as a coffee table book as the journey ressembles stills from a film like Travelling Birds.
-R.P.
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National
Parks Association of NSW, P.O.Box A96, Sydney South, NSW 1235
Phone: (02) 9299 0000 Fax: (02) 9290 2525 Email: |
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