Book Review - Costa Rica's Rainforests: The Natural History of the Plants and Animals of La Selva - Princeton University Press

      On this Earth there are mere mortals, and those exalted beings who have spent time at La Selva! I count myself among the latter. There is magic in the air in Costa Rica - always, everywhere - but the magic is elevated to its pinnacle at La Selva.

     Scott Wesley Shumway has done a terrific job in writing a complete account of La Selva's biodiversity and its place in contemporary tropical studies. In addition to being a world-renowned, distinguished research facility, La Selva welcomes ecotourists and spares no effort in disseminating information to all who visit. If you are present when it pours rain they will explain hydrology and transpiration to you!

     Many casual visitors are birders and the birding genie is let out of the bottle immediately upon arrival!

     Species that are elusive elsewhere seem to be especially cooperative at La Selva; no doubt the fact that the guides know exactly where to look plays a major role in this. I remember as though it were yesterday having prolonged views of Great Tinamou and my first ever Great Curassows perched in a tree above my head. Shumway reports, "As of 2021,480 species of birds have been identified by researchers and resident naturalists at La Selva." These same resident naturalists always seem to have the time to provide information and answer questions.

     There is more than birds, of course, and Shumway has done a magnificent job in pulling together all the component parts of an integrated neotropical ecosystem.

     This book is a field guide, a first class field guide in fact, but it is much more than that. From page to page, cover to cover, it is filled with information. Want to know about hummingbirds? Then obviously you'll need to understand the flowers they feed on. Did you know that mites travel from flower to flower on hummingbird bills? How about the mechanism by which they collect nectar? All of this kind of information is provided for every taxa covered in the book. The superb photographs do aid in identification but it is the cornucopia of information that sets this book apart.

     Shumway writes with a fluid, easy style, combining his years as a teacher with an intimate knowledge of the biology of this region, and, perhaps most importantly a deep love for it. All its creatures are special, all have their role to play, all are acknowledged in all their glorious diversity and individuality.

     I have visited Costa Rica four times and it is unlikely that I will do so again, but rest assured that should it happen, this book will be my constant companion. It is a resource par excellence. A complete guide, not only to La Selva, but the entire ecosystem of this region of Costa Rica.

     I have been an admirer of Alexander Skutch, that scion of Costa Rican ornithology for as long as I can remember, and have paid homage twice at his home in Los Cusingos. He would have applauded this work and championed it - and there could be no better endorsement than that.

Costa Rica's Rainforests: The Natural History of the Plants and Animals of La Selva

Scott Wesley Shumway

Paperback - US$45.00 - ISBN 9780691251998

480 pages - 7.5 x 9.5 inches (18.75 x 23.75 cm)

812 colour photographs - 7 tables - 6 maps

Publishing date: 11 August, 2026

Victoria, BC - Part 10

28 June, 2026

Oak Bay - Mount Tolmie - Golf Course

     We lounged around at home for most of the morning and chatted to Jan. She had things to do and places to be, so Miriam and I went down to the Dockside Eatery for lunch.

     It was very pleasant to sit outside overlooking the harbour. 

          Miriam had a breakfast sandwich and I had a turkey and brie sandwich. Both were very good, the taste no doubt enhanced by the ambiance of the moment.

     American Crows (Corvus brachyrynchos) were always present.

     I am sure they are rewarded from time to time with scraps tossed by friendly (or sated) humans.

     Rock Doves (Columba livia) were equally attentive.

     A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) stalked its prey with infinite patience.

     There were numerous art installations around the harbour, always interesting. It seems to me that it is one of the hallmarks of a civilized society that attention is paid to the aesthetic in addition to the utilitarian.

     This is a hybrid gull (interbreeding is rife), generally identified as Olympic Gull (Larus glaucescens x occidentalis).

     Mallards (Anas platyrynchos), too, interbreed promiscuously and frequently, but this group appear to be pure and unsullied!

