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Donald Knowler

Dancing on the Edge of the World

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War of words over wilderness

January 9, 2024 Don Knowler

A battle is shaping for the soul of environmentalism across the planet. The danger to our world heritage areas worldwide comes not only from politicians who use semantics to redefine what’s wild or not, if comes from a breed of modern naturalists trying to put a human value on pristine places. In fact some of the world’s most powerful conservationists are giving up on wilderness. They argue that most of these far-flung corners of the universe which somehow have escaped … [Read more...] about War of words over wilderness

New Nature Writing

Bird of year campaign accused on foul ploy

January 7, 2024 Don Knowler

Feathers are still flying over foreign “interference” in New Zealand’s Bird of the Year contest. The 2023 prize went to a bird also found in Australia after a surprise intervention by the host of a top-ranking American television talk show, John Oliver. The winner was the puteketeke, known as the great-crested grebe in Australian waters, and in my annual prize for the top bird story of the year the graceful bird comes out tops. The New Zealand bird contest has long been … [Read more...] about Bird of year campaign accused on foul ploy

On The Wing

Christmas tradition strictly for the birds

December 25, 2023 Don Knowler

Every Christmas Day I set off with my binoculars to take part in a Yuletide tradition unknown to Australians. It’s called the Christmas Bird Count and for more than a century it was been celebrated among birders in the United States with the same gusto which in other western countries is reserved for turkey and mince pies. The count doesn’t actually have to take place on the big day. Any convenient date within the week of Christmas will do. The Christmas holiday in the … [Read more...] about Christmas tradition strictly for the birds

On The Wing

Cancelled – Wilson’s glorious warbler

December 16, 2023 Don Knowler

A hand-coloured engraving of a passenger pigeon hangs above the desk in my study. It’s one of my most prized possessions, bought on a whim when I lived in New York in celebration of a hero of mine at the time, a Scottish artist and poet named Alexander Wilson. The Scotsman chronicled the great migrations of the now extinct pigeon and gave his name to several bird species, among them Wilson’s warbler which I just happened to see in Central Park on the day I bought the … [Read more...] about Cancelled – Wilson’s glorious warbler

On The Wing

Masked lapwings safe in the shadows

December 7, 2023 Don Knowler

Two plovers stood looking forlorn on a patch of grass off Davey Street. Just a day previously I had seen the plover pair with two chicks and now the young were nowhere to be seen. I feared the worst. It’s not unusual to see masked lapwings – to give them their common name outside of Tasmania – raising young in the most unlikely of places. We all have plover stories at this time of year. They nest on grass verges, the fringes of football fields and even on the open, grassy … [Read more...] about Masked lapwings safe in the shadows

On The Wing

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Primary Sidebar

PUBLISHED BOOKS

The Shy Mountain

shy mountain

Silent and brooding, the Shy Mountain does not have to speak her name. We know she’s there, watching … [Read More...]

The Falconer of Central Park

Although written more than 30 years ago, The Falconer of Central Park has remained popular ever … [Read More...]

Riding the Devil’s Highway

Tasmania might be known internationally as the home of the Hollywood cartoon character, Taz, based … [Read More...]

Dancing on the Edge of the World

Dancing on the edge of the World by Donald Knowler

Dancing on the Edge of the World is a collection of essays that had their genesis in the “On the … [Read More...]

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