The start of the twenty-first century brought on Massive Ontogenetic Regulation Failure Syndrome, or just MORFS, to the fear of adolescents, since it might cause small or drastic changes. Among the drastic changes were gaining of characteristics of other species, sex changes, or even special powers. A young soldier that is somewhat purist is on assignment in a laboratory where MORFS is studied. However, not everything is as it seems. Then something goes wrong, and suddenly all his views are all turned around as he changes to the other side of the MORFS divide.
Kansas is a bird-watcher's paradise, with its key location at the hub of the hemisphere's migration corridors and exceptional habitat diversity; 470 avian species have been documented within its borders. From spectacularly beautiful birds like Painted Buntings to elegant migrants like Hudsonian Godwits, birders can find abundant rewards every time they take to the field. The Guide to Kansas Birds and Birding Hot Spots focuses on 295 species that are most likely to be encountered in the state. It helps occasional day-trippers or backyard observers identify and learn about birds that regularly occur in Kansas, with stunning color photos that enable those new to the hobby to identify their discoveries, plus tips on where to search for these species with the greatest likelihood of success. Gress and Janzen have produced an exceptionally well-organized guide that divides birds into 18 groups based on similarity in appearance, habitat, or behavior, following taxonomic order only partially to make identification easier for the beginner. The entry for each bird gives its size, identifying features (including sexual and seasonal distinctions), and where and when it can be found. And each account includes a brilliant color photo of an adult of the species, with additional views of selected birds to illustrate male, female, or juvenile plumages. The authors point out the best birding locations in the state-more than two dozen hot spots of which they have intimate knowledge-that reflect utterly different bird communities thriving only a few hours apart. They also provide a checklist for all state birds, a calendar of Kansas bird activity, and recommendations for binoculars and other field guides.
From the award-winning birder and author of Birds of Prey, an authoritative, information-packed guide to distinguishing North American birds. In this book, bursting with more information than any field guide could hold, the well-known author and birder Pete Dunne introduces readers to the “Cape May School of Birding.” It's an approach to identification that gives equal or more weight to a bird's structure and shape and the observer's overall impression (often called GISS, for General Impression of Size and Shape) than to specific field marks. After determining the most likely possibilities by considering such factors as habitat and season, the birder uses characteristics such as size, shape, color, behavior, flight pattern, and vocalizations to identify a bird. The book provides an arsenal of additional hints and helpful clues to guide a birder when, even after a review of a field guide, the identification still hangs in the balance. This supplement to field guides shares the knowledge and skills that expert birders bring to identification challenges. Birding should be an enjoyable pursuit for beginners and experts alike, and Pete Dunne combines a unique playfulness with the work of identification. Readers will delight in his nicknames for birds, from the Grinning Loon and Clearly the Bathtub Duck to Bronx Petrel and Chicken Garnished with a Slice of Mango and a Dollop of Raspberry Sherbet.
Pete Dunne has taught birding to beginners for years, but he has never found the right book to help them get started. Now the popular birding author identifies the skills and tools available to people with any amount of interest, great or small, in bird watching. Beginning with backyard birding and moving through a quick but comprehensive survey of tools of the trade, Dunne outlines ten basic, simple steps in bird identification that can make a birder out of the most casual of observers. He goes on to show beginning birders how to use their skills to explore new horizons through birding by ear, birding by telescope, and finding and identifying rare or difficult birds. Written in the lively, authoritative style that has made Dunne one of the most popular writers in this field today, Pete Dunne on Bird Watching will inspire in readers both a growing passion for birding and a lifelong respect for the natural world and its inhabitants.
Isolated for at least 120 million years, Madagascar has developed a unique flora and fauna. The fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar has 260 species of birds, no fewer than 108 of which are endemic and a further 25 of which are endemic to the Malagasy Region (Madagascar, the Comoros, Mauritius, Reunion, and their outlying islands). This book is a photographic field guide to the avifauna of Madagascar. The text for each species describes all known plumages likely to be encountered in Madagascar, vocalizations (many of which have not been previously described), habitat and behavior, range within Madagascar and worldwide, status (including taxonomic notes where relevant, subspecies, and global conservation status), and where to locate the species in Madagascar. There is also an invaluable section that summarizes distinctions from similar species. The introduction gives an overview of the birds found on Madagascar and the habitat zones where they are most likely to occur. There is also a short gazetteer to the major birdwatching locations on the island that, together with the where to watch section of the species accounts, should enable prospective visitors to plan their itineraries so that they can see nearly all the Madagascan endemics and regularly occurring species.
