Book Review - Wildlife of the Eastern Caribbean - Princeton University Press

      I admit to being ignorant of the authors of this book until now, (I assume they are a husband and wife team), but they have impressed me with this volume. What a grand idea to publish a guide covering the full scope of the wildlife of the Eastern Caribbean. To compress all of the organisms into one volume is brilliant both in concept and execution, and the book is still not unreasonably large or heavy.

     It is apparent from the get-go that the Hollidays have a deep understanding of this area of the world, and we benefit from their accumulated knowledge and experience. I have visited this region several times over many years, and would have benefitted greatly had this guide been my companion.

     The only guide I ever had was the first edition of Birds of the West Indies, a classic in its own right, but dealing only with birds, of course. Princeton published a magnificent second edition in 2020, updated and enhanced in myriad ways - but still only birds. 

     Now, in one volume I have an excellent reference to many other forms of wildlife - reptiles, amphibians, mammals, arthropods, insects, dragonflies and damselflies, butterflies and moths, and even land snails.

     The photographs are glorious and the descriptions succinct and informative, containing all the information necessary to identify species in the wild. This, of course, is exactly what a good field guide should do. How pleasant it would have been in times past to have been birding on a beach in Barbados to have a ready reference to the crabs that scurried along the sand ahead of me, or that snake in Martinique that slithered away unidentified.

     More people watch birds than any other form of wildlife, but every birder develops an abiding curiosity about other lifeforms, and in the same way that he or she is driven to attach a name to the bird in the binocular field, there develops an imperative to identify and name other organisms. Therein lies the essence of natural history, a curiosity for all living things, the drive to name them, and the need to know more.

     I am very happy to have this book. My Caribbean explorations in recent years have been in the western islands, particularly Cuba, but I feel a surge of wanderlust urging me to once again visit the eastern archipelago.

     Rest assured this book will go with me!

     

Wildlife of the Eastern Caribbean - Princeton University Press (WILDGuides)

Steve Holliday and Gill Holliday

US$29.95 - UK£25.00 - ISBN: 9780691199818

320 pages - 5.88 x 8.25 inches (14.7 x 20.625 cm)

750+ colour illustrations

Publishing date: 01 July, 2025

The Girl in the Pink Hat

      Some of you will no doubt recall a post some time ago (here) when a charming little girl in a pink hat captivated me, and I suspect many others out for a walk in the park that day.

      Her name is Sasha.

     Who could not be taken in by that impish smile? I arranged with her mom, Megha, to take her for a walk along the Mill Race to hand feed a chickadee or two.

     Sasha brought along her friend, Idhikaa, to join in the fun.

     And so, one evening, we set off to see some birds and coax the chickadees to get to know Sasha. Unbelievably, I don't think I have ever had a slower evening of birding in this location, and despite our best efforts and a copious supply of sunflower seed, we barely heard or saw a chickadee, let alone fed one.

     We had a great time together, however, and Sasha seemed quite happy to load up each chipmunk hole with seed; the chipmunks certainly benefitted from the lack of birds.

     Idhikaa was a delightful companion and we were very happy that Megha had brought her along.

     There were trees to climb and the girls needed no encouragement to test their skills.

     Took me right back to my own childhood!

     Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus) nodded in the background.

     This flower is in the genus Anemonastratum but I am not sure of the exact species.

     A Philadelphia Fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus) seemed reluctant to open up.

     What secrets lurk inside this old stump, we wondered?

     This is a female damselfly (suborder Zygoptera), perhaps waiting for a suitor to come along.

     It is always a pleasure to see Red Clover (Trifolium pratense).

     Water droplets on leaves are scintillating.

     This handsome little fellow is a Green Immigrant Leaf Weevil (Polydrusus formosus).

     Broadleaf Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifola) is a signature plant along the Mill Race.

     Water Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis scorpioides) is found alongside the water's edge.

     Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) was an object of delight for the girls.

     It wasn't always easy to find a flat stone to skim on the water, but it's fun to throw a stone and watch the ripples anyway.

     Dusk was descending as we meandered back to our cars.

     We hadn't been able to feed a chickadee but we'd had a very enjoyable time together anyway. Let's do it again soon!

Book Review - Trees of Britain and Ireland - Princeton University Press (WILDGuides)

 

     As the daily news continues to remind us that we have already entered an era of global warming, and some retrograde governments around the world are actually promoting a return to fossil fuels, a book on trees is especially timely. Trees are important in carbon capture and the provision of oxygen, yet we continue to cut them down without regard for the future, and as the planet heats up wildfires of increased ferocity and duration consume ancient forests and woodlands. It's past time to come to our senses.

     This delightful book is remarkable from many angles. It identifies and describes 113 British and Irish native trees, in addition to another 190 introduced species and hybrids. Each account is accompanied by a phenomenal series of colour photographs - a visual entrancement in every way.

     There is a delicious irony in that there are descriptions of familiar North American trees making this volume a very good reference source for the trees we see at home.

