Wild Mull

A Natural History of the Island and its People

Stephen Littlewood, Martin Jones (Autoren)

Buch | Softcover

312 Seiten

2021
Pelagic Publishing (Verlag)
978-1-78427-276-0 (ISBN)

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With superb illustrations and illuminating text, we are led to the wild side of Mull. Every facet of the Scottish island's natural history is considered, its diverse species and many stories. Along the way we are reminded that wildness is not somehow separate from the human world but influenced, and shared, by nature and people together.

High above the mountaintops on the Isle of Mull, a huge bird is soaring. Its all-encompassing gaze records people in its Hebridean territory far below, but they are of no interest. The eagle is about its business: concentrating on the deer and fidgety hares out grazing in the morning sun, the urgent push of thermals beneath its wings, a threatening weather front way out at sea, and the restless chick back in its eyrie. This is Mull in its glory. This is what the excited, watching people have travelled so far to witness. They train their binoculars and admire, perhaps envy, the eagle with its vast freedom, knowing that such a self-willed being is part of another world – almost.

This book guides the reader through that world. With superb illustrations and illuminating text, we are led to the wild side of Mull. Every facet of the island’s natural history is considered, its diverse species and many stories – past, present and future. Along the way we are reminded that wildness is not somehow separate from the human world but influenced, and shared, by nature and people together.

Here is the tale of a precious and unique place, a seaborne landscape that displays an uncommon biodiversity and rare wildlife experiences, although today it also faces its greatest challenges. Most of all, this book is testimony to the power of wild places and the duty we have to learn from and protect them.

After ‘discovering’ nature on forays among the fields and dykes of Romney Marsh, Kent, an academic career focused on supporting sustainable communities and promoting thriving green environments throughout the UK and Europe, Stephen Littlewood is now resident on the Isle of Mull, where he continues to be surprised and delighted by all things wild. Martin Jones is an award-winning photographer. His interest in wildlife photography led him to the Isle of Mull, beginning a love affair with the island, where he retired with his wife, Stella. Their interest in biodiversity resulted in a huge catalogue of photographs of Mull's unique scenery, fauna, flora and fungi.

Foreword by Mark Cocker

Introduction

1 The Fairest of the Isles

2 The Land that Holds the Life

3 People and the Shaping of Mull

4 Invasions, Extinctions and Mull’s Own ‘Gene Genie’

5 Fangs, Fins and Fur

6 Raptors of Eagle Island

7 In Their Element – the Seabirds

8 Extraordinary Landbirds

9 The Kingdom of the Celtic Rainforest

10 Plants of Place and Purpose

11 Life Beyond the Strandline

12 Beautiful Beasties

Postscript: The Forever Future

Acknowledgements and Photographers’ Credits

Bibliography

Useful Contacts for Further Information

Watching and Photographing Wildlife on Mull

List of Species Referred to in the Text

Index

Erscheinungsdatum	14.07.2021
Zusatzinfo	1 Graphs; 1 Maps; 4 Tables, black and white; 228 Illustrations, color
Verlagsort	Exeter
Sprache	englisch
Maße	156 x 234 mm
Gewicht	754 g
Themenwelt	Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Natur / Technik ► Natur / Ökologie
Themenwelt	Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Ökologie / Naturschutz
ISBN-10	1-78427-276-0 / 1784272760
ISBN-13	978-1-78427-276-0 / 9781784272760
Zustand	Neuware