Product Description

A unique and hugely entertaining anthology of facts, amazing stories, snippets and lore about the birds, bugs and blooms of Britain. Hundreds of nuggets of practical (and not so practical) information to fascinate and amuse, including: how to identify animal footprints, the good manners guide on how to behave in a birdwatchers' hide, how gossamer got its name, how to tell the difference between a stoat and a weasel, the bizarre mating habits of dragonflies, and what the connection is between the table football game, Subbuteo and the small falcon-type bird, the hobby.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #491111 in Books
• Published on: 2004-08-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 158 pages

About the Author
Malcolm Tait is the editor of the Companion series, and of Wildlife Walks, also published by Think Books. He is editor of the magazines Conserver and Butterfly and contributes regular wildlife columns to national magazines. He is based in Maidenhead, Berks.

Customer Reviews

At last those serious wildlife people let their hair down
If, like me, your impression of our Wildlife Trusts is of very worthy people: sober, serious and more than a touch secretive; certainly not a bundle of fun, then this book is a ray of hope. Some bits made me laugh. Others had me copying the reference down towards using them (with acknowledgement of course) in my newspaper column and other writings. Frequently I learnt something interesting. My only scowl was that I paid the full £9.99 as an impulse purchase today at Ottakars instead of the Amazon price. But then I'd never heard of the book before spotting it in the bookshop.

The book (a compact hardback) is is an anthology of wildlife and the British countryside; a patchwork of nature diaries, information, puzzles and humour. The pages and even the lower margin of each page are packed with content. Which creatures attack postmen? Well, obviously dogs but the record includes a shark - with a frustratingly incomplete note that the postie in question was swimming. How good are your languages, like Klingon and Egyptian hieroglyphics? You'll find pieces of the dictionaries of both here.

At the price that I paid I reckon the book is good value. At the Amazon price it is a bargain. Because it's a compilation of lots of bits and pieces it's ideal for times like air travel when you can pick it up and open at random. Which will occupy the time very pleasantly while leading you to agree with the compilers that frogs aren't particularly funny after all.

One to open and dip into.
This is a perfect book for when you don't have time to read a full chapter of the novel that you are reading. Its great for on the coffee table, when your waiting for something, in the conservatory, by the loo, and I'm sure some great quizes will include some of the fantastic snippets of information. You will find out quirky little facts about lots of different creatures and perhaps may think differently about the world in which we share with them all. I can't wait to get a copy of the Birdwatcher's Companion!