     The species coverage is terrific with many colour photographs (3,000 of them, in fact) to highlight and beautify the text. 

     In addition to the descriptions of individual trees there are extensive sections on leaves, cones, buds, fruit, winter twigs, flowers, predatory insects, fungi,  parasites- a complete picture of what makes a tree a tree, and what you need to know to identify them at all seasons of the year.

     Knowing is loving, and loving leads to nurture and protection. Or so we might hope. Reality is sometimes a cruel teacher, however!

     I have for years been a keen admirer of Oliver Rackham, that erstwhile doyen of English forests, and I have little doubt that he would have been mightily pleased with this volume.

       He might even have learned from it, he perhaps would have been validated by it, his praise would have been effusive. The pictures alone would have set off his salivary glands and in his own inimitable way he would have touted its virtues to arborists and tree devotees everywhere.

     In my world there is no greater praise than that. 

     Bravo, Jon Stokes, for a job well done! 

Tree of Britain and Ireland - Princeton University Press (WILDGuides)

Jon Stokes

US$24.95 - UK£20.00 - ISBN: 9780691224169

360 pages - 5.88 x 8.25 inches (14.7 x 20.625 cm)

3,000 colour photographs - 270 illustrations

Publication date: USA, 04 June, 2025

                             UK, 22 April, 2025

Grass Lake and F.W.R. Dickson Wilderness Area

08 June, 2025

Grass Lake, Cambridge, ON

     We were delighted to have Victoria join us for a pleasant excursion to search for some of the signature birds of the area.

     Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) is almost guaranteed given the abundance of suitable habitat.

     It is an enchanting little bird and an enthusiastic chorister.

     Bobolink (Dolichonxy oryzivorus) is suffering from serious loss of habitat throughout its range and is barely hanging on in some locations. Fortunately Grass Lake remains a stronghold for this species.

     We heard the "clarion bir-rrrrrrt calls of the adults," (Johnsgard 1981), frustratingly distant, however, but finally a single Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) glided over a distant copse of trees.

      A while later we watched a single crane land in a bare field (we assume it was the same bird) and it paraded around for a while much to our delight.

F.W.R. Dickson Wilderness Area, Cambridge, ON

     Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) is an invasive species, yet undeniably beautiful

     This ghostly insect has me baffled. It is is the order Lepidoptera but I am unable to tell you more than that.

     A Common Eastern Bumble Bee (Bombus impatiens) was well concealed.

     Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) was very common, never shy about approaching a two-legged creature that might have food.

     Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura) were their usual elegant selves.

     An Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) announced its presence with song before we spotted it.

     The fearsome insect shown below is a member of the Common Flesh Flies (genus Sarcophaga).

     A Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) joyfully announced its presence with its characteristic emphatic "weep" call, but it was a few minutes before we spotted it, not well posed for a picture unfortunately.

     Several Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) were spotted, including two posturing males.

     Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus) is keen to befriend humans and it came as no surprise that several kept us company, and were quick to gather up their share of the sunflower seeds we distributed along the rail.

     Contemplative humans.

     Guelder-Rose (Viburnum opulus) was at its floral best.

     Muscoid Flies (superfamily Muscoidea) were in profusion.

     So many birds perched on snags, silhouetted against a wan sky, making it difficult to get good definition on the photographs, as seen here in this image of a Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula).

      Sassafras (genus Sassafras) is beautiful.

     Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is sometimes seen in very odd plumages as evidenced by this individual.

     Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) were their normal energetic selves.

     Many of the birds were quite far off, this Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) being no exception.

     Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata), on the other hand, did not stray far from the boardwalk where the possibility of food provided by humans was a lure.

     A female Eastern Forktail (Ischnura verticalis) is a splendid insect.

     Horsetails (genus Equisetum) are a bane to the gardener, but very attractive in their native habitat.

     When one sees an Eastern Phantom Crane Fly (Bittacomorpha clavipes) it's sometimes difficult to figure out how all the parts go together!

     F.W.R. Dickson Reserve has become a reliable location to find Tufted Titmouse (Baelophus bicolor), a species which I am convinced is undergoing a range expansion, and is almost certainly now breeding locally.

     A Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) posed briefly.

     A male Ruby-throated Humingbird (Archilocus colubris) guarded his territory from a high perch and chased away all intruders.

       A Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) kept returning to the same spot on a distant snag.

     It was far too slender for a potential nest site, so I assume that plentiful insect larvae were there for the taking.

     A carpenter ant (genus Campanotus) patrolled up and down the wooden rail, wandering aimlessly as far as we could tell, with no sign of nestmates.

     I had the great pleasure recently of meeting the great dipterist, Stephen A. Marshall, and chatting for a while. Would that he had been with me to identify this fly (order Diptera) who seemed to take a liking to my hand.

     A Short-horned Click Beetle (Danosoma brevicorne) stopped by the car as we left for home.

     In fact, if my memory serves me well, s/he rode along with us. Perhaps s/he was looking for a vacation in Waterloo - and after all, who can turn down a free ride? Sometimes a change of scenery is just what you need!