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Book Review: Summer World: A Season of Bounty, by Bernd Heinrich

8/25/2020

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By Anne McCallum, Georgia Audubon Early Birds Book Club, June 28, 2020

Definitely a “green” book—even printed in green ink! As someone in the book club pointed out, this is mostly essays generated by Heinrich’s copious notes documenting a lifetime of observations on plants’ and animals’ reaction to summertime sunshine and temperatures. And, while there are some observations on bird behavior (especially sapsuckers), most of it is entomological—which is the field of most of his scientific publications. He watches every little thing around his home in Vermont and his cabin in Maine SOO carefully. Then he researches or conducts experiments to try to figure out why plants and animals do things the way they do.

I was especially struck by his observation that tasty caterpillars are careful to cover their eating tracks by snipping off half-eaten leaves whereas prickly or poisonous caterpillars apparently do not care if they leave a path of destruction for birds to see. This really hit home when I found a bunch of snipped-off, half-eaten sycamore leaves (“not sassafras” I was instructed by fellow book clubbers!) lying on the ground at Lake Blalock the very next morning.

Why do tree twigs quit growing outward early in the summer? So the trees can add more structural strength (“scaffolding”) to support their canopy. Why do broad leaves drop long before they usually need to? To avoid the devastation of freak early snow-loading. Why are insects carrying stuff here and there? All kinds of different reasons.
I didn’t enjoy the couple chapters so much on deserts (extreme summers) or anthropology. Maybe because he was getting away from the Vermont/Maine woods setting—which was a big part of what appealed to me about the book. Oh—But I did enjoy his lovely illustrations. I hope the book club decides to read his Winter World for January or February.
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  • Home
    • Login
  • Ways to Give
    • Join/Renew
    • Donate
    • Wish List
    • Leadership Giving
    • Planned Giving
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
    • Shop in our Online Store
    • Support Georgia Audubon When You Shop
  • Conservation
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife Sanctuary Program >
      • Map of Georgia Audubon Sanctuaries
      • Wildlife Sanctuary Requirements
      • Sanctuary Resources
    • Habitat Stewardship Program
    • Habitat Restoration >
      • Piedmont Park Exhibitat
    • Building Collisions >
      • Project Safe Flight
      • Lights Out Georgia
      • Collision Resources
    • Species of Concern >
      • Ruby-throated Hummingbird
      • Chimney Swift
      • Wood Thrush
      • Brown-headed Nuthatch
    • Plants for Birds >
      • Plant Sales
    • Coffee and Chocolate
  • Education
    • For Youth >
      • Georgia Urban Ecologists
      • Homeschool
      • Scouts
      • Youth Birding Competition
      • Camp Talon
      • Conservation Career Resources
    • For Educators >
      • School Programs
      • Learning About Birds Curriculum
      • Professional Development
      • Connecting Students with STEM Through Birds
      • Resources
    • Master Birder Program
    • Scholarships
  • Engagement
    • Field Trips
    • Injured/Orphaned Birds
    • Volunteer >
      • Volunteer Code of Conduct
    • Advocacy
    • Community Outreach
    • Beloved Naturalist
    • Travel >
      • Colombia 2023
      • SE Arizona 2023
      • Michigan 2023
      • Maine 2023
      • Utah 2023
      • Madagascar 2023
      • Southern California 2024
      • Big Bend & Hill Country TX 2024
    • Community Science
    • Birding Resources >
      • Birding Sites in Georgia
      • Accessibility
      • Georgia Birding Network
      • Why Birds?
  • News & Events
    • Press Room >
      • In the News
    • Upcoming Events >
      • Program Participant Safety
    • Georgia Bird Fest
    • News Feed
    • Georgia Grows Native for Birds Month
    • Georgia Audubon at Manuel's Tavern
    • Early Birds Book Club
    • Newsletters
  • About Us
    • Mission and Programs
    • Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
    • Annual Report
    • Board and Staff
    • Best Management Practices
    • Job Opportunities
    • Our History
    • Contact Us