From our own backyards to the rim of the Arctic ice, countless birds have adapted to meet the challenges of the winter season. This is their remarkable story, told by award-winning birder and acclaimed writer Pete Dunne, accompanied by illustrations from renowned artist and birder David Sibley. Despite the seasonal life-sapping cold, birds have evolved strategies that meet winter’s vicissitudes head on, driven by the imperative to make it to spring and pass down their genes to the next generation. The drama of winter and the resilience and adaptability of birds witnessed in the harsher months of the calendar is both fascinating and astonishing. In The Courage of Birds, Pete Dunne—winner of the American Birding Association’s Roger Tory Peterson Award for lifetime achievement in promoting the cause of birding—chronicles the behavior of the birds of North America. He expertly explores widespread adaptations, such as feathers that protect against the cold, and unpacks the unique migration patterns and survival strategies of individual species. Dunne also addresses the impact of changing climatic conditions on avian longevity and recounts personal anecdotes that soar with a naturalist’s gimlet eye. Filled with unforgettable facts, wit, and moving observations on the natural world, Dunne’s book is for everyone; from the serious birder who tracks migration patterns, to the casual birder who logs daily reports on eBird, to the backyard observer who throws a handful of seed out for the Northern Cardinals and wonders how the birds magically appear in the garden when temperatures begin to fall. Praise for Pete Dunne “Dunne’s prose is lyrical, sensitive, and full of feeling.” —Ted Floyd, editor, Birding “Pete is arguably North America’s best and best-known birder—and he’s also a terrific writer.” —Scott Shalaway, author and former syndicated nature columnist Praise for David Sibley “There are 47 million birdwatchers. But there is only one David Sibley. . . . He is a boon to both the birding world and the art world.” —The National Audubon Society “[His] exacting artwork and wide-ranging expertise bring observed behaviors vividly to life.” —Birdwatching
Ex-SAS soldier Pete Scholey tells the action-packed stories of 20 of his SAS colleagues. From WWII to Iraq the SAS has been at the forefront of armed conflict, though most people wouldn't realise it was even there. Universally acknowledged as the best special forces in the world, every member of the Regiment is a hero in his own right. However, even amongst these remarkable soldiers there are those who stand out. SAS Heroes contains former SAS soldier Pete Scholey's memories of 20 such warriors who are true heroes, although many were never recognised as such during their lives or even in death. It is a collection of stories about soldiers who fought for their country with no desire to be famous, fêted or rewarded, some of whom died in action. A few received medals, and all earned the respect and admiration of their fellow soldiers.
The true story of a legendary SAS soldier who participated in the battle of Mirbat and assaulted the Iranian Embassy to free the hostages held within. No publicity, no media. We move in silently, do our job, and melt away into the background. If you have the stamina, the willpower and the guts, we'll welcome you with open arms and make you one of us. And if you haven't, then it's been very nice knowing you. Eighteen years in the SAS saw Pete Winner, codenamed Soldier 'I', survive the savage battle of Mirbat, parachute into the icy depths of the South Atlantic at the height of the Falklands War, and storm the Iranian Embassy during the most famous hostage crisis in the modern world. For the first time Pete also details his close-protection work around the world, from the lawless streets of Moscow to escorting aid convoys into war-torn Bosnia. He also unveils the problems of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder faced by many Special Forces veterans, and how he battled his own demons to continue his roller-coaster career. This is his story, written with a breathtaking take-no-prisoners attitude that brings each death-defying episode vividly to life.
Birding is one of the most popular and fastest-growing outdoor activities, but it can seem intimidating for beginners who don't know where, when, or how to search for birds. Fortunately, Pete Dunne, one of the most popular and respected writers in the field, has written a guide that will help even the most casual observers identify the skills and tools they need to develop their interest in birding. • Popular how-to guide revised, updated, and now with color photos • For beginners and birders who want to improve their skills • Improve your odds of success with tips to get the most out of your equipment
A visually stunning, comprehensive resource on North America’s birds of prey, from the award-winning birder and author of Gulls Simplified. Always a popular group of birds, raptors symbolize freedom and fierceness, and in Pete Dunne’s definitive guide, these traits are portrayed in hundreds of stunning color photographs showing raptors up close, in flight, and in action—fighting, hunting, and nesting. These gorgeous photographs enhance the comprehensive, authoritative text, which goes far beyond identification to cover raptor ecology, behavior, conservation, and much more. In returning to his forte and his first love, Pete Dunne has crafted a benchmark book on raptors: the first place to turn for any question about these highly popular birds, whether it’s what they eat, where they live, or how they behave. “Birds of Prey is exhaustively researched and complemented by a stunning collection of photos, but the real highlight is…Dunne’s writing. He weaves together personal anecdotes, historical accounts, and technical information to create something greater than the sum of all its parts: a beautiful, authoritative, and engagingly written guide to the natural history of North American hawks.”—David Sibley, author of The Sibley Guide to Birds “Books about raptors used to fall into two major categories: field guides versus nature writing. No more!...Dunne’s new book skillfully conjoins those two genres. Life a good field guide, Birds of Prey is authoritative and utilitarian, and like our finest nature writing, Dunne’s prose is lyrical, sensitive, and full of feeling.”—Ted Floyd, editor, Birding
Species acclimatization--the organized introduction of organisms to a new region--is much maligned in the present day. However, colonization depended on moving people, plants, and animals from place to place, and in centuries past, scientists, landowners, and philanthropists formed acclimatization societies to study local species and conditions, form networks of supporters, and exchange supposedly useful local and exotic organisms across the globe. Pete Minard tells the story of this movement, arguing that the colonies, not the imperial centers, led the movement for species acclimatization. Far from attempting to re-create London or Paris, settlers sought to combine plants and animals to correct earlier environmental damage and to populate forests, farms, and streams to make them healthier and more productive. By focusing particularly on the Australian colony of Victoria, Minard reveals a global network of would-be acclimatizers, from Britain and France to Russia and the United States. Although the movement was short-lived, the long reach of nineteenth-century acclimatization societies continues to be felt today, from choked waterways to the uncontrollable expansion of European pests in former colonies.
