A Natural Year (The Tranquil Rhythms and Restorative Powers of Irish Nature Through the Seasons)

Described by Lonely Planet as ‘one of Ireland’s best-known walkers’, Michael Fewer in A Natural Year observes the everyday nature of Irish gardens, parks and countryside over the course and development of the four seasons. Based on his personal nature diaries, kept at his homes in south Dublin and rural Waterford, he delights in the beauty and the complexity of the everyday natural world around us. You don’t have to go to the Galapagos to see the unusual. Did you know, for instance, that the common wood pigeon feeds its young in a way that only pelicans and flamingos share, and like pelicans, our dipper swims underwater to find its food? The author encourages observation and enquiry and suggests how study of and involvement in the natural world on our doorstep can be a sure antidote to the stresses of modern urban life. At a time when it’s more important than ever for us all to be aware of the crisis that faces our wildlife and natural environment, people need to know more about the natural world around them, the treasures that are being needlessly lost, and the threat to our way of life. A Natural Year will open eyes and hearts and lead to more understanding about the natural world around us, its beauty and fragility.