A Guide to Whale Watching in the Maritimes
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$9.95In this easy-to-use guide, you will find interesting facts about a total of sixteen whale, dolphin, and porpoise species that frequent the waters from Brier Island to northern Cape Breton, the Golf of St. Lawrence, the Atlantic Coast, and the Bay of Fundy.
With illustrations for each species and their field marks, and quick reference fact boxes, this useful guide will assist identification of the cetaceans in our waters, providing information about behaviour, diet, habitat, and physical features. Complete with a glossary and a select listing of Maritime whale-watching tours, you’ll want this guide in your pocket when you set out to watch these magnificent mammels.
Wildlife of Nova Scotia
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$14.00Did you know that snowshoe hares can run up to 17km/hr, or that Ruby-throated hummingbird eggs are as small as peas? Have you wondered how animals such as “moose” got their names, or which of the many wonderful animals we share the seas and forests with are really endangered species?
You will find these and a wealth of other facts about Nova Scotia’s surprising range of wildlife –from amoebas to moose, from hummingbirds to whales- in Julie Towers book of Wildlife of Nova Scotia.
This handy reference addresses popular questions and little known facts about more than seventy species of wildlife, including where they live, what they eat, (and eats them), their life cycle habits, and behavior. Detailed illustrations will help you identify each species while tables with facts about offspring and breeding seasons provide a glimpse of their migration and reproduction patterns. A glossary of unfamiliar terms and a bibliography for further reading also provided.
Nova Scotia is still rich in wildlife, despite the encroachment of humans and industries. The more we know about the animals that live around us, the more we will be able to enrich each others lives.
Sharing a Robin’s Life
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$14.95This is a true story of two unusual individuals: County, a robin, who chose to share her life with a human, and Linda Johns, an artist, who was happy to accommodate her. Through her delightful and descriptive narrative, Johns draws us into the mysterious realm of an intelligent and responsive creature. Throughout the harrowing experiences of bug-collecting, nest-building, egg-swapping, and parenting, we begin to share with the author a growing respect for the resourcefulness of these tiny creatures and our commonality with them in the remarkable process called life.
Cape Breton Weather Watching
Publisher: Cape Breton University Press$28.95Supported by stunning photographs of every imaginable weather phonomena familiar to us all, and diagrams that illustrate just how the weather works, Danielson bring’s Cape Breton’s natural history to life.
Land and Sea Environmental History In Atlantic Canada
Editor: Claire Campbell, Robert Summerby-MurrayPublisher: Acadiensis Press$29.95An original exploration of the relationship between people and the environment in Atlantic Canada, from the native-settler interactions of the 17th century to the presentday challenges of resource depletion and economic renewal. Major themes focus on how people have explained and understood the natural world, what we have learned from experiments in conservation and management, and how we have responded to environmental crisis and change. This wide-ranging collection features contributors from all four provinces and beyond, and is edited and introduced by Claire Campbell and Robert Summerby-Murray of Dalhousie University. The final chapter is an eloquent survey of the region’s environmental history by the distinguished historical geographer Graeme Wynn, University of British Columbia.
Island at the Centre of the World The Geological Heritage of Prince Edward Island
Publisher: Acorn Press$19.95Prince Edward Island has a history. But its story begins far, far beyond the birth of the nation, the arrival of European settlers, the Mi’kmaq, or even the first humans. Its story is older than the Island itself, which was born of climate change and rising seas just 7,000 years ago.
The red cliffs of the Island have their origins in a world before the dinosaurs, in a time some 290 million years ago. Its red soils, and the sands and dunes of its shores, are reborn from the rocks of this primeval world. The rocks of the island province were deposited as rivers coursed their way through the tropical heart of Pangea, a giant landmass formed by moving continents. The part of the Earth that would one day become Prince Edward Island lay at the centre of this world, and felt the heat of the tropical sun, its intense monsoon rains and withering dry seasons. This was the beginning of the Age of Reptiles that preceded the dinosaurs, and the landscapes, dryland forests, and animal life of that time are all recorded here across Prince Edward Island, from Tignish through Malpeque Bay and Hillsborough Bay to Annandale. Consider too, that people—the L’Nu’k, or Mi’kmaq, witnessed the birth of this Island thousands of years ago. All of this has been our best kept secret. Until now.
Trees of Nova Scotia
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$16.95An informative guide to 45 native and exotic species of trees and shrubs that inhabit Nova Scotia.
