Taylor, Marianne – The Bell Bookshop

RSPB ID Spotlight – Ladybirds

Emma — Thu, 11 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

RSPB ID Spotlight Ladybirds is a reliable fold-out chart that presents illustrations of 27 of our most widespread and familiar ladybirds by renowned artist Richard Lewington. – Species are grouped by family and helpfully labelled to assist with identification – Artworks are shown side by side for quick comparison and easy reference at home or in the field, or the chart can be fixed to the wall as a beautiful poster – The reverse of the chart provides information on the habitats, behaviour, life cycles and diets of our ladybirds, as well as the conservation issues they are facing and how we can support them The ID Spotlight charts help wildlife enthusiasts identify and learn more about our most common species using accurate colour illustrations and informative, accessible text.

RSPB ID Spotlight – Birds of Farmland and Open Countryside

Emma — Thu, 11 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

RSPB ID Spotlight Birds of Farmland and Open Countryside is a reliable fold-out chart that presents illustrations of 57 of the UK’s most familiar birds of farmland and open countryside by renowned artist Stephen Message. – Species are grouped by family and helpfully labelled to assist with identification – Artworks are shown side-by-side for quick comparison and easy reference at home or in the field, or the chart can be fixed to the wall as a beautiful poster – The reverse of the chart provides information on the habitats, behaviour, life cycles and diets of our birds commonly found on farmland and in open countryside, as well as the conservation issues they are facing and how the RSPB is working to support them The ID Spotlight charts help wildlife enthusiasts identify and learn more about our most common species using accurate colour illustrations and informative, accessible text.

RSPB Pocket Guide to British Birds

Emma — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +0000

A compact, lightweight and informative guide to 310 of the most common birds found in the UK. RSPB Pocket Guide to British Birds is a compact, lightweight and informative field guide, featuring 310 bird species regularly seen in the UK. Species are illustrated in all distinct plumage forms likely to be observed in the wild by renowned bird artist Stephen Message, and a detailed distribution map for the British Isles is also provided. Concise text covers appearance, behaviour and voice – focusing on key identification points – and also outlines where you will find the species, describes its seasonal movements and includes the latest UK population data. Finally, confusion species are cross-referenced, with their most important and easily noted differences from the subject species described. A comprehensive introduction provides a guide on how and where to find birds, and how to make the most useful and rewarding observations for newcomers to birdwatching. Uniquely, this guide also provides images and descriptions for not only a selection of rarer visitors, but also for a range of domestic species and certain commonly observed aberrant forms of more familiar birds, all of which are omitted from most field guides but can cause great confusion for beginners when encountered in the wild.

The Story of Life in 10 1/2 Chapters

Emma — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000

An exploration of the key aspects of life on Earth – now and in the future – through the study of 10 and a half species.

‘Entertaining and intellectually stimulating … The book highlights the wonderfully interconnected nature of our fragile planet. If you want big science at an accessible scale, this is for you’ BBC Wildlife

If an alien visitor were to collect ten souvenir life forms to represent life on earth, which would they be? This is the thought-provoking premise of Marianne Taylor’s The Story of Life in 10 ½ Chapters. Each life form explains a key aspect about life on Earth. From the sponge that seems to be a plant but is really an animal to the almost extinct soft-shelled turtle deemed extremely unique and therefore extremely precious, these examples reveal how life itself is arranged across time and space, and how humanity increasingly dominates that vision.

Taylor, a prolific science writer, considers the chemistry of a green plant and ponders the possibility of life beyond our world. She investigates the virus in an attempt to determine what a life form is; and wonders if the human – ‘a distinct and very dominant species with an inevitably biased view of life’ – could evolve in a new direction. She tells us that the giraffe was one species, but is now four; that the dusky seaside sparrow may be revived through ‘re-evolution’, or cloning; explains the significance of Darwin’s finch to evolution; and much more. The ‘half’ species is artificial intelligence. Itself an experiment to understand and model life, AI is central to our future – although from the alien visitor’s standpoint, unlikely to inherit the earth in the long run.

RSPB ID Spotlight – Woodland Birds

Emma — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Our landscape has long been shaped by its native tree cover, whether pine, oak, beech or birch. These habitats are full of life, and you’ll see many different bird species in all kinds of woodlands throughout the year. But do you know a Nuthatch from a Treecreeper? And can you tell the difference between a Goshawk and a Common Buzzard when it’s soaring overhead? The UK’s woodlands are home to a diverse collection of our most beautiful wild bird species. RSPB ID Spotlight Woodland Birds is a reliable fold-out chart that presents illustrations of 63 of our most widespread and familiar woodland birds by renowned artist Stephen Message. · Species are grouped by family and helpfully labelled to assist with identification · Artworks are shown side by side for quick comparison and easy reference at home or in the field · The reverse of the chart provides information on the habitats, behaviour, life cycles and diets of our woodland birds, as well as the conservation issues they are facing and how the RSPB is working to support them · Information on research and conservation projects aimed at improving habitats for vulnerable woodland birds is also includedThe ID Spotlight charts help wildlife enthusiasts identify and learn more about our most common species using accurate colour illustrations and informative, accessible text.

