- Hardcover
- Publisher: Univ of Texas Pr (Dec 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0292781709
- ISBN-13: 978-0292781702
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
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Product Description
Review
>"... [Guide to the Offshore Wildlife of the Northern Atlantic] is the >first guide dedicated to the Atlantic's offshore wildlife, north of the >tropic of cancer. Not only does it cover all the cetaceans you might >encounter in this area, it also includes seabirds, seals and sea turtles. >Michael Tove writes from considerable first-hand experience--he was the >first person to see a live True's beaked whale--and his expertise is readily >apparent. The book really does help seperate even the most difficult species >from each other."--David Tomlinson, New Scientist, 11 August 2001 " ... will provide a useful reference for anyone going offshore and wanting to consult a single volume when faced with a seabird, marine mammal or sea turtle to identify."--IBIS, April 2002
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Product Description
To identify all the air-breathing offshore wildlife potentially encountered on birding, whale-watching, or sport fishing trips at sea, you could take along a stack of field guides - or this one comprehensive guide to all the birds, whales, dolphins, seals, and sea turtles of the Northern Atlantic. Written by a recognized authority on seabirds and whales and illustrated with his finely detailed color paintings, it provides both previously unknown and common field marks to help you identify and enjoy all the offshore wildlife in the Atlantic Ocean north of the Tropic of Cancer, as well as in the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea, and the Bay of Biscay.Michael Tove offers a general introduction to each group of animals, followed by concise accounts of every species found in the Northern Atlantic. He particularly highlights previously undescribed field marks and behavioral patterns that make identification at sea much easier than before. He also includes range/abundance graphs for twelve locations in North America and six in Britain and Europe to help you plan where and when to view particular species. To enhance your day(s) at sea, Tove includes tips on how to dress properly and avoid seasickness and sunburn. Michael Tove is a recognized authority on the identification of pelagic birds and whales and draws from over twenty-five years' experience. His observations have helped 'rewrite the book' on several North American species. A Ph.D.-trained biologist who conducts occasional bird-and whale-watching tours, he lives in Cary, North Carolina.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This beautifully illustrated guide gives comprehensive coverage of the air breathing pelagic wildlife of the North Atlantic. Much more than a field guide, it provides useful background material for the serious marine wildlife enthusiast, with a concise overview of ocean habitats and ecology, including latitudinal ecological zones, ocean depth and distance from the shore, ocean currents, seasonal changes and weather. There is an easily referenced information section on the distribution and abundance of various species in the form of range abundance charts for 18 locations, based on typical boat trips, a useful planning aid for watching marine wildlife. Tove discusses the comfort considerations of offshore trips such as adequate clothing and avoiding seasickness as well as coping with the vagaries of the weather. Unusually, the diversity of pelagic air breathing animals are covered by a single guide book, and as Tove states in his preface, ‘there is a commonality among all these marine creatures that is shared with its venturesome observers: they are all at sea together.’ I find this viewpoint refreshing when, traditionally, field guides have focused on particular groups of species. Whale-watchers for instance can be equally enthralled by the sighting of a bird or seal and will find identification easier with this guide, which is adequately detailed for the majority of offshore wildlife observers. Many marine animals are notoriously difficult to observe and identify at sea, not least because of constant motion and the generally brief appearances of marine inhabitants, which are frustratingly lacking in contrast against the sea surface. Tove has admirably eased the task with descriptions and illustrations of surfacing patterns and surfacing behaviour for cetaceans and illustrations of both dorsal and ventral views of many birds in flight as well as descriptions of flight behaviour. Animals are also grouped according to common features such as size, colouring or type of dorsal fin and are contrasted with species they are most likely to be confused with. An excellent field guide I will not only use on my own offshore trips, but would happily recommend to other marine wildlife enthusiasts.
Ruth. E. Searle
Ruth. E. Searle
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
A Wonderful Comprehensive Guidebook for Pelagic Buffs
16 Mar 2001
Format:Paperback
As an enthusiastic birder and observer of nature, I have found that some of my most memorable moments occur during pelagic (i.e. on the open ocean, away from land) trips. There are many creatures out there that one could spend a lifetime without ever seeing from shore. Until now, if you wanted to try identifying the wildlife you might encounter at sea, you needed a stack of guidebooks - one for mammals, one for birds, one for turtles etc.
Michael Tove's terrific guide has just made things a lot simpler.
Mr. Tove is a well known North Carolina birder, naturalist and organizer of Gulf Stream pelagic trips who has had articles published in various journals on identification of pelagic creatures, including birds and whales.
His guidebook is very comprehensive and well organized. It covers both sides of the North Atlantic, from Greenland to the Caribbean on the west side and Iceland to North Africa on the East.
The wildlife covered includes all the air-breathing vertebrates one might encounter anywhere in the territory covered.
There are separate sections on pelagic birds, whales and dolphins, seals and sea turtles. For each species, there is at least one illustration, excellently done by Mr. Tove, along with information on measurements, identification, behavior, range, distribution and preferred habitat.
Where appropriate, species names from both sides of the Atlantic are given, as with "Dovekie" - North America, "Little Auk" - Europe.
For birds, there are illustrations of different plumages and ages, for whales and dolphins, there are diagrams of surfacing and blow patterns and for every species covered, notes on how to distinguish that species from others with which it might be confused.
There is data on a number of popular pelagic destinations e.g. the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Hudson Canyon off New York harbor, North Carolina's Outer Banks, Scotland's Outer Hebrides plus a half-dozen oceanic islands - The Dry Tortugas, Canary Islands etc. The data sets consist of monthly abundance charts for each species that is reasonably regular at that particular location.
In addition, there is information on oceanic ecology, regions and currents. He also includes tips on how to dress for a trip and how to avoid or cope with seasickness.
There is even a section on how to plan your own pelagic trip, and how to factor in such variables as wind, weather and surface conditions.
There is something in this book for current or would-be pelagic enthusiasts of all levels of experience from novices to "old salts."
I recommend it highly.
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