New Titles

1) Everard, Mark. Britain's Freshwater Fishes. 2013. Princeton University Press. Paperback: 144 pages. Price: $27.95 U.S./£17.95.

SUMMARY: Britain hosts a diversity of freshwater environments, from torrential hill streams and lowland rivers to lakes, reservoirs, ponds, canals, ditches, and upper reaches of estuaries. Britain's Freshwater Fishes covers the 53 species of freshwater and brackish water fishes that are native or have been introduced and become naturalized. This beautifully illustrated guide features high-quality in-the-water or on-the-bank photographs throughout. Detailed species accounts describe the key identification features and provide information on status, size and weight, habitat, ecology, and conservation. Written in an accessible style, the book also contains introductory sections on fish biology, fish habitats, how to identify fishes, and conservation and legislation.

      This book features:

• Covers all of Britain's freshwater fishes
• Features beautiful photos throughout
• Includes detailed information on 53 species, the places they inhabit, and their roles in Britain's ecosystems
• Attractively designed and easy to use

RECOMMENDATION: A well illustrated guide to the freshwater fishes of the region.

2) Jameson, Conor Mark. Looking for the Goshawk. 2013. Bloomsbury. Hardbound: $28.95 U.S./£18.99.

SUMMARY: The book traces Conor Jameson's travels in search of the Goshawk, a magnificent yet rarely seen (in Britain at least) raptor. Each episode of the narrative arises from personal experience, investigation, and the unearthing of information from research, exploration and conversations.
      The journey takes him from an encounter with a stuffed Goshawk in a glass case, through travels into supposed Goshawk territories in Britain, to Berlin - where he finds the bird at ease in the city. Why, he wants to know, is the bird so rarely seen in Britain? He explores the politics of birdwatching, the sport of falconry and the impact of persecution on the recent history of the bird in Britain and travels the length of Britain, through central Europe and the USA in search of answers to the goshawk mystery. Throughout his journey he is inspired by the writings of T H White who told of his attempts to tame a Goshawk in his much-loved book.
      It's a gripping tale on the trail of a most mysterious and charismatic bird.

 RECOMMENDATION: More of a travelogue than a book about Goshawk biology.