Field Trips: Bug Hunting, Animal Tracking, Bird-watching, Shore Walking

From Publishers Weekly Nature enthusiasts will appreciate Field Trips: Bug Hunting, Animal Tracking, Bird-Watching and Shore Walking by Jim Arnosky. Designed as a scientific notebook, this sturdy volume prepares readers for extended outdoor excursions (e.g., the author recommends applying insect repellant and wearing a hat to ward off ticks), suggests various habitats for study and offers sample notebook pages for budding scientists to record observations and drawings. Detailed b&w illustrations help readers identify animals and their tracks.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal Grade 3-5-This four-part introduction includes sufficient information, both basic and specific, to prepare and guide a family or group on several enjoyable nature hikes. Arnosky presents general descriptions of life cycles and species identification; items needed for successful observation; and precautionary measures to ensure safety from tick bites, stinging insects, birds protecting their young, and powerful animals. Using his now-familiar field-log format, he has interwoven accurate pencil drawings and accompanying notes into the text and included several pages of silhouette and track charts that will help budding naturalists to identify various insects, birds, animal tracks, shells, plants, and trees. The author coaches readers on the proper way to record their observations accurately, offering sample pages of drawings and notes, and cautions them about removing living organisms from their natural habitat. This book is similar in content to Arnosky's Secrets of a Wildlife Watcher (Lothrop, 1983; o.p.), in which he details even more specifically some habits of various animals and birds, how to find them and safely observe them, and what to watch for.