Birds, Beasts and Bedlam

Birds, Beasts and Bedlam

Author: Derek Gow

Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing

Published: 2022-06-16

Total Pages: 210

ISBN-13: 1645021343

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"Gow has a fire in his belly. We need more like him."—BBC Wildlife magazine "[Gow is] a wonderful storyteller, wisely allowing his animals (and considerable bedlam) to take center stage. His stories can be bawdy, laugh-out-loud funny, poignant, or even depressing, but they're never dull."—Booklist Birds, Beasts and Bedlam recounts the adventures of farmer-turned-rewilder Derek Gow, who is saving Britain’s much-loved but dangerously threatened species, from the water vole to beaver, wildcat to white stork, and tree frog to glow worm. Derek tells us all about the realities of rewilding; how he reared delicate roe deer and a sofa-loving wild boar piglet, moved a raging bison bull across the country, got bitten by a Scottish wildcat, returned honking skeins of graylag geese to the land and water that was once theirs, and restored the white stork to the Knepp Estate with Charlie Burrell and Isabella Tree. Derek’s first book, Bringing Back the Beaver, was a riotously funny and subversive account of his single-handed reintroduction of the beaver in Britain. Birds, Beasts and Bedlam, a natural successor to Gerald Durrell’s A Zoo in My Luggage, tells the story of Derek’s rewilding journey and his work to save many more species by transforming his Devon farm into a wildlife breeding center. He now houses beavers, white storks, water voles, lynx, wildcats, and harvest mice, with the aim of releasing them into the wild one day. Tearing down fences literally and metaphorically, Derek Gow is the one person with the character and strength of will to defy authority, bend the rules—and save our wildlife. "Gow reinvents what it means to be a guardian of the countryside."—The Guardian "The radical rewilder."—The Times "Derek Gow wants his farm to be a breeding colony, a seedbed for a denuded island."—The New Yorker


Book Synopsis Birds, Beasts and Bedlam by : Derek Gow

Download or read book Birds, Beasts and Bedlam written by Derek Gow and published by Chelsea Green Publishing. This book was released on 2022-06-16 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Gow has a fire in his belly. We need more like him."—BBC Wildlife magazine "[Gow is] a wonderful storyteller, wisely allowing his animals (and considerable bedlam) to take center stage. His stories can be bawdy, laugh-out-loud funny, poignant, or even depressing, but they're never dull."—Booklist Birds, Beasts and Bedlam recounts the adventures of farmer-turned-rewilder Derek Gow, who is saving Britain’s much-loved but dangerously threatened species, from the water vole to beaver, wildcat to white stork, and tree frog to glow worm. Derek tells us all about the realities of rewilding; how he reared delicate roe deer and a sofa-loving wild boar piglet, moved a raging bison bull across the country, got bitten by a Scottish wildcat, returned honking skeins of graylag geese to the land and water that was once theirs, and restored the white stork to the Knepp Estate with Charlie Burrell and Isabella Tree. Derek’s first book, Bringing Back the Beaver, was a riotously funny and subversive account of his single-handed reintroduction of the beaver in Britain. Birds, Beasts and Bedlam, a natural successor to Gerald Durrell’s A Zoo in My Luggage, tells the story of Derek’s rewilding journey and his work to save many more species by transforming his Devon farm into a wildlife breeding center. He now houses beavers, white storks, water voles, lynx, wildcats, and harvest mice, with the aim of releasing them into the wild one day. Tearing down fences literally and metaphorically, Derek Gow is the one person with the character and strength of will to defy authority, bend the rules—and save our wildlife. "Gow reinvents what it means to be a guardian of the countryside."—The Guardian "The radical rewilder."—The Times "Derek Gow wants his farm to be a breeding colony, a seedbed for a denuded island."—The New Yorker


