Great Adaptations - Star-Nosed Moles, Electric Eels, and Other Tales of Evolution's Mysteries Solved by Kenneth Catania

$29.99 AUD

Category: Nature Writing

How one scientist unlocked the secrets behind some of nature's most astounding animals From star-nosed moles that have super-sensing snouts to electric eels that paralyze their prey, animals possess unique and extraordinary abilities. In Great Adaptations, Kenneth Catania presents an entertaining and en gaging look at some of nature's most remarkable creatures. Telling the story of his biological detective work, Catania sheds light on the mysteries behind the behaviors of tentacled snakes, tiny shrews, zombie-making wasps, and more. He shows not only how studying these animals can provide deep insights into how life evolved, but also how scientific discovery can be filled with adventure and fun. Beginning with the star-nosed mole, Catania reveals what the creature's nasal star is actually for, and what this tells us about how brains work. He explores how the deceptive hunting strategy of tentacled snakes leads prey straight to their mouths, how eels use electricity to control other animals, and why emerald jewel wasps make zombies out of cockroaches. He also solves the enigma of worm grunting--a traditional technique in which earthworms are enticed out of the ground--by teaming up with professional worm grunters. Catania demonstrates the merits of approaching science with an open mind, considers the role played by citizen scientists, and illustrates that most animals have incredible, hidden abilities that defy our imagination. Examining some strange and spectacular creatures, Great Adaptations offers a wondrous journey into nature's grand designs. ...Show more

The Wonder of Nature (Fantastic Beasts)

$49.99 AUD

Category: Nature Writing

The magical world of J.K. Rowling's Fantastic Beasts meets the real-world experts of the world-famous Natural History Museum, in an awe-inspiring exhibition devoted to the wonders of nature, science and adventure and their fictional counterparts from Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts. Fantastic Beasts- The Wonder of Nature is the official book inspired by the spectacular exhibition, shining a light on beasts in all their fantastic forms. Taking inspiration from Newt Scamander, this gorgeous colour gift book invites the whole family to explore the inspiration and links between the magic of J.K. Rowling's creatures and the astonishing real-world wildlife that has roamed the earth, seas and skies of our planet throughout history. Prepare to pore over ancient maps of sea monsters; naturalists' field notes crammed with intricately painted chameleons and caterpillars; and dinosaurs such as the mighty Dracorex Hogwartsia, the 'Dragon King of Hogwarts'. The Natural History Museum boasts one of the finest collections in the world, some 80 million animals, plants, minerals, rocks and fossils. These scientific specimens sit beside breathtaking artwork of J.K. Rowling's magical creatures; fascinating props and artefacts from the Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter films; and stunning wildlife photography. Readers are invited to meet unicorns and merpeople, Nifflers and Bowtruckles, pythons and tigers, and observe their amazing and endlessly surprising behaviours. Each chapter begins with an original essay by a well-known writer, environmental expert or natural history scientist, offering their own unique insight into the exhibition. Uplifting and absorbing, this is a book that evokes the true magic and majesty of nature in all its myriad forms. Fantastic Beasts- The Wonder of Nature inspires us to protect our precious planet - a must-have for Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts fans of all ages, budding explorers and readers who aren't able to visit the exhibition in person. ...Show more

Wanderers: A History of Women Walking by Kerri Andrews

$34.99 AUD

Category: Nature Writing

"A wild portrayal of the passion and spirit of female walkers and the deep sense of 'knowing' that they found along the path."--Raynor Winn, author of The Salt Path   "I opened this book and instantly found that I was part of a conversation I didn't want to leave. A dazzling, inspirational history."-- Helen Mort, author of No Map Could Show Them   This is a book about ten women over the past three hundred years who have found walking essential to their sense of themselves, as people and as writers. Wanderers traces their footsteps, from eighteenth-century parson's daughter Elizabeth Carter--who desired nothing more than to be taken for a vagabond in the wilds of southern England--to modern walker-writers such as Nan Shepherd and Cheryl Strayed. For each, walking was integral, whether it was rambling for miles across the Highlands, like Sarah Stoddart Hazlitt, or pacing novels into being, as Virginia Woolf did around Bloomsbury. Offering a beguiling view of the history of walking, Wanderers guides us through the different ways of seeing--of being--articulated by these ten pathfinding women. ...Show more

