Calpurnia Tate is the child all naturalists wish they were as children: endlessly curious, possessing of boundless energy, and most important of all, beginning their explorations of the natural world at an age when the mind has not yet been conditioned to repress questions because they might seem silly or pointless to others.
It is too easily forgotten that some of the world’s greatest naturalists were also devoutly religious. None other than Charles Darwin himself studied to be a clergyman prior to his sailing on the H.M. S. Beagle.
The search for the solution to what Sir John Herschel famously called the “mystery of mysteries” – how new species come to exist – has brought a myriad of remarkable creatures to the attention of science.
Let’s face it – natural history enthusiasts can sometimes be a tough lot for whom to buy gifts; especially if you don’t personally share, or even know much about, their particular interests. Alternatively, even if you do share a common interest with the gift-worthy person or people in your life, you might be at a [...]
Douglas Carlson’s biography is sufficiently expansive in scope to encompass the many facets of Peterson without being unwieldy in length or needlessly excessive in detail.
Erythemis collocata (female) 1 on Flickr.
Erythemis collocata (Common: Western Pondhawk), female. July 9, 2011, Sauvie Island, Oregon.
Birdwatching With Your Eyes Closed
With the publication of Birdwatching With Your Eyes Closed; An Introduction to Birdsong, Simon Barnes brings his unique combination of professional experience and amateur enthusiasm to a very wide potential readership; one that includes not only bird watchers of all levels of experience but those who don’t necessarily even consider themselves bird watchers as well.
Birds of Europe, Second Edition
The new (second) edition of the Birds of Europe is a must have guide for anyone interested in the birdlife of this geographic area.
Well-read Naturalist Book and Optic Reviews in New Bird Watcher’s Digest
The November / December 2011 edition of Bird Watcher’s Digest is now available and contains not one but two Well-read Naturalist produced book reviews as well as a “Well-equipped Birder” review.
The Peregrine, The Hill of Summer, and Diaries
Should you wish to identify a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) you would most certainly consult a field guide. Should you wish to know a bit more about what ornithologists have discovered concerning this species, a life history or ornithological monograph about them would be your best bet. However if you wish to discover what makes [...]
“Delightful!” That was the very first word I uttered upon closing the back cover of Patrick Barkham’s The Butterfly Isles; A Summer in Search of Our Emperors and Admirals.
Leupold Katmai Binocular to be Discontinued
Perhaps the most unfortunate news discovered at the 2012 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, Nevada was that of the discontinuation of the Katmai binocular by the American optical firm Leupold.
New Discovery: Minox Pocket Tripod
As an enthusiastic user and proponent of the Minox MS 8×25 Makroskop since its introduction, I have long maintained that it doesn’t receive nearly as much attention as it deserves by the vast majority of bird watching, hunting, or general outdoor journalists.
FLASH! Filson / Le Chameau Wellies to be Produced
Well-informed hunters, bird watchers, and all others who pursue an activity requiring prolonged plodding over wet or muddy terrain know the value of a well-designed, soundly-constructed Wellington boot.
Meopta MeoPix iScoping Adapter Demonstrated at 2012 SHOT Show
While news of the Meopta MeoPix iScoping Adapter for the iPhone 4 and 4S has already been published in The Well-read Naturalist, actual images recorded through the scope have not yet been – until now.
FLASH! New Nikon EDG VR Fieldscope Unveiled
Nikon has unveiled its latest addition to both its spotting scope line-up as well as its premium-level EDG product family: The EDG VR 85 Fieldscope.
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