Tuesday 29 June 2010

Top Publication uses RN Images . . . .
Before the new 'Fair Isle' publication (see previous blog entry below) which I was thrilled to be a part of & supply images for, I also supplied images for another exciting Collins, 'New Naturalist' title, this time: 'Bird Migration' by well known author Ian Newton. . . .

"The phenomenon of bird migration has fascinated people since time immemorial: the arrivals and departures of different species marked the seasons, heralding spring and autumn, and providing a reliable calendar long before anything better became available. Centuries ago, when people first noticed that birds disappeared in winter, it was believed that summer-visiting Barn Swallows buried themselves in the mud at the bottom of ponds, while winter-visiting Barnacle Geese were thought to turn into gooseneck barnacles for the summer, living submerged in the shallow seas.

The truth, however, is more awe-inspiring than even the most intriguing folk tales. The collective travel routes of birds span almost the entire globe, with some extreme return journeys covering more than 30,000 km every year. The tiny Willow Warbler, a delicate 8 g bird, undertakes some of the longest and most arduous journeys of any land bird, and the extraordinarily long-lived Manx Shearwater is known to fly over 8 million km during its lifetime.

In this seminal new book, Ian Newton provides an in-depth study of the different types of bird movements along with their main migration patterns. He focuses on the process of migration, which includes timing, energy needs, weather effects and navigation, and he explores evolution and change in migratory behaviour, as well as geographical and ecological patterns. Professor Newton's absorbing account of an extraordinary phenomenon which does not cease to amaze us offers a wealth of information which will be read and enjoyed by expert and amateur alike." . . . . .

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