How Birds Behave: Interpreting What They Do and Why by Wenfei Tong

$39.99 AUD

Category: Nature Writing

Birds are intelligent, sociable creatures that exhibit a wide array of behaviours — from mobbing and mimicking to mating and joint nesting. Why do they behave as they do? Bringing to light the remarkable actions of birds through examples from species around the world, How Birds Behave presents engaging vignettes about the private lives of birds, all explained in an evolutionary context.We discover how birds find food, relying on foraging techniques, tools and thievery. We learn about the courtship rituals through which birds choose, compete for, woo and win mates; the familial conflicts that crop up among parents, offspring and siblings; and the stresses and strains of nesting, including territory defence, nepotism and relationship sabotage. We see how birds respond to threats and danger — through such unique practices as murmurations, specific alarm calls, distraction displays and anti-predator nest design. We also read about how birds change certain behaviours — preening, migration, breeding and huddling — based on climate. Richly illustrated, this book explores the increasing focus on how individual birds differ in personality and how big data and citizen scientists are helping to add to what we know about them.Drawing on classic examples and the latest research, How Birds Behave offers a close-up look at the many ways birds conduct themselves in the wild. ...Show more

NamadgiA National Park for the National Capital by National Parks Association - Australian Capital Territory Incorporation

$16.95 AUD

Category: Nature Writing

QueenSpotting - Meet the Remarkable Queen Bee and Discover the Drama at the Heart of the Hive; Includes 48 Queenspotting Challenges by Hilary Kearney

$29.99 AUD

Category: Nature Writing

At the heart of every bee hive is a queen bee. Since her well-being is linked to the well-being of the entire colony, the ability to find her among the residents of the hive is an essential beekeeping skill. In QueenSpotting, experienced beekeeper and professional "swarm catcher" Hilary Kearney challeng es readers to "spot the queen" with 48 fold-out visual puzzles -- vivid up-close photos of the queen hidden among her many subjects.QueenSpotting celebrates the unique, fascinating life of the queen bee chronicles of royal hive happenings such as The Virgin Death Match, The Nuptual Flight -- when the queen mates with a cloud of male drones high in the air -- and the dramatic Exodus of the Swarm from the hive. Readers will thrill at Kearney's adventures in capturing these swarms from the strange places they settle, including a Jet Ski, a couch, a speed boat, and an owl's nesting box. Fascinating, fun, and instructive, backyard beekeepers and nature lovers alike will find reason to return to the pages again and again. ...Show more

What Birds Teach Us - Second Edition: Improved and Enlarged by William Hewson (Photographer, Illustrator, Revised by, Introduction by, Text by, Produced by, Filmed by, Research by)

$30.00 AUD

Category: Nature Writing

A beautifully illustrated presentation in which the author draws upon the unique behaviour characteristics of some of Australia's popular birds and integrates these with important life skills, to encourage us all to do life better. The book targets the 8 to 12 year age group but is enjoyed by all ages. The photos are from the authors own collection and the book reflects his live of birdwatching, family counselling studies and past medical science career, as a legacy to his grandchildren, and all young people who need encouragement and help to do life better. The first edition was a sell out success so he has launched a second edition which has improved photos and text as well as more birds as well as addressing life issues and concerns experienced by Primary and High School children. ...Show more

Celebrating Australia's Magnificent Wildlife - The Art of Daryl Dickson by Daryl Dickson

$55.00 AUD

Category: Nature Writing

Celebrating Australia's Magnificent Wildlife is a celebration of Daryl Dickson's beautiful work, informed by her passion for the conservation of wildlife and wild places. From black-winged stilts to brushtail possums, see the variety and colour of Australian wildlife contained in one wonderful book. She highlights the natural beauty of species that deserve to be saved in what is essential reading for anyone with an interest in the natural world. The work of artists crosses borders, boundaries and language barriers. Painting wildlife does not need language to explain the essence of the beauty, landscape or movement of a creature. This book can be understood and enjoyed by people of any nationality. Witness the ancient tropical forests and majestic landscapes of northern Queensland, Australia -- home to some of the world's rarest and most fascinating species. Dickson's work is inspired by the incredible diversity of flora and fauna she lives amongst, which are rich and colourful in the diverse, thriving valley she calls home. Dickson's techniques have varied in medium, from illustration to watercolour and many in between, but nature has always been the key element of her art. View a lifetime of artworks and share in her journey to becoming an artist, showcased in this large-format, beautifully designed book that is an essential addition to coffee tables everywhere. ...Show more

