Kingfisher 

Usually encountered as a flash of blue or orange seen from the riverbank, most people are aware of the Kingfisher, but few are familiar with the intricacies of its day-to-day life. Here its remarkable existence is celebrated through a series of stunning chapters with images depicting courtship, nesting, fishing, winter survival and other important events in the lives of Kingfishers, which are further brought to life through the eloquent accompanying text which is enlivened by personal anecdotes from the author and photographer.

Watching for the Kingfisher

From small beginnings as a self-published writer producing booklets in response to demand from people who attended her retreats or quiet days, Ann Lewin has gone on to be on of the most successful writers of prayers and reflective poetry. With the "Inspire" imprint closing in 2009, Canterbury Press welcomes this fine writer and is pleased to announce a new edition of Ann's bestselling book, "Watching for the Kingfisher", named after her most well known poem about prayer. Ann draws many insights into the nature of prayer from her love of birdwatching, and images from the natural world and from scripture permeate her writing. Wit, warmth and economy of expression characterise her style.

The Kingfisher

The Kingfisher is arguably Britain's most beautiful and spectacular bird. While it is not particularly rare, it is seldom seen (except as a fleeting glimpse of blue) and few people ever get the chance to study it from close quarters. It is probably this elusive quality which has caused the Kingfisher to be lauded by poets, mysticised by folklore and used constantly as a subject for cards and ornaments of all kind. The combination of the bird's dazzling plumage and remarkable life style-it spends most of the autumn battling with its neighbours, nests deep underground and catches its food by diving head first into icy cold water-make it a fascinating and rewarding subject for close study. This book is based on the author's seven year study of the bird. It covers the complete life cycle of the Kingfisher and describes in detail the bird's habitat ,its strong territorial instincts, courtship behaviour, nest building, the hatching and development of the young and its outstanding fishing abilities.

The Kingfisher (Eastman)

By a curious quirk of nature the Kingfisher is both the most beautiful and the least known of British birds.Its brilliant plumage-dazzling cobalt blue back, warm chestnut orange underside, white throat red legs-transforms the commonplace of any bankside, yet much of the bird's behaviour is still shrouded in legend. The Eastmans, embarking on their unique study of the Kingfishers life from their home at Whitchurch in Hampshire, were delighted and amazed by their discoveries. This book is the absorbing story of their explorations among the watercress beds and streams of the River Test .Here, fish-sticlebacks, bullhaeds and minnows-are plentiful and people rare. From their photographic hides the Eastmans were able to record for the first time the intimate habits of the Kingfisher: the unerring aim of its lightening underwater dive-the final stage of which is executed with its eyes closed; its courtship proceedings; its nest-excavating techniques; curiosities of its diet, its nesting, breeding and fledging habits; its territorial calls.

Kingfishers, Bee-eaters and Rollers

Dazzling in their beauty, many of the 123 species of kingfisher, bee-eater and roller are very poorly known. This reference provides a review of the group showing every species, all the main races and most sex and age variations. Text and plates are closely co-ordinated with emphasis on behaviour, field characters and identification. Colour maps showing breeding and wintering ranges are also included.

Kingfisher

Kingfishers are a sight to behold. The dash and verve of this cosmopolitan bird has been admired for millennia, appearing in creation myths, imperial regalia and cultural iconography, and they were once valued as highly as gold. Artists used their iridescent feathers in Tian-tsui, an iconic style of Chinese fine art, for more than 2,400 years. The magnificent temples at Angkor Wat in Cambodia owe their existence in part to the great wealth generated by the live kingfisher trade from the Indochina Peninsula. As a muse, kingfishers have influenced philosophers, playwrights and artists, from the Roman poet Ovid to Carl Jung, Charles Darwin and others, while more recently bio-mimicry engineers have turned to kingfishers for inspiration. This beautifully illustrated book delves into the origins and diversity of the more than 120 species of kingfishers, from the burly kookaburras to the diminutive birds that daringly pluck spiders off webs, defining their characteristics, their differences, their lifestyles and their cultural significance around the world.

RSPB Spotlight Kingfishers

With their long, dagger-like bills, bright blue plumage and characteristic fast, low flight over water, Common Kingfishers are instantly recognisable. The 90 or so species that belong to this colourful family have a cosmopolitan distribution and, in Spotlight Kingfishers, David Chandler celebrates their remarkable existence, studying their unique adaptations and their courtship, breeding and feeding habits. He also investigates historical threats to Kingfishers, considers their future, and offers practical advice on how to find and see these glorious birds.

Kingfisher (Encounters in the Wild) 

"An utter delight" - Jennifer Tetlow. In the Encounters in the Wild series, renowned nature writer Jim Crumley gets up close and personal with British wildlife - here, the kingfisher. With his inimitable passion and vision, Jim relives memorable encounters with some of our best-loved native species, offering intimate insights into their extraordinary lives.

Kingfishers & Kookaburras - Jewels of the Australian Bush

Covers each of the ten species of kingfishers and kookaburras in ten essays. Accompanied by stunning colour photographs of the birds in their natural habitat with field notes, distribution maps and details on how to photograph them.

The Bee-Eaters

Dr Hilary Fry's study of the bee-eaters covers all 24 species of this colourful Family, which ranges from southern Europe, Africa and the Middle East to India, China, south-east Asia and Australia. A major part of the book comprises the species accounts, with complementary colour plates of 42 species and sub-species and detailed maps depicting the geography of their evolution. In addition there are chapters on the bee-eaters' evolutionary development, their food and foraging behaviour, and relationships with apiculture; of particular interest are chapters on social and reproductive life, the role of 'helpers' at the nest, and the meaning of plumage and social distinctions between the species. The author's colour plates delight the eye and accurately portray plumage and 'jizz'. They are fully supplemented by more than 100 drawings by John Busby, capturing the essence of these birds with a rare deftness and vitality.

Le Rollier d'Europe

Véritable saphir sur un ciel plombé d'été, le rollier d'Europe renverse la tête, en attitude de salutation, et lance un " cracracracracra " très grave.Au fil de ce livre, à l'aide de photographies inédites, vraiment exceptionnelles, Alain Christof nous dévoile la vie de cette espèce rare et farouche qui niche en France d'avril à septembre.Durant de longues heures, il l'a cherché, suivi, observé, photographié... avec une passion toujours renouvelée. Parades, salutation, offrandes, nourrissages, tout devient clair.Des illustrations fascinantes et un texte très documenté nous plongent dans l'univers du rollier d'Europe et nous font tour à tour découvrir son habitat cavernicole, son régime alimentaire, sa reproduction, ses migrations et les conditions de sa survie.