The North Atlantic Right Whale Past, Present, and Future
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95The North Atlantic right whale, also called the “urban” whale for its proximity to industrialized regions of North America’s east coast, is one of the largest whales in the world. Averaging 14 metres, and weighing about 40,000 kilograms, it is known for its graceful tail, callosities, lack of dorsal fins, and strong bond with its young. But historically, it was known as the “right” whale to kill, and has been commercially hunted for its abundant blubber and oil since the tenth century.
Considered nearly extinct by the 1950s, the population slowly began to recover due to conservation efforts in the late twentieth-century. But commercial fishing-related deaths in recent years, including the loss of at least seventeen right whales (2% of the population) in the summer of 2017, put the species at a level of critical endangerment. The next few decades will determine whether it survives.
Offering background on the whale’s history, unique biology and behaviour, information on what is killing them and how readers can help, The North Atlantic Right Whale is an important, accessible book that will spark action and increased awareness of the plight of this majestic creature.
Animal Signatures (2nd edition)
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$9.95Animal Signatures is a handy field guide that teaches one how to recognize and interpret animal signs — the tracks, droppings and nibbled twigs that animals leave behind.
In the Company of Animals Stories of Extraordinary Encounters
Editor: Pam ChamberlainPublisher: Nimbus Publishing$22.95Animals fascinate us humans, and we relate to them in a variety of ways. Whether we view them as companions, as workmates, as symbols, as totems, or as food, animals matter to us, and we want to tell their stories. In this collection, 38 writers from across Canada tell thought-provoking stories of extraordinary encounters with animals. From tributes to a favourite cat or dog to tales of a chance encounter with a moose or a cougar, the writers cover a wide range of encounters with a wide variety of animals—from rats and salamanders to wolves and bears. These writers are people who pay attention to animals, their natures and personalities and what they can teach us, and they ask us to pay attention too. In the Company of Animals features contributions from well-known Canadian authors including David Weale, Linda Olson, David Adams Richards, Richard Wagamese, and Farley Mowat, as well as many new and promising voices.
Wildflowers of the Maritimes A Guide to Identifying 150 of the Region’s Wild Plants
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$24.95Identification is the first major step towards a greater appreciation and understanding of our natural environment. Wildflowers of the Maritimes was written to meet the needs of hikers, students, amateur naturalists, resource professionals, or anyone looking for an affordable, compact, easy-to-follow guide to take with them into the field.
Discover the wide array of wildflowers in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island with detailed photographs, drawings, and profile descriptions that include information on a plant’s origins, leaves, flowers, fruits, frequency, habitat, and range. Naturalist Edmund Redfield profiles 150 species of wildflowers from 53 plant families in an organized and easily accessible way. Includes over 350 colour photographs and black and white illustrations.
Seashore Life of Eastern Canada A Guide to Identifying Intertidal Marine Species
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95A field guide to over 80 of the most common species—including shells, crabs, seaweed, anemones, sea stars, and urchins—found in the Eastern Canadian intertidal zone. Seashore Life of Eastern Canada provides plenty of information for beachcombers to use as they explore the ocean shore. Each writeup includes an introduction that defines the intertidal zone where the species can be found and provides information about its habitat and appearance. Easy-to-use symbols and detailed colour photographs make identification a breeze.
Weeds of the Woods (new edition)
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$18.95This handy guide to wild trees and shrubs of eastern North America will assist readers in identifying individual species by leaf, bark, flower, and fruit. It includes insightful information on each plant’s habitat, its importance in the larger ecosystem, and its ornamental and medicinal uses. The book uses colour photographs of the individual plants to help identify the various wild trees and shrubs. Blouin gives both the scientific names for the individual plants and their popular variations in English, French, Mi’kmaq, and Maliseet.
Birds of Nova Scotia
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$35.00Birds of Nova Scotia has been a highly cherished publication since it first came into print in 1961. To preserve the originality of the earlier editions, this posthumous revision by the Nova Scotia Bird Society and the Nova Scotia Museum has been a long and careful labour. New information on sightings of rare birds and changes of status bring the text in line with current data, without modifying the special qualities of Robie Tuft’s personal style.
Colour illustrations by two distinguished nature artists, Roger Tory Peterson, author of Field Guide to the Birds (Houghton Mifflin) and John Crosby and line drawings by Jjohn Henry Dick will ensure accurate identification of species.
