If you're under the impression that the Northeast's natural beauty has given way to high-rises, condominiums, and suburban sprawl, this volume will certainly change your mind. In actuality, the area comprising Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont--New England, in short--is home to an abundance of flora and fauna, whether it be marine life below sea level or alpine meadows above the tree line. In fact, New England is nothing less than a naturalist's paradise. Much of the area has been scoured by glacial ice, leaving behind cirques, arêtes, and a fjord, all of which are featured in a geology section. Fossils are highlighted too, alerting readers to the presence of dinosaur footprints in both Hadley, Massachusetts and Rocky Hill, Connecticut. In addition, an easy-to-use field guide assists readers in the identification of 1,000 of the area's current inhabitants, including giant puffball mushrooms, a healthy sampling of conifers and hardwoods, and five species of shark. Field trip ideas, from secluded Baxter State Park (no paved roads, no hook-ups, no gas or groceries) to popular Acadia National Park in Maine, complete the picture. All this is compiled in a single volume that's perfect for both armchair naturalists and those planning actual trips to the area.


Book Description
Filled with concise descriptions and stunning photographs, the National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England belongs in the home of every New England resident and in the suitcase or backpack of every visitor. This compact volume contains:

An easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the region's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more;

A complete overview of New England's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns and night sky;

An extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others.

The guide is packed with visual information--the 1,500 full-color images include more than 1,300 photographs, 14 maps, and 16 night-sky charts, as well as 150 drawings explaining everything from geological processes to the basic features of different plants and animals.

For everyone who lives or spends time in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, or Vermont, there can be no finer guide to the area's natural surroundings than the National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England.



From the Inside Flap
Filled with concise descriptions and stunning photographs, the National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England belongs in the home of every New England resident and in the suitcase or backpack of every visitor. This compact volume contains:

An easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the region's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more;

A complete overview of New England's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns and night sky;

An extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others.

The guide is packed with visual information -- the 1,500 full-color images include more than 1,300 photographs, 14 maps, and 16 night-sky charts, as well as 150 drawings explaining everything from geological processes to the basic features of different plants and animals.

For everyone who lives or spends time in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, or Vermont, there can be no finer guide to the area's natural surroundings than the National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England.


About the Author
Peter Alden, principal author of this series, is a birder, naturalist, author, and lecturer. He has led nature tours to more than 100 countries for the Massachusetts Audubon Society, Lindblad Travel, Friends of the Harvard Musum of Natural History, and cruises on all the world's oceans. Author of books on North American, Latin American, and African wildlife, Peter organized an event called Biodiversity Day in his hometown of Concord, Massachusetts.

Brian Cassie, author of the habitats, parks and preserves, and other sections of this guide, writes and teaches about natural history. He is the co-author of the National Audubon Society Field Guide to New England. Brian lives with his family in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

FROM THE PUBLISHER