[mou] [mnbird] RFI, perhaps July is the time to diversify

[Steve Weston]

Hi Al,

When I head off to scout camp this summer, I will take some 20+ field guides 
and books on nature.  Here are some recommendations.

I like the North Woods Naturalist Series published by Kollath-Stensaas 
Publishing in Duluth.  I have five of their books.  Their books are written 
for northern Minnesota and are applicable for most of what you will find in 
the state.  I think their Dragonflies of the North Woods is the best 
Dragonfly field book available, as is their Damselflies, although I am not 
as interested in those.  I wish both showed more of the nymphs, but I doubt 
many others would be interested in those, and the nymphs are unlikely to be 
anywhere that you will bump into them.  I also have their Spiders and 
Butterflies guides by Larry Weber.  the Spiders guide is probably unique. 
It goes with me to scout camp, but doesn't usually go into the field with 
me.  The Butterflies guide is great.  I use it often, but it is not 
comprehensive enough for me.  I use the Kaufman Butterflies guide book, 
which is wonderful, but much more difficult to use because it covers some 
five to ten times more species.  The North Woods field guides are available 
in many nature orientated book stores or you can contact Sparky Stensaas: 
sparkystensaas at hotmail.com.  I have no finacial connection with this 
publisher, although I do know Sparky and like supporting local interests.

Another field guide that I recently obtained that I think is great is the 
Princeton Field Guides: Mammals of North America.

Steve Weston on Quiggley Lake in Eagan, MN
sweston2 at comcast.net


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pastor Al Schirmacher" <pastoral at princetonfreechurch.net>
To: <mou-net at moumn.org>; <mnbird at lists.mnbird.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 12:53 PM
Subject: [mnbird] RFI, perhaps July is the time to diversify


> Thinking about diversifying this hobby (avocation?  passion?), adding 
> butterflies & dragonflies.
>
> Three motivations:
>
> 1) They're beautiful, and they fly.  I'm there already.
>
> 2) It's July, and I know most of the two county bird residents by first 
> name:) (and post-breeding vagrants are still a bit scarce)
>
> 3) Would be nice to be able to answer non-birding questions on field trips 
> ("no, sorry, I only know about birds" is a bit lame)
>
>
> So, a few questions:
>
> 1) Any (reasonably priced) field guides you'd recommend?
>
> 2) Are there any Minnesota checklists available, on-line or otherwise?
>
> 3) Other thoughts you would like to add from experience?
>
> (Bit quiet at Milaca Hiking Trails and Pioneer today - nice views of a 
> Wood Thrush at latter.)
>
>
> Good birding (and butterflying) to all!
>
> Al Schirmacher
> Princeton, MN
> Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties
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