Best Of The Shelf

Day 268: We all have our favorite books. Mine just don't happen to be fiction, biographies, collections of poetry or historical accounts. Nope, my favorite books are field guides, and I have them on a variety of subjects ranging from rocks and minerals, weather phenomena and animal tracks to birds, wildflowers and mushrooms and the more specialized category of lichens.

Among habitual users of field guides, the best resources are generally referred to by author's name. "Brodo" is the North American lichen expert, "Sibley" and "Roger Tory Peterson" ("Roger Tory" for short) the bird men. "Mark Turner" is my go-to guy for Washington wildflowers, alongside "Pojar and MacKinnon." Backing up the hard copies, I also have Sibley on my Kindle Fire, ready to use in the field when some warbler crosses my field of vision.

It always pays to cross-reference. Species names change. Microseris alpestris may appear in one reference with the same plant identified as Nothocalais alpestris in another. These changes often reflect the growth of knowledge about the plant or bird/animal. Taxonomy is a science unto itself, and a little Latin goes a long way in helping the field scientist track a particular specimen down. What shape are the leaves? What is the growth habit? Chances are good that the nomenclature will refer to an identifying feature.

For my nickel (and often a more substantial dip into my bank account), field guides are the best books you can add to your library, even if all you do is look at the pretty pictures. Better yet, learn to use the keys and start exploring the fascinating world which exists all around you. Grab your binocs and magnifiers and let's go on a field trip!