Flight of the Black Stork is about the ultimate tragedy of right versus right. When their ancient civilization approached its end, the aliens prayed for salvation. Their god heard the prayers of his chosen people and gave them a promised land for their deliverance. Unfortunately, it was Earth. When extra-terrestrial ships jump a battle damaged B-24 returning from a strike over Germany, Tuskegee Airmen flying escort aggressively fight off the attack in their Red Tailed P-51s. This engagement marked the beginning of the alien fifty-year reconnaissance and invasion plan. A daring surprise attack is launched against the enemy-staging base in the Moon's Aitken basin using the Black Stork, a Russian space shuttle resurrected from the bone yard, bristling with biochemical and nuclear weapons. Be prepared for a punch in the gut as each chapter slams you with a high G afterburner climb of mounting action, inspiring imperfect characters and a steamy, love story riding in the rear cockpit. The breathtaking finale thunders with history, hope, and guts and you'll be thinking about this book for a long time.

Everything you ever wanted to know about storks, ibises and spoonbills. Some of the world's largest and most spectacular birds are to be found among this group of wading birds. Tragically, they also include many of the world's most endangered species, as changes in land use erode their wetland habitats. Some like the White Stork have lived alongside humans for hundreds of years and are well known from numerous studies. Others, like the Storm's stork and ibises of West Africa, South-East Asia and South America live so secluded a life in the remote corners of the globe that they will probably be extinct before even the most basic details of their biology are known. In this monograph, three authors and two artists have combined their skills to capture what is known of this group of wading birds. The text opens with general chapters on taxonomy and feeding, breeding and behaviour, followed by detailed coverage of each species.

This spectacular new edition of Birds of Ghana is the ultimate reference to the birds of this rich and varied corner of Africa. Now fully revised and expanded, this guide is essential for researchers, birders and conservationists alike. This authoritative book covers all 773 species recorded in Ghana and neighbouring Togo, including details of all residents, migrants and known vagrants. Over 150 stunning colour plates depict every species and also comprehensively cover all the distinct plumages and subspecies likely to be encountered. Concise species accounts describe key identification features, status, range, habitat and voice with fully updated distribution maps for each species.

A pair of storks, plagued by dark premonitions, migrates from the south to their homeland in belarus, the country of forests, lakes, and marshes. A few days after their arrival, on April 26th 1986, the Chernobyl disaster, disrupts their lives, threatening the existence of animals and humans alike.

Clive Finlayson, a native of the Rock and a trained ornithologist, presents a fascinating account of this region and its resident and transitory bird life. The Strait of Gibraltar is famous as a major point of passage for Palaearctic birds migrating between their European breeding grounds and their winter quarters in Africa. The first chapter of the book describes the area, which broadly defined includes the Coto Donana in the north and the Merja Zerga in the south, and the geographic and climatological characteristics which make it a suitable crossing place. In scope this book goes beyond the strict definition of the Strait and, following Irby's 19th Century work, examines the rich area where Europe meets Africa. The chapters which follow describe in detail the migration patterns of the principal passage species including their origins, destinations and overall numbers, showing how the precise conditions of weather and visibility affect the specific choice of route and timing of the crossing. The breeding and wintering bird communities are then considered and the ornithology of the entire region summarized. Whether or not you have ever witnessed the thousands of raptors, storks and other birds that may make this legendary crossing in a single day, this book will conjure the spirit of this extraordinary place. Delightful illustrations by lan Willis complete an important and entertaining book.