Bringing Back the Beaver

Bringing Back the Beaver

Author: Derek Gow

Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing

Published: 2020

Total Pages: 210

ISBN-13: 1603589961

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"A bold new voice in nature writing, from the front lines of Britain's rewilding movement Bringing Back the Beaver is farmer-turned-ecologist Derek Gow's inspirational and often riotously funny firsthand account of how the movement to rewild the British landscape with beavers has become the single most dramatic and subversive nature conservation act of the modern era. Since the early 1990s - in the face of outright opposition from government, landowning elites and even some conservation professionals - Gow has imported, quarantined and assisted the reestablishment of beavers in waterways across England and Scotland. In addition to detailing the ups and downs of rewilding beavers, Bringing Back the Beaver makes a passionate case as to why the return of one of nature's great problem solvers will be critical as part of a sustainable fix for flooding and future drought, whilst ensuring the creation of essential lifescapes that enable the broadest possible spectrum of Britain's wildlife to thrive"--


Book Synopsis Bringing Back the Beaver by : Derek Gow

Download or read book Bringing Back the Beaver written by Derek Gow and published by Chelsea Green Publishing. This book was released on 2020 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A bold new voice in nature writing, from the front lines of Britain's rewilding movement Bringing Back the Beaver is farmer-turned-ecologist Derek Gow's inspirational and often riotously funny firsthand account of how the movement to rewild the British landscape with beavers has become the single most dramatic and subversive nature conservation act of the modern era. Since the early 1990s - in the face of outright opposition from government, landowning elites and even some conservation professionals - Gow has imported, quarantined and assisted the reestablishment of beavers in waterways across England and Scotland. In addition to detailing the ups and downs of rewilding beavers, Bringing Back the Beaver makes a passionate case as to why the return of one of nature's great problem solvers will be critical as part of a sustainable fix for flooding and future drought, whilst ensuring the creation of essential lifescapes that enable the broadest possible spectrum of Britain's wildlife to thrive"--


Soul of a Dog

Soul of a Dog

Author: Jon Katz

Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published: 2010-05-04

Total Pages: 210

ISBN-13: 0812977734

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Do animals have souls? Some of our greatest thinkers—Aristotle, Plato, Thomas Aquinas—and countless animal lovers have been obsessed with this question for thousands of years. Now New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz looks for an answer. With his signature wisdom, humor, and clarity, Katz relates the stories of the animals he lives with on Bedlam Farm and finds remarkable kinships at every turn. Whether it is beloved sheepdog Rose’s brilliant and methodical herding ability, Mother the cat’s keen mousing instincts, or Izzy’s canine compassion toward hospice patients, Katz is mesmerized to see in them individual personas and sparks of self-awareness. Soul of a Dog will resonate with anyone who loves dogs, cats, or other animals—and who wonders about the spirits that animate them and the deepening hold they have on our lives.


Book Synopsis Soul of a Dog by : Jon Katz

Download or read book Soul of a Dog written by Jon Katz and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2010-05-04 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do animals have souls? Some of our greatest thinkers—Aristotle, Plato, Thomas Aquinas—and countless animal lovers have been obsessed with this question for thousands of years. Now New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz looks for an answer. With his signature wisdom, humor, and clarity, Katz relates the stories of the animals he lives with on Bedlam Farm and finds remarkable kinships at every turn. Whether it is beloved sheepdog Rose’s brilliant and methodical herding ability, Mother the cat’s keen mousing instincts, or Izzy’s canine compassion toward hospice patients, Katz is mesmerized to see in them individual personas and sparks of self-awareness. Soul of a Dog will resonate with anyone who loves dogs, cats, or other animals—and who wonders about the spirits that animate them and the deepening hold they have on our lives.


