The Nocturnal Naturalist: Exploring the Outdoors at Night

A rat snake climbs a tree to rob a wren's nest; an elderly possum winters in the basement; a screech owlet is rescued from the ninth hole of the golf course and returned to its parents the next night. From her home in northwest Missouri, artist-naturalist Johnson observes the natural world from dusk to dawn, chronicling changes in the weather and seasons. This captivating journal takes us through a year, starting in early spring. Johnson notes the scents of a July evening--odors are intensified in night air. In the fall, trees show their true colors, free of the masking green of summer. In November, Johnson discovers that moonlight is bright enough for a prism to cast a spectrum; in December, she finds a barred owl chasing a great blue heron through the woods. There is a summer visit to the Ozarks and a fall week in the Nevada desert. The nocturnal scene, wherever we follow Johnson, is full of surprises and rewards. Illustrations not seen by PW. (Aug.)