Customer Reviews

Field Guide to the Natural World of New York City

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At last,Leslie Day's long awaited book, "Field Guide to the Natural World of New York City", with illustrations by Mark A. Klinger. Mayor Bloomberg wrote the foreword. Along with Leslie's own lovely images are wonderful photos by Don Reipe , Mike Feller and others.
The Format is clear and it is easy to use. Klinger's illustrations are breathtaking. I liked her format in the plant and animal descriptions. Each species had:
* Etymology of name
* Description
* Common locations(where you can find)
* Notes of interest
* Ecological role (I really liked this!!)
* Key points
She highlights several parks in each boro. (the often forgotten Floyd Bennett Field was included which I loved!!) She also includes that great Forever Wild map from City Parks and has a section on that program. She also has a geology section. Her acknowledgements in the front of the book show that she went to the `best' in NYC for her information
The naturalist/educators in NYC will love this !
Leslie is a science educator that many know in the science/environmental world of New York City. She recently got her doctorate in science education from Columbia. She teaches at the Elizabeth Murrow School in NJ. Of course the coolest thing about Leslie is she lives on a boat house at 79th St. Can't get closer to the Hudson than that
-Regina McCarthy, Coordinator emeritus, Gateway Environmental Study Center

Leslie Day possesses an extraordinary, singular talent for inspiring enthusiasm and a life-long passion for learning and for the natural world around us. Dr. Day has been our children's science teacher since our now 17 year-old son was in her class in Kindergarten; and in order to be her students, our now 14 year-old twins commuted for six years, starting the day before 9/11, from the island of Manhattan across the Washington Bridge to the Elisabeth Morrow School in Englewood, New Jersey. Her Field Guide is a beautifully-written, gorgeously-illustrated and very smartly-organized celebration of big-city nature. A naturalist's version of "I Love New York", it provides pathways and subway directions to thousands of acres of magnificent parks and nature preserves that even most New Yorkers don't know. Now, in addition to knowing of Central Park, Broadway Theater, Carnegie Hall and our 157 museums, visitors and New Yorkers - including the Mayor (who wrote the introduction)- can always have a ready answer to that proverbial, weekend question, "what shall we do today?". This is a great read and a must-have.

Paul Tobias, New York City

BTW, I was born Brooklyn in 1926. My family "emigrated" to Staten Island in the early 1930s. Having last lived on rural Lighthouse Hill on Staten Island in 1951 I am well-acquainted with Staten Island's flora and fauna.

The best endorsement I can give is the fact that I originally bought this book for a friend who is an avid birder in Connecticut. She was so impressed with it that I bought one for myself. Now I am a birder (albeit, an old bird!).

This book is a handsome, valuable addition to the library (or backpack) of NYC dwelling natural history lovers. Unfortunately, it is not "complete," as several reviews suggest. Missing, for example, is the red-eared slider(Trachemys scripta elegans), the most commonly seen turtle in Central Park. Migrant and occasional bird species, too, are not to be found. The wild turkey is now reestablished on parts of Manhattan, but does not find a place in Day's guide. There are many such oversights; generally, however, I recommend the book.

"What a wonderful resource NYC has in Leslie Day. I purchased her recently released book (hardcover edition) Field Guide to the Natural World of New York City, and was so impressed by her knowledge and intense communion with nature. This book is a work of art! Illustrated by Mark A. Klingler and containing many photographs taken by Dr. Day herself, it is a piece to be treasured. It is so complete, comprehensive and beautifully edited. It is also amazingly user friendly. Thank you Leslie Day for your dedication to NYC and the enlightening of nature lovers everywhere."

Leslie Day describes her book perfectly in the first chapter:

"Today the city is a complex ecosystem, the result of its tumultuous history. Hundreds of species of birds inhabit its streets, parks and waters. Insects, worms, crustaceans, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds,mammals, trees, wildflowers, and mushrooms are within walking distance of virtually every apartment building, house, and hotel. The city has more than 500 miles of coastline, some fringed with saltwater marshes, such as the islands of Jamaica Bay in Queens. New York's 37,000 acres of parks contain hundreds of species waiting to be discovered, identified, and appreciated by the reader. This guide is designed to make the natural world of New York City accessible by revealing the living and diverse, and ancient geological treasures the city has to offer."

She describes her book with the help of well done drawings by Mark A. Klingler and a number of color photographs. Day is a keen observer: we've fed dozens of mourning doves over the years, but I've never noticed the color of their eyes. As she told a "New York Times" reporter: "If you look closely in their eyes, they are blue. It's startlingly beautiful."

(During the same interview walking around a single block, Day identified several trees and a lichen: Willow Oak, Honey Locust, Sophora Tree (aka "Eve's Necklace"), three Callery Pears, Mulberry (with two types of leaves: some egg-shaped, others lobed), London Plane, several Lindens, and, of course, a Gingko.)

Day maintains an interesting website devoted to the Guide, and posts short, informative, well illustrated updates on new developments in New York City. The last few entries included a Harp Seal at the Boat Basin on 79th Street (where she lives on a house boat), Winter Weeping Willows, and Canvas Back Ducks.

This is a very human view of one of our greenest cities.

Robert C. Ross 2008

This book is everything I'd want in a book about the natural history of where I live. Plants, animals, fungi, rocks! I especially love the etymology of all the scientific names and the section that details the traits and histories of all the parks in the area. I aim to visit them all. It's a lot more relaxed than a bird-specific field guide, a more pleasurable read.

What a joy! Leslie Day has created a wonderful reference book for everyone who has ever wondered about the wildlife that coexists with us in the city. Among other things, I've always been personally intrigued by those tiny birds that seem to live in the shrubs around apartment buildings and are constantly throwing dirt on themselves. Now I know that they are house sparrows and are bathing themselves! And SO much more. Leslie helps you to see the city in a whole new way. Beautiful! Thank you!

This book was for my daughter who lives in NYC. She absolutely raves about it. She and her husband both enjoy the book for all the info they get about nature in the city. They are birders and now they notice other things, too.

Fabulous! Leslie Day's passion for nature is evident in this beautiful guide to NYC's surprisingly abundant natural resources.