by Merritt Gibson and Soren Bondrup-Nielsen. Illustrated by Twila Robar-DeCoste.Gaspereau Press)
~ Halifax Herald, December 2008
When temperatures plummet, trees stand bare, and fields and forests are blanketed in white, it often appears that birds and animals have either flown south or burrowed underground to wait it out. Not so!
Winter Nature is a naturalist’s guide to the mammals, birds, trees and shrubs found in the Maritime provinces in winter. These pages are littered with little known facts and survival methods of birds and wildlife and the winter landscape they inhabit. Have you ever heard of a ‘yard of deer’? Do you know where to find ‘subnivean space’? Would you recognize coyote tracks in the snow? The answers are all here.
Winter Nature: Common Mammals, Birds, Trees & Shrubs of The Maritimes is a guide for naturalists, hikers and cross country skiers, indeed, for anyone who enjoys the outdoors in winter. A clear, descriptive narrative and detailed black and white sketches by Twila Robar-DeCoste make Winter Nature an interesting and informative guide.
Wildlife activity in winter takes on different rhythms, and birds such as the Snowy Owl and the Rough Legged Hawk, whose summer home is the Arctic, actually make the Maritimes their winter destination. Birds and animals on the prowl for food such as leaves, bark, berries or smaller mammals leave their footprints crisscrossed on the snow’s surface. For the naturalist, these prints mark clearly the pathways of wildlife whose habits and habitants are much less visible than when temperatures are warmer.
Robar-DeCoste’s careful sketches make it easy to identify birds, mammals, berries, twigs and trees, and the chapter on mammal tracks alone will encourage every winter walker to slip this guide into a pocket before setting out. Scattered throughout are suggestions for winter activities, such as how to measure the snow profile, and what to consider when setting up bird feeders.
The guide is well laid out and easy to use, even for a novice or a ‘wannabee’ naturalist. It is separated into three sections: mammals, birds and trees/shrubs. Sub-sectional groupings break down categories even further, and each species entry is accompanied by a detailed sketch. At the back, an index and a list of reference guides make navigation simple and provide resources for further investigation. Robar-DeCoste’s original black and white sketches are a perfect complement to this well written, thoughtfully designed book.