Love, Nature, Magic

Love, Nature, Magic

Author: Maria Rodale

Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing

Published: 2023-02-23

Total Pages: 242

ISBN-13: 1645021718

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Join bestselling author, activist, and garden expert Maria Rodale on her shamanic journeys as she reflects on her surprising conversations with the spirits of the familiar plants and animals around us—and the knowledge they share with us. In Love, Nature, Magic, organic advocate and former CEO of a global health and wellness company Maria Rodale combines her love of nature and gardening with her experience in shamanic journeying, embarking on an epic adventure to learn from plants, animals, and insects—including some of the most misunderstood beings in nature. Maria asks them their purpose and listens as they show and declare what they want us humans to know. From Thistles to Snakes, Poison Ivy to Mosquitoes, these nature beings convey messages that are relevant to every human, showing us how to live in balance and harmony on this Earth. Through journeys filled with surprises, humor, and foibles, follow Maria’s evolution from being annoyed with to accepting—and even falling in love with—our most difficult neighbors (including human ones). Along the way, she tells her own story of how she learned about shamanic journeying and its near-universal manifestation in traditional cultures worldwide. She describes what her experiences of shamanic journeying are like—simply, honestly, and with a touch of irreverence. Maria’s journeys include conversations with: Mugwort • Vulture • Bat • Rabbit • Lanternfly • Lightning Bug • Osage Orange • Deer • Paper Wasp • Dandelion • Tick • Groundhog • Milkweed • And more! Throughout, Rodale shares an essential truth that resonates across her shamanic explorations: We first must heal our own hearts, for only then can we truly love others and begin to heal planet Earth.


Book Synopsis Love, Nature, Magic by : Maria Rodale

Download or read book Love, Nature, Magic written by Maria Rodale and published by Chelsea Green Publishing. This book was released on 2023-02-23 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Join bestselling author, activist, and garden expert Maria Rodale on her shamanic journeys as she reflects on her surprising conversations with the spirits of the familiar plants and animals around us—and the knowledge they share with us. In Love, Nature, Magic, organic advocate and former CEO of a global health and wellness company Maria Rodale combines her love of nature and gardening with her experience in shamanic journeying, embarking on an epic adventure to learn from plants, animals, and insects—including some of the most misunderstood beings in nature. Maria asks them their purpose and listens as they show and declare what they want us humans to know. From Thistles to Snakes, Poison Ivy to Mosquitoes, these nature beings convey messages that are relevant to every human, showing us how to live in balance and harmony on this Earth. Through journeys filled with surprises, humor, and foibles, follow Maria’s evolution from being annoyed with to accepting—and even falling in love with—our most difficult neighbors (including human ones). Along the way, she tells her own story of how she learned about shamanic journeying and its near-universal manifestation in traditional cultures worldwide. She describes what her experiences of shamanic journeying are like—simply, honestly, and with a touch of irreverence. Maria’s journeys include conversations with: Mugwort • Vulture • Bat • Rabbit • Lanternfly • Lightning Bug • Osage Orange • Deer • Paper Wasp • Dandelion • Tick • Groundhog • Milkweed • And more! Throughout, Rodale shares an essential truth that resonates across her shamanic explorations: We first must heal our own hearts, for only then can we truly love others and begin to heal planet Earth.


Mini-Forest Revolution

Mini-Forest Revolution

Author: Hannah Lewis

Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing

Published: 2022-06-09

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 1645021270

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

For readers who enjoyed Finding the Mother Tree and The Hidden Life of Trees comes the first-ever book about a movement to restore biodiversity in our cities and towns by flipping empty lots, backyards, and degraded land into mini-forests. In Mini-Forest Revolution, author Hannah Lewis presents a compelling case that what the world needs is not a corporate-sponsored “Trillion Tree Campaign,” but instead a people-powered “plant a million mini-forests” effort. After all, nature is composed of functioning ecosystems, not tree plantations. Lewis presents the Miyawaki Method, a unique approach to reforestation devised by botanist Akira Miyawaki in response to Japan’s rapid post-war development. She explains the scientific basis for why Miyawaki-style mini-forest projects matter and how they work, including how biodiversity increases ecosystem productivity and resilience, how vegetation transforms solar energy into latent heat and releases it away from Earth, and the role of native climax species in replicating the composition of ancient forests. Lewis also explores the multi-faceted benefits of planting a mini-forest, including: • Cooling urban heat islands • Sequestering carbon • Building soil health • Increasing water retention in dry or degraded landscapes • Establishing wildlife corridors • Healing communities working to recover from trauma • Helping urban youth connect with nature Today, the Miyawaki Method is witnessing a worldwide surge in popularity as communities seek to restore degraded landscapes both urban and rural. Lewis shares the stories of mini-forests that have sprung up across the globe and the people who are planting them—from a young forest along the concrete alley of the Beirut River in Lebanon, to a forest that is recharging groundwater in Cameroon, to the backyard forest planted by tiny forest champion Shubhendu Sharma in India. Mini-Forest Revolution is complete with a step-by-step field manual for designing and planting a forest using the Miyawaki Method, with special attention to the process of developing a list of appropriate species and their respective proportions. No matter where you live, this book will inspire you to help organize a mini-forest project in your own community, and that may be one of the best decisions you can make.