Focusing on families and their shared traits makes bird identification easier than ever. This guide takes readers beyond merely identifying birds to understanding them. Many birders can tell the difference between a White-eyed and Bell's Vireo but cannot begin to describe a vireo and what distinguishes members of this family from warblers or flycatchers. The "species by species" approach makes it difficult to appreciate birds for what they are: members of well-organized groupings united by common traits. Putting the focus on families, and their shared characteristics, makes bird identification easier and more meaningful. More than 150 color photos illustrate the 81 bird families of the United States and Canada.
This book covers the remarkable success of a second-generation Polish kid who, at the age of eighteen, enlisted in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He was one of less than a handful of basic airmen who rose to the rank of four-star general. More importantly, it covers the reincarnation of WW II Air Commandos under the code name of Jungle Jim, as well as US combat air operations from 1961 through 1967 flying obsolete B-26s and the newest jet fighter, the F-4D. Then airman Piotrowski qualified for aviation cadet training and earned his first wings as a navigator and electronic warfare officer (EWO). Following assignments in Korea and Japan, he returned to the United States for pilot training ranking number one in his class and qualifying for jet fighters. He was selected for Project Jungle Jim and became a leading air force expert in conventional weapons and tactics. His flying ability, combat experience, and tactical expertise led to his assignment at the Air Force Top Gun School to instruct air force generals headed for Vietnam on conventional weapons and tactics. Following school and staff assignments, he was selected to command the Fortieth Tactical Group, Aviano, Italy. He led the group for three years, receiving a rating as “Best Wing in the USAF.” Following Aviano, he was a special assistant to, and troubleshooter for, General Jones, air force chief. Shortly thereafter, he was selected to build the 552nd AWAC equipped with the E-3A aircraft and bring it to combat status. For his outstanding leadership of the 552nd AWAC Wing he received the prestigious Secretary of the Air Force Zukert Award.
A diary of a birder's ideal year follows the author and his wife on their birding trips to the Arctic, the Everglades, the Northeast, the Southwest, and Canada.
MAGGIE: In 2019 we gave up the constraints of a frequently frantic existence to live and travel in a campervan for a year; to be in the flow of life; trusting the great mystery of the universe to guide us. We got far more than we expected. The truth is that the truth is stranger than fiction. PETE: On our adventures we encountered sea turtles on a remote island; a mystical prophet woman in an Aborigine rainforest; were bitten by a rare spider; visited most of the Lord of the Rings film locations with uncanny ramifications; collected Maori tea; encountered mysterious Broch energies, and many more weird and wonderful experiences This is: HISstory and HERstory Sit back and come with us on an adventure.