RSPB ID Spotlight – Caterpillars

Emma — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Whether you are out in the countryside or at work in the garden, you might encounter several different kinds of caterpillars. The larval stages of butterflies and moths, caterpillars come in many shapes, sizes and colours, and each has its own particular charm. But can you tell a Comma from a Small Tortoiseshell? Or distinguish between the caterpillar of a Drinker and Fox Moth? These are only a few of the hundreds of caterpillars found in the UK, many of which are just as beautiful and varied as their adult counterparts.RSPB ID Spotlight Caterpillars is a reliable fold-out chart that presents illustrations of 60 of our most widespread and familiar caterpillars by renowned artist Richard Lewington. · Species are grouped by family and helpfully labelled to assist with identification · Artworks are shown side by side for quick comparison and easy reference at home or in the field · The reverse of the chart provides information on the habitats, behaviour, life cycles and diets of our caterpillars, as well as the conservation issues they are facing and how the RSPB and other conservation charities are working to support them · Practical tips on how to make your garden more caterpillar-friendly are also includedThe ID Spotlight charts help wildlife enthusiasts identify and learn more about our most common species using accurate colour illustrations and informative, accessible text.

RSPB Spotlight Owls

Emma — Thu, 14 May 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Owls are charismatic and exceptionally well-loved characters in British wildlife, and have always held a special place in our folklore and legends. Their nocturnal habits mean few of us have been lucky enough to see them up close. In RSPB Spotlight: Owls Marianne Taylor introduces readers to every aspect of their lives including their physiology, biology and behaviour, as well as their history, and future in conservation in Britain and abroad.Five species of owl currently live in Britain – the Tawny, Barn, Little, Long-eared and Short-eared Owls – and each of them, as well as their relatives abroad, are introduced here in detail alongside top quality colour photographs and fascinating behavioural images, which will delight and inform the whole family.The book begins with a look at owls in general then examines the five British species in more detail. It discusses their evolutionary history and distribution around the world. Their anatomy and adaptations are examined, as well as their natural behaviours including hunting, nesting and mating practices. Next, we are introduced to their life cycles, beginning as eggs, moving onto fledging and independence, migration, and finally death. Marianne also includes a discussion of conservation as it affects owls, and owls’ unique relationships with humans and our culture.

RSPB Garden Birds

Emma — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

A lavish celebration of 47 of the most frequent and familiar birds found in gardens around the British Isles.From urban rooftops to open meadows, the incredible diversity of gardens in the British Isles can provide refuge and feeding opportunities for a vast array of birds. Even the smallest gardens can attract some birdlife and watching garden birds is a great joy for all nature lovers, brightening each day and providing an immediate connection with the wider and wilder world beyond the fence. Nature is facing challenges throughout the world, including right here in the UK, and the changing fortunes of our garden birds are strong indicators of the overall health of our wildlife. With information on how to encourage birds to visit our gardens and boost their survival and breeding success, and how to identify them, this book describes the small steps we can all take to help these birds survive the hardships of winter and bring forth a healthy new generation that we can recognise, appreciate and enjoy for decades to come.RSPB Garden Birds is a lavish celebration of 47 of our most frequent and familiar garden birds, and the final chapter looks at some of the less regular – but equally welcome – visitors. Detailed biographies outline each species’ life history, distribution, behaviour and breeding habits, and an extensive introduction provides guidance on the general practicalities of garden birdwatching and managing a wildlife garden. Featuring more than 200 spectacular photographs revealing every detail of our garden birds’ appearance and behaviour, this book will appeal to anyone who has discovered their love of wildlife through watching the birds in their garden.

Way Of The Hare

Emma — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 00:00:00 +0000

To the people of rural Britain, hares are deeply beloved, perhaps above all other animals. They thrive in abundance in imagery but can be maddeningly elusive in reality. In our stories – ancient and modern – they are magical, uncanny and illogical beings which commune with the moon, vanish at will, and lose their minds when spring arrives. Yet despite the breadth and depth of its legends, the brown hare of the lowlands is a relative newcomer to our islands, and our ‘real’ ancient hare is the mountain hare of the most unforgiving high mountainsides.Hares of myth have godly powers, but real, earthbound hares walk a dangerous line – they are small animals with many predators but have no burrow or tunnel to shelter them from danger. They survive by a combination of two skills honed to unimaginable extremes – hiding in plain sight, and running faster than anything and anyone. The need to excel as hiders and runners ultimately directs every aspect of hare biology and behaviour, as well as inspiring our own wild ideas about hare-kind.This book explores hares as they are and as we imagine them, and the long and often bloody history of our association with these enigmatic animals. Elegant studies of molecular biology and biomechanical physics help us understand how hares are put together, while centuries of game estate records reveal how humans have commodified and exploited them. But it is ultimately the moments spent in the company of wild hares that allow us to bring together myth and reality to celebrate the magic of the living animal.