LOCALadk Magazine
Issue link: https://localadkmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1221978
Adirondack Birding 60 Great Places to Find Birds By John M.C . Peterson and Gar y N. Lee Gar y is the author of our stor y about banding birds, so we thought it would only make sense to mention this book and perhaps further your interest in birding in the Adiron- dacks. The book is published by Lost Pond Press out of Sa- ranac Lake and distributed by Adirondack Mountain Club. It is a comprehensive guide to birding hot spots throughout the Park. The authors wanted a book that could be used by both backyard feeder–watchers and serious birders looking to add to their life list. They visited hundreds of areas, and in the end focused on 60 sites that have a rich diversity of habitat and avifauna and usually contain species of most in- terest. This book is not designed to be a guide, but rather a suggestion of where to go and choosing the best time to visit certain areas. This is a four-season book, because the birds change just as the seasons do. Whether you are on a mountaintop hike, paddling on a river or lake or snow shoe- ing through the forest, there are birds to be spotted. Keep this book in your pack or your car, and the next time you go out exploring, see if you can identif y a few cool birds. Adirondack Wildlife A Field Guide By James M. Ryan This is another book that should be in your pack or referenced often for a deeper understanding of all things wild in the Park. The author starts with a brief histor y of the Park in regards to the politics behind the state moving to protect the northern forests. Habitat is also discussed and how geological forces created the mountains. The chapter in no way covers all the rich histor y, but it may leave you wanting to know more. The next two chapters educate you on the different forest classifications, like Alpine Zone versus Hardwood Forests. He also writes about the Adirondack watersheds and the difference between still and running water and the impact acid rain has had. The rest of the book really focuses on wildlife, with a brief description of the animal and its behaviors. For this reason it is a helpful and quick reference to what you are seeing while you are out enjoying the vastness of the Park and diversity of its wildlife. The Book Shelf