This book has a place beside the binoculars, near every winter feeding station, in the summer cottage, aboard ship and also in school libraries and classrooms.
Birding Sites of Nova Scotia
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$29.95Nova Scotia is a birder’s paradise- the trick is knowing where to go to catch sight of the dainty piping plover, stately blue heron, or cheeky blue jay. This problem is solved within the pages of this invaluable guidebook, which divides Nova Scotia by county, pinpointing the best birding sites, how to reach them, and on-site orientation. Complete with maps and chockfull of useful information such as special birds to see, species of note, and key details for each site (i.e. amenities, points of interest, and habitats), this guidebook is sure to delight the bird fancier in your life, or be a welcome addition to your own feathered pursuits!
Guides of the North Woods
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$29.95Hunting, fishing and woodsmanship are inscribed in North American culture. Once the survival skills of the Mi’kmaq people, they became recreational pastimes for British officers arriving in Nova Scotia in the nineteenth century. The native people became wilderness guides for these ‘sports’, passing on their guiding skills to others. In this book, using their own words, Mike Parker resurrects how native and white men shared the call of the wilderness, traveling miles on foot or by canoe, hunting moose and deer or fishing trout and salmon. The hair-raising incidents of danger, the funny anecdotes, the skills necessary to succeed, and the personality of these men are collected here with respect and admiration.
Seashores of the Maritimes
Artist: Twila Robar-DeCostePublisher: Nimbus Publishing$24.95This book is designed to help the reader identify the many common plants & animals of the Atlantic coastline. Over 400 species are included with tips and notes about finding & identifying the creatures.
Roland’s Flora of Nova Scotia
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$75.00Roland’s Flora of Nova Scotia is the most comprehensive book ever published on the province’s plants. It is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in what grows where in Nova Scotia.With easy-to-read descriptions, foolproof keys and complete, illustrated glossary, readers can quickly find the information they need. Each plant description outlines the features most helpful in identifying that plant, and includes interesting facts about it’s folklore, herbal applications, toxicity, and edibility. The many distribution maps and illustrations also support accurate and simple plant identification. Volume one of two.
Eastern Coyote
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$22.95Biologist Gerry Parker has studied this versatile and successful coyote and tracked the animal’s origins and population patterns. A fascinating animal, and a comprehensive book.
Spring Wildflowers
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$12.95Spring Wildflower is a handy field guide that will help you identify most flowers that bloom in the spring. It is well organized, easy to follow and features fine pen and ink drawings of almost 250 flowering plants.
Mammals of Prince Edward Island and Adjacent Marine Waters
Publisher: Island Studies Press$49.95This long overdue book provides a comprehensive guide to the Island’s terrestrial and marine mammals. Rooted in historical accounts and local research, this book illuminates the lives of PEI mammals large and small. From the Little Brown Bat to the Long-finned Pilot Whale, this book highlights each species in illustrated detail and outlines the continued need for conservation efforts in this province.
Backyard Horseman
Publisher: Mountain Press Publishing$18.00Completely updated for the modern horse owner, The Backyard Horseman dispels romantic myths and replaces them with something far more valuable: honest, practical advice. It covers topics such as buying, feeding, and training, as well as health, gear, shelter, pasture management, shows and events, and the tough ethical dilemmas owners face when horses grow old.
Coastal Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest Wildflowers & Flowering Shrubs from British Columbia to Northern Calif
Publisher: Mountain Press Publishing$14.00Coastal Wildflowers of the Pacific Northwest introduces seaside visitors and residents to 164 common wildflowers and flowering shrubs of the rugged Pacific shore from southern British Columbia to Mendocino, California.
The Old Place
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$19.95The Old Place Describes the plants and animals that live about the author’s property, and encourages readers to become familiar with the large variety of living things that live around their communities.It discusses the wonderful ways in which plants and animals are adapted to life in their particular habitats,and emphasizes the importance of protecting those habitats.
Bearing the People Away the Portable Highland Clearances Companion
Publisher: Cape Breton University Press$24.95Part reference guide, part handbook, part travel guide and part resource in one portable volume, Bearing the People Away uses an encyclopedia format geared toward the general reader. The entries vary in length from brief sentences to several paragraphs. They include major Clearance sites, major and minor figures associated with the Clearances, Clearance-related sites outwith Scotland (significant parts of the Scottish Diaspora as Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand), places and historical events with Clearance and or Highland connections, and recordings, websites and relevant museums and organizations identified with the Highland Clearances.