     A buttercup (genus Ranunculus) aimed its cheerful little face towards us.

     It was getting close to Canada Day and people were starting to festoon their homes accordingly.

     The displays are muted and lovely, a declaration of national pride devoid of jingoism or xenophobia, a quiet reflection of values held and cherished, a commitment to compassion, a communion with fellow citizens from every corner of the globe. We are ALL Canadian.

     Not for us a thousand flags, warlike pronouncements and posturing, exaggerated patriotism, and the constant compulsion to affirm "this is the best country in the world." Power does not confer greatness, power is not principle.  In Canada, our home and native land, greatness is self-evident and we have no need to shout it from street corners, backyards and hilltops. It is a mantle we wear every day.

     As might be expected, when we arrived back home, a deer was there to greet us. 

     I wouldn't want Guillermo to be disappointed!

     Mid afternoon we went with Jan up to Mount Tolmie where the views across the ocean are spectacular.

     Jan and Miriam read while I explored.

     Miriam, as you might expect, meandered a little with her camera.

     A Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) made the portrait gallery.

     Miriam found a juvenile Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina).....

     ..... and I found an adult.

     A West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella) sparkled in front of me.

     I was always a little surprised at just how often we saw Common Wall Lizard (Podarcis muralis).

      Jan had made a reservation for us to have dinner at a golf club where she had dined in the past and we were delighted to learn that George and Jan (yes, there are two Jans) would be joining us.

     We went on a long walk to the dining facility, going by King's Pond.

     Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) verged on abundant there.

     We built up an appetite and looked forward to dinner.

      Jan (2), chose fish tacos and asked for it to be prepared in a certain way. It all sounded delicious and we all opted for the same dish. I am not sure exactly how it was prepared, but we were advised that it would be $3.00 extra per person and it would be a one time accommodation! It was worth it; the tacos were good to the last flake! 

      We had first met George and Jan on the evening after our arrival when Jan (1) (this gets complicated!) organized a dinner party. We were immediately captivated by them and were so happy when they invited us on a birding outing (covered in an earlier post).

     Look at this handsome, delightful couple.

     Intelligent, interesting, amusing, in every way scintillating company of the highest order. How lucky we are to now call them friends.

     And then there is Jan, the first Jan, Miriam's sister.

     We are so grateful to her for all that she has done for us on visit after visit.

     If you can add a Jan to your life go for it with gusto. Two is even better, and if you can snag a George as part of the bargain, then your catch is complete.

     I know ours is!

Plants of the Pacific Northwest: From Alaska to Oregon, including British Colombia and Washington - Canadian Science Books

     Permit me to state up front that I consider this work (based on thirty years of new research) a magnum opus, a tour de force, a tome of extraordinary merit, well conceived, superbly written, meticulously researched, well designed, and executed to perfection. Few books have pleased me as much in recent years.

     A few general comments are merited before delving into the species accounts. It seems to me that the pinnacle of responsible publishing is manifest here.  "Canadian Science Books is a brand of Talk Science Communications Inc. Talk Science is a WBE Canada Certified Women Business Enterprise, a CGLCC Certified 2SLGBTQ+ owned business and a Certified Living Wage Employer." Furthermore, "We return a percentage of company profits to the original stewards of this land through South Island Reciprocity Trust."

     Respect for and recognition of the enduring contribution of Indigenous peoples is a significant theme throughout the book, and the participation of an Indigenous author, Leigh Joseph (Styawat) provides important ethnobotanical context.

     The principal authors, Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon, are legends in the botanical and plant sciences of their region, respected and revered, and are joined by two younger colleagues, plant taxonomist Jamie Fenneman and the aforementioned Styawat of the Squamish nation.

     The introductory notes deal with the current minefield of taxonomic changes. Thank goodness for that! This is a minefield that is no sooner cleared than it is planted with more explosives! The pace of taxonomic change is unlikely to slow down any time soon.