Book Synopsis Mini-Forest Revolution by : Hannah Lewis

Download or read book Mini-Forest Revolution written by Hannah Lewis and published by Chelsea Green Publishing. This book was released on 2022-06-09 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For readers who enjoyed Finding the Mother Tree and The Hidden Life of Trees comes the first-ever book about a movement to restore biodiversity in our cities and towns by flipping empty lots, backyards, and degraded land into mini-forests. In Mini-Forest Revolution, author Hannah Lewis presents a compelling case that what the world needs is not a corporate-sponsored “Trillion Tree Campaign,” but instead a people-powered “plant a million mini-forests” effort. After all, nature is composed of functioning ecosystems, not tree plantations. Lewis presents the Miyawaki Method, a unique approach to reforestation devised by botanist Akira Miyawaki in response to Japan’s rapid post-war development. She explains the scientific basis for why Miyawaki-style mini-forest projects matter and how they work, including how biodiversity increases ecosystem productivity and resilience, how vegetation transforms solar energy into latent heat and releases it away from Earth, and the role of native climax species in replicating the composition of ancient forests. Lewis also explores the multi-faceted benefits of planting a mini-forest, including: • Cooling urban heat islands • Sequestering carbon • Building soil health • Increasing water retention in dry or degraded landscapes • Establishing wildlife corridors • Healing communities working to recover from trauma • Helping urban youth connect with nature Today, the Miyawaki Method is witnessing a worldwide surge in popularity as communities seek to restore degraded landscapes both urban and rural. Lewis shares the stories of mini-forests that have sprung up across the globe and the people who are planting them—from a young forest along the concrete alley of the Beirut River in Lebanon, to a forest that is recharging groundwater in Cameroon, to the backyard forest planted by tiny forest champion Shubhendu Sharma in India. Mini-Forest Revolution is complete with a step-by-step field manual for designing and planting a forest using the Miyawaki Method, with special attention to the process of developing a list of appropriate species and their respective proportions. No matter where you live, this book will inspire you to help organize a mini-forest project in your own community, and that may be one of the best decisions you can make.


Hunt for the Shadow Wolf [US Edition]

Hunt for the Shadow Wolf [US Edition]

Author: Derek Gow

Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing

Published: 2024-03-07

Total Pages: 135

ISBN-13: 191529455X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"Terrific, life-lit moments come howling out of Hunt for the Shadow Wolf."—The Telegraph "[Derek Gow is] a wry, profane truth teller who is equal parts yeoman farmer, historical ecologist, and pirate."—Ben Goldfarb, author of Eager and Crossings "Beautifully crafted, fascinating and unbearably poignant, I totally loved this book."—Isabella Tree, author of Wilding Renowned rewilder Derek Gow has a dream: that one day we will see the return of the wolf to Britain as it has already returned elsewhere. As Derek worked to reintroduce the beaver, he began to hear stories of the wolf, both real and mythical, and his fascination with this creature grew. With increasing curiosity, Derek started to piece together fragments of information, stories and artefacts to reveal a shadowy creature that first walked proud through these lands and then was hunted to extinction as coexistence turned to fear, hatred – and domination. What Derek came to realize was that the underlying motives behind our hatred were actually far more prosaic and, like most persecutions, to do with power and profit. We turned the wolf into a savage beast and saw its extirpation as a civilizing mission. But the wolf survived far longer than many thought and Derek tells of his sightings of the wolf through folklore and mythology, the records of grand estates and parish churches as well as wolf heads, both real and recreated. With bitingly funny but also tender stories, Hunt for the Shadow Wolf is Derek’s quest to uncover the true nature of this creature because, as we seek to heal our landscape, we must reconcile our relationship with it. Before we can even begin to bring the wolf back, we need to understand it. "I have loved this chase dearly and though what unfolds might be an ending of sorts, I have no intention to let this hunt cease."―Derek Gow, from Hunt for the Shadow Wolf "Gow reinvents what it means to be a guardian of the countryside."—The Guardian