The Birth and the Babyhood of the Telephone A Talk to Telephone Pioneers by The Other Man on the Line
Publisher: Breton Books$16.95While Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, Thomas A. Watson was the craftsman who gave the telephone life. Model after model, night and day, together they battled disappointment, and were spurred on by hints of success. Then in 1875, Watson’s hands created the first telephone that actually carried the human voice.
Yet the world barely remembers Thomas Watson beyond the first sentence transmitted over the telephone: “Mr. Watson—come here—I want you.”
In this classic book, restored and expanded, The Birth and Babyhood of the Telephone delivers both a detailed record of the development of the first telephone as it also reveals the very human story of the relationship between Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Watson. We see the younger Watson grow up through the guidance of the better educated and more sophisticated A. G. Bell, as Watson receives books, and lessons in elocution and even table manners.
This moving first-person account keeps alive the story of a relationship between two brilliant, impassioned men who changed the world.
Tick-borne Diseases in Dogs A Canadian Perspective
Publisher: Island Studies Press$18.95Presenting the latest research on canine Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis, Tick-borne Disease in Dogs is an invaluable reference for veterinarians and dog owners. As geographic ranges of ticks and their associated vector-borne pathogens rapidly expand in Central, Eastern and Atlantic Canada, it is imperative to understand the complex relationships surrounding the incidence of disease in dogs to inform management and prevention.
Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West
Publisher: Mountain Press Publishing$21.00Edible and Medicinal Plants of the West is a full-colour photographic guide to the identification, edibility, and medicinal uses of over 250 plant species, growing from Alaska to southern California, east across the Rocky Mountains and the Northern Plains to the Great Lakes.
Weird Rocks
Artist: Dan BilyeuPublisher: Mountain Press Publishing$12.00Michele Corriel introduces readers to sixteen unusual rocks and explains the science behind what each one does and how it does it. Youngsters will discover what makes one kind of rock smell like a rotten egg, what rock acts like a magnet, and what rock contains hidden treasure.
Ice Age Mammals of North America A Guide to the Big, the Hairy, and the Bizarre
Publisher: Mountain Press Publishing$20.00Colourfully illustrated descriptions of strange and marvelous beasts form the heart of Ice Age Mammals of North America. You’ll learn about the geologic events that led to the ice ages, along with possible causes for the mass extinctions of so many species. Fun sidebars explore such topics as the enormous size of some Ice Age animals and how DNA analysis is revolutionizing our knowledge of them. You’ll even discover sites where you can view remains of these fascinating creatures today.
Place Between the Tides
Publisher: Nimbus Publishing$22.95Based upon childhood memory and his naturalist’s journals, A Place between the Tides is the story of Harry Thurston’s return to the beloved environment of his boyhood when he moves to the Old Marsh on the banks of the Tidnish River in Nova Scotia. The book describes the seasons in the life of the marsh as filtered through two decades of Thurston’s living there.Blending acute analysis and a poet’s lyricism, Thurston explores and examines one of the most productive and biologically diverse habitats on Earth. This is a story of the salt marsh, but it is also the story of a personal odyssey, a homecoming for Thurston as a naturalist, culminating in the re-discovery of the bounty of nature where land meets sea.
Digging the City
Publisher: Heritage Group Distribution$16.95At the last census in 2006, just over 80 percent of Canada’s population lived in urban centres. How we feed that population and protect its food sources is an enduring subject of debate in food security circles these days. As consumers and citizens, we all need to take a hard look at the deficiencies in Canada’s ability to feed the urban poor; our dependence on imported foods and centralized food processing; our detachment from our food sources; the often problematic solutions to food security devised by governments, municipalities and non-profit groups; and where we are headed if we change nothing in these times when change is urgently needed. Many efforts are being made to introduce urban agriculture initiatives all across the country, to address the problems we’ve created and to protect our cities from real and potential crises in the food supply.
With passion and lyricism, Digging the City addresses the problems facing urban omnivores in the 21st century and looks at various policy, grassroots and utopian solutions being developed and implemented, while considering the pros and cons of plans such as vertical farms, urban fish farms, transition-town initiatives, seed banks, permaculture and water conservation projects.