All three novels from Lis Wiehl's supernatural mystery series are now available in one collection! “This smart, spooky, high-stakes mystery engaged my mind and my spirit. Tommy and Dani’s battle against the seen and unseen forces rising in East Salem has only just begun, but I’m fully invested in their journey.” —Erin Healy, bestselling author of Motherless and The Baker’s Wife Waking Hours Welcome to East Salem. A deceptively sleepy town where ancient supernatural forces are being awakened. A local high-school girl is found murdered in a park amid horse farms and the wealthy homes of northern Westchester County, New York. The shocking manner of her death intrigues forensic psychiatrist Dani Harris. All the suspects are teenagers who were at a party with the girl—yet none remembers what happened. Could one of them be a vicious killer? Or is something more sinister afoot—something tied to an ancient evil? Darkness Rising The evil in East Salem is no longer content to hide in the shadows. The stakes—and the darkness—are rising. Dani Harris thought there wasn’t much left that could surprise her after serving as a forensic psychiatrist in East Salem. And Tommy Gunderson has faced few challenges in his life that he couldn’t overcome by either physical strength or his celebrity status. But as they race to uncover what’s really happening behind the high walls of St. Adrian’s Academy, it becomes clear that supernatural forces have been at work here for generations. And now their focus is on making sure Dani and Tommy don’t interfere. Fatal Tide In East Salem, the elite St. Adrian’s Academy is at the nexus of a satanic apocalypse—and the fatal tide is rising. When Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights is reunited with the pagans who commissioned it, a dark prophecy begins to unfold in East Salem, beginning with a savage double-murder by hellish creatures straight out of the painting itself. The lone survivor of the attack, a seventeen-year-old Brit, finds sanctuary at Tommy Gunderson’s home—and the place is soon surrounded by demons who seem to be biding their time . . . but for how long? “A gripping plot, intriguing characters, supernatural underpinnings, and a splash of romance make Waking Hours a fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable read. I want the next book in the series now!” —James L. Rubart, bestselling author of The Man He Never Wasand Rooms
When a bill creating the Big Thicket National Preserve was signed into law, it climaxed more than half a century of environmental debate, planning and destruction. The preserve opened new vistas for recreation. In this revised and updated version, Gunter not only describes the history and rich diversity of the region saved from the bulldozers of real estate developers and lumber companies, but also the dimensions of the new Big Thicket Preserve. He makes it possible to plan a trip there by including descriptions of each stream corridor unit, maps and canoeing conditions, hiking trails, and camping facilities. He lists representative flora and fauna. The book provides a background—both historical and biological—which will make clear just what the visitor to the Big Thicket is seeing; why it has mattered, and why it will continue to matter.
Climbing Lessons describes the work of an instructor of outdoor pursuits from the late 1960s to the early 1990s. It is set mainly at an outdoor-education centre in Derbyshire, northern England. The book is accessible to casual, non-specialist readers as well as to outdoor professionals. It presents outdoor education in plain English. Climbing Lessons gives one person’s perspective. It covers one period. Its style differs sharply and deliberately from that of academic works on outdoor education. The author turned somersaults to avoid the jargon of education. One tertiary lecturer remarked: ‘I made use of one of the chapters in a new unit ... I was struck by how accurately it reflects the reality of working in an outdoor centre … ’ Page size: A5 Covers: Softback Number of pages: 384 About: Outdoor Education, Outdoor Leadership, Rockclimbing, Caving, Walking, Derbyshire.
In East Salem, the elite St. Adrian’s Academy is at the nexus of a satanic apocalypse—and the fatal tide is rising. When Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights is reunited with the pagans who commissioned it, a dark prophecy begins to unfold in East Salem, beginning with a savage double-murder by hellish creatures straight out of the painting itself. The lone survivor of the attack, a seventeen-year-old Brit, finds sanctuary at Tommy Gunderson’s home—and the place is soon surrounded by demons who seem to be biding their time . . . but for how long? Tommy’s pond has been contaminated with Provivilan—an insidious drug that could transform New York City’s children into an army of violence addicted murderers. But for an occult cabal in the upper echelons of Linz Pharmaceuticals, contaminating the water supply is just part of an ancient conspiracy against all of humankind. As the clouds gather, Tommy and Dani realize they must infiltrate Linz and St. Adrian’s to stop the dissemination of Provivilan. Even then, it could take a tangible eruption of the battle between angels and demons to save humanity from the supernatural evils that have been summoned to East Salem.
This revised, new edition is perfectly designed for mainstream travellers who want to access the best of the No. 1 emerging destination for 2007. This book delivers: expert advice, tracking down the best sights and experiences; detailed background on people, geography, culture and history; clear and accurate mapping for orientation at country, region and city levels; suggested walks and tours to somewhere a little different; impartial and dependable sleeping, eating and entertainment listings; full colour throughout, with over 140 photographs; and, comprehensive coverage of Sofia and Environs, Central Bulgaria including the Valley of the Roses and Veliko Turnovo, Rila Monastery, Bansko and Borovets, Plovdiv, and The Black Sea Coast including Burgas and Varna. "Travellers" are popular, compact guides for mainstream travellers wanting to discover something a little different on their trip. Covering the very best of country, regional and city destinations, they offer the perfect balance of culture, history, practical information, mapping, photography and listings to appeal to a mass-market readership.
W**kers! Cheese! Eeezamanna! Pete Bennett, the 24-year-old Tourette's sufferer who shot to fame as winner of Big Brother 7, stole the nation's heart with his outrageous, loveable nature. Pete's incredible autobiography reveals what the tabloids didn't see. His story will make you cry, have you in stitches, and inspire you with its amazing hones
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