Dingo Bold - The Life and Death of K'gari Dingoes by Rowena Lennox

$35.00 AUD

Category: Nature Writing

Dingo Bold is a thought-provoking exploration of the relationship between people and dingoes. At its heart is Rowena Lennox's encounter with a dingo on the beach on K'gari (Fraser Island), a young male she nicknames Bold. Struck by this experience, and by the intense, often polarised opinions expressed in public conversations about dingo conservation and control, she sets out to understand the complex relationship between humans and dingoes. Weaving together ecological data, interviews with people connected personally and professionally with K'gari's dingoes, and Lennox's expansive reading of literary, historical and scientific accounts, Dingo Bold considers what we know about the history of relations between dingoes and humans, and what preconceptions shape our attitudes today. Do we see dingoes as native wildlife or feral dogs? Wild or domesticated animals? A tourist attraction or a threat?And how do our answers to these questions shape our interactions with them? Dingo Bold is both a moving memoir of love and loss through Lennox's observations of the natural world and an important contribution to wider conversations about conservation and animal welfare. ...Show more

The Ways of the Bushwalker: On Foot in Australia by Melissa Harper

$34.99 AUD

Category: Nature Writing

Australians have always loved to step out in nature, whether off-track or along a marked route. Bushwalking – an organised long-distance walk in rugged terrain that requires maps and camping equipment, or a family day out – is one of our most popular pastimes. This landmark book, now updated, was the fi rst to delve into its rich and sometimes quirky history. From the earliest days of European settlement, colonists found pleasure in leisurely strolls through the bush, collecting flowers, sketching, bird watching and picnicking. Yet over time, walking for the sake of walking became the dominant motive. Walking clubs proliferated, railways organised mystery hikes attended by thousands, and Paddy Pallin established his equipment business. Bushwalking – serious walking – was invented. Whether you are inclined to put on your walking boots and pack your sleeping bag, or would rather stay in a luxury hut, this sure-footed and witty book reveals how the ordinary act of walking can become extraordinary. 'An absorbing exploration of the story of bushwalking in Australia. It's a well researched history, not just of walking, but of our changing relationship to the natural environment, of coming to know its unique beauty and its power to both inspire and restore the body and spirit. A compelling read for anyone who loves the Australian bush.' — Patti Miller '...a splendid social history, one so entertaining and revealing that you wonder why it hasn't been done before.' — Amanda Lohrey 'Slip this book in your swag – and step into adventure.' — Tom Griffiths   ...Show more

Backyard Insects by Paul Anthony Horne

$24.99 AUD

Category: Nature Writing

Now in an updated edition, the best-selling Backyard Insects explores the fascinating secrets and habits of more than one hundred bugs that are common to backyard Australia. Crawling with full-colour, larger-than-life photographs for easy iden-ti? cation, Backyard Insects is an indispensable guidefor na ture lovers, gardeners and kids of all ages. ...Show more

Secret Language of Trees by Gill Davies

$20.00 AUD

Category: Nature Writing

• Each entry is supported by a beautiful watercolour of the tree itself as well as its leaves or fruit • Full colour throughout with a plethora of illustrative material including watercolours and drawings • 50 trees covered in ds well as offering wood and charcoal fuels, timber for buildings an d ships, latex rubber, dyes, shade, shelter from the weather, fruits and nuts to enjoy and poisons to avoid, trees provide the world with oxygen while their roots stabilize soil to prevent flooding and erosion. Moreover, bark, roots, leaves, flowers, fruits or seeds also offer medicinal products.Meanwhile, the forest has ever been a magical place inspiring writers and poets such as C S Lewis, J R R Tolkien, Shakespeare, Wordsworth and Coleridge. The Secret Language of Trees explores fifty different species of tree. It looks at the history of the tree, its medicinal and other uses, as well as its language meaning and symbolism. Each entry is supported by a beautiful watercolour of the tree itself as well as its leaves and fruit. ...Show more