Book Synopsis Hunt for the Shadow Wolf [US Edition] by : Derek Gow

Download or read book Hunt for the Shadow Wolf [US Edition] written by Derek Gow and published by Chelsea Green Publishing. This book was released on 2024-03-07 with total page 135 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Terrific, life-lit moments come howling out of Hunt for the Shadow Wolf."—The Telegraph "[Derek Gow is] a wry, profane truth teller who is equal parts yeoman farmer, historical ecologist, and pirate."—Ben Goldfarb, author of Eager and Crossings "Beautifully crafted, fascinating and unbearably poignant, I totally loved this book."—Isabella Tree, author of Wilding Renowned rewilder Derek Gow has a dream: that one day we will see the return of the wolf to Britain as it has already returned elsewhere. As Derek worked to reintroduce the beaver, he began to hear stories of the wolf, both real and mythical, and his fascination with this creature grew. With increasing curiosity, Derek started to piece together fragments of information, stories and artefacts to reveal a shadowy creature that first walked proud through these lands and then was hunted to extinction as coexistence turned to fear, hatred – and domination. What Derek came to realize was that the underlying motives behind our hatred were actually far more prosaic and, like most persecutions, to do with power and profit. We turned the wolf into a savage beast and saw its extirpation as a civilizing mission. But the wolf survived far longer than many thought and Derek tells of his sightings of the wolf through folklore and mythology, the records of grand estates and parish churches as well as wolf heads, both real and recreated. With bitingly funny but also tender stories, Hunt for the Shadow Wolf is Derek’s quest to uncover the true nature of this creature because, as we seek to heal our landscape, we must reconcile our relationship with it. Before we can even begin to bring the wolf back, we need to understand it. "I have loved this chase dearly and though what unfolds might be an ending of sorts, I have no intention to let this hunt cease."―Derek Gow, from Hunt for the Shadow Wolf "Gow reinvents what it means to be a guardian of the countryside."—The Guardian


Birds, Beasts and Fishes

Birds, Beasts and Fishes

Author: Robert Cameron Lamb

Publisher:

Published: 1964

Total Pages: 184

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK


Book Synopsis Birds, Beasts and Fishes by : Robert Cameron Lamb

Download or read book Birds, Beasts and Fishes written by Robert Cameron Lamb and published by . This book was released on 1964 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


A New Natural History of Birds, Beasts, and Fishes

A New Natural History of Birds, Beasts, and Fishes

Author: John Kirkwood Leys

Publisher:

Published: 1886

Total Pages: 152

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK


Book Synopsis A New Natural History of Birds, Beasts, and Fishes by : John Kirkwood Leys

Download or read book A New Natural History of Birds, Beasts, and Fishes written by John Kirkwood Leys and published by . This book was released on 1886 with total page 152 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


The Book of Wilding

The Book of Wilding

Author: Isabella Tree

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2023-05-11

Total Pages: 639

ISBN-13: 1526659301

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Important and empowering' - BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH 'Get this great guide and be inspired' - STEPHEN FRY 'A handbook of hope ... Buy it, read it, start changing things right now' - JOANNA LUMLEY _______________ The enormity of climate change and biodiversity loss can leave us feeling overwhelmed. How can an individual ever make a difference? Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell know firsthand how spectacularly nature can bounce back if you give it the chance. And what comes is not just wildlife in super-abundance, but solutions to the other environmental crises we face. The Book of Wilding is a handbook for how we can all help restore nature. It is ambitious, visionary and pragmatic. The book has grown out of Isabella and Charlie's mission to help rewild Britain, Europe and the rest of the world by sharing knowledge from their pioneering project at Knepp in Sussex. It is inspired by the requests they receive from people wanting to learn how to rewild everything from unprofitable farms, landed estates and rivers, to ponds, allotments, churchyards, urban parks, gardens, window boxes and public spaces.. The Book of Wilding has the answers. _______________ 'Brilliantly readable and incredibly hard-working' - HUGH FEARNLEY-WHITTINGSTALL 'A deep, dazzling and indispensable guide to the most important task of all: the restoration of the living planet' - GEORGE MONBIOT