     The species accounts are superbly done. First there is a general statement about the taxa about to be covered, concise but instructive, acting as a guide post for what is to follow.

      In addition to a text that elucidates the species under consideration, an incredible array of full colour pictures accompanies each account. My wife, Miriam, submitted one of her photographs, featured at the top left of page 40.

     Many other photographers contributed pictures and the sheer volume is impressive, to say nothing of the high quality of the images. 

     I was happy to see the issue of foraging addressed. While it is understandable that people seek the goodness of the land, it is a simple fact that few people forage wisely or efficiently and many barely know what they are doing. Other than in the context of ancestral indigenous food-gathering, plants are better left untouched. A mushroom performing its ecosystem function in the forest is far more valuable to me than it is on my plate. And so it should be for all of us.

     No one has ever claimed that field identification of plants is easy, but this book comes as close as it is possible to making it easy. The descriptions, the pictures and the informative text synergistically come together to give you the best chance possible of correct ID.

      Here is a sad commentary on the circumstances we now face in North America. Unfair, unreasonable and unwarranted tariffs affect everything we do. It was with dismay that I saw the following statement on the website of the Royal BC Museum.

 

PLEASE NOTE Due to the US suspending the de minimis threshold with the result that all shipments now require pre-payed duties, we are unable to ship to US destinations at this time. We apologies for this inconvenience as we work through this process.

     I hope that many of our American friends will drive up over the border to get their copy. 

      The next time I visit the West Coast, Plants of the Pacific Coast will be the first thing in my backpack. My binoculars and camera will nestle alongside it. With my hiking boots on my feet all else is discretionary. 

     I will be set to go!

Plants of the Pacific Coast: From Alaska to Oregon, including British Columbia and Washington - Canadian Science Books

Jim Pojar, Andy MacKinnon, Leigh Joseph (Styawat) and Jamie Fenneman

Paperback - $34.95 CAD (Canada), $29.95 USD (USA) - ISBN 9781069158208 

1,300 photographs - 180 line drawings - 740 range maps

Publishing date: On or around 20 August, 2026

Victoria, BC - Part 9

 27 June, 2026

Oak Bay - Emily Carr Museum - Ogden Point

     We had a bit of a late start and went down to the shore to have a coffee and blueberry scone, and a walk around the harbour. It was a pleasant way to pass an hour.

     Our friend, Kathy Waybrant, had mentioned to us that the Emily Carr House was well worth a visit so that's where we headed.

     We were very happy to visit the home of this Canadian artistic icon and to learn details of her life.

     Her distinctive style was very pleasing.

     The gardens were delightful; no doubt they were when Emily tended them.

     We stopped by a bakery to pick up buns for lunch and returned home, where we had sliced meats and cheese in the fridge.

     Guess who was there to greet us!

     After lunch we decided to ascend to the summit of Mount Tolmie.

     In the past we have meandered the trails there with great success, but on this occasion a musical event of some kind was being set up, and sound tests were already being performed.

     We left!

     Ogden Point seemed like an appealing alternative.

     The fishing was good that day.

     An ice cream store beckoned.

     What were we to do?

     A Yellow-faced Bumble Bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) was seeking nectar in a California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica).

     Pleasure craft were out on a fine summer day.

     Here is the reason for the fishing frenzy we were witnessing.

     I believe these are huge shoals of Northern Anchovy (Engraulis mordax).

     As we made our way back to the car there was sufficient breeze to unfurl the provincial flag.

     As we passed Beacon Hill Park we noticed the Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) on its familiar perch at the top of a totem pole and pulled over to take a picture.

     In no time at all we were back on home turf.

     We had planned to go out for dinner and had made a reservation at Le Pho restaurant, thinking it would be necessary on a Friday night. Sadly, we were the only diners there.

     The food was delicious and we wondered why the place was not crowded.

     For us it was a fine way to end another glorious day in beautiful British Columbia.