Book Synopsis The Book of Wilding by : Isabella Tree

Download or read book The Book of Wilding written by Isabella Tree and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2023-05-11 with total page 639 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Important and empowering' - BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH 'Get this great guide and be inspired' - STEPHEN FRY 'A handbook of hope ... Buy it, read it, start changing things right now' - JOANNA LUMLEY _______________ The enormity of climate change and biodiversity loss can leave us feeling overwhelmed. How can an individual ever make a difference? Isabella Tree and Charlie Burrell know firsthand how spectacularly nature can bounce back if you give it the chance. And what comes is not just wildlife in super-abundance, but solutions to the other environmental crises we face. The Book of Wilding is a handbook for how we can all help restore nature. It is ambitious, visionary and pragmatic. The book has grown out of Isabella and Charlie's mission to help rewild Britain, Europe and the rest of the world by sharing knowledge from their pioneering project at Knepp in Sussex. It is inspired by the requests they receive from people wanting to learn how to rewild everything from unprofitable farms, landed estates and rivers, to ponds, allotments, churchyards, urban parks, gardens, window boxes and public spaces.. The Book of Wilding has the answers. _______________ 'Brilliantly readable and incredibly hard-working' - HUGH FEARNLEY-WHITTINGSTALL 'A deep, dazzling and indispensable guide to the most important task of all: the restoration of the living planet' - GEORGE MONBIOT


The Birds and the Beasts Were There: The Joys of Birdwatching and Wildlife Observation in California's Richest Habitat

The Birds and the Beasts Were There: The Joys of Birdwatching and Wildlife Observation in California's Richest Habitat

Author: Margaret Millar

Publisher: Soho Press

Published: 2018-07-03

Total Pages: 242

ISBN-13: 1681990261

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Santa Barbara in the 1960s was home to two of the 20th century’s most important mystery writers, Margaret Millar and her husband, Ken (Ross Macdonald). It was also home to nearly 400 species of bird. This is the charming story of Ken and Maggie’s quest to see them all. The addiction that is birdwatching comes to vivid life in Margaret Millar’s delightful memoir of her early days as a naturalist. Part autobiography and part birdwatcher’s journal, it is a moving elegy to a bygone place and time. Millar brings her meticulous plotting and no small amount of suspense to these charming stories of a belligerent brown towhee named Houdunit, a larcenous raven called Melanie, and a rat who carefully ferments his grapes before eating them, to name only a few. Ornithology was a passion for both Ken and Maggie and they devoted their lives to it with the same keen sense of detail and, in the case of Margaret, storytelling vigor as they brought to their writing. In this book, the only memoir she wrote, Millar takes us on her journey from curious amateur to obsessive completionist. It is a phenomenon nearly any birding enthusiast will recognize. Ken and Margaret Millar were founding members of the Santa Barbara Audubon Society.


Book Synopsis The Birds and the Beasts Were There: The Joys of Birdwatching and Wildlife Observation in California's Richest Habitat by : Margaret Millar

Download or read book The Birds and the Beasts Were There: The Joys of Birdwatching and Wildlife Observation in California's Richest Habitat written by Margaret Millar and published by Soho Press. This book was released on 2018-07-03 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Santa Barbara in the 1960s was home to two of the 20th century’s most important mystery writers, Margaret Millar and her husband, Ken (Ross Macdonald). It was also home to nearly 400 species of bird. This is the charming story of Ken and Maggie’s quest to see them all. The addiction that is birdwatching comes to vivid life in Margaret Millar’s delightful memoir of her early days as a naturalist. Part autobiography and part birdwatcher’s journal, it is a moving elegy to a bygone place and time. Millar brings her meticulous plotting and no small amount of suspense to these charming stories of a belligerent brown towhee named Houdunit, a larcenous raven called Melanie, and a rat who carefully ferments his grapes before eating them, to name only a few. Ornithology was a passion for both Ken and Maggie and they devoted their lives to it with the same keen sense of detail and, in the case of Margaret, storytelling vigor as they brought to their writing. In this book, the only memoir she wrote, Millar takes us on her journey from curious amateur to obsessive completionist. It is a phenomenon nearly any birding enthusiast will recognize. Ken and Margaret Millar were founding members of the Santa Barbara Audubon Society.