Stuck with no ideas for gifts? Give these a shot

It's that special time of year, so here's a list of holiday gifts suitable for outdoor lovers.
My top recommendation for the year is Scott Weidensaul's new book, "Return to Wild America: A Yearlong Search for the Continent's Natural Soul" (2005, $26.00, North Point Press). "Return to Wild America" celebrates the 50th anniversary of "Wild America" (1955) by Roger Tory Peterson and James Fisher.
In 1953, Peterson and Fisher embarked on a 100-day road trip to explore the country's natural history. Beginning in Newfoundland, they traveled south to Florida, west through Mexico and the southwest and then up the Pacific coast to the Pribilof Islands. "Wild America" recounted their journey.
In Return, Weidensaul retraces Peterson and Fisher's route to document changes in America's wild heritage. He took a more leisurely approach and devoted an entire year to the project. The overall tone of the book is positive, though Weidensaul points out how we can do better. Though most of us will never be able to devote an entire year to explore America, reading "Wild America" is the next best thing. It's my book of the year.
Birds and bugs
Serious birders will enjoy two new titles from Princeton University Press. "Hawks from Every Angle: How to Identify Raptors in Flight" (2005, $19.95) by Jerry Liguori and "Shorebirds of North America: The Photographic Guide" (2005, $29.95) by Dennis Paulson are lavishly illustrated with hundreds of color photographs showing multiple images of each species depicted. For birders trying to master these difficult groups, these books will prove invaluable.
Also from Princeton are two titles for curious entomologists. "Caterpillars of Eastern North America" (2005, $29.95) by David Wagner uses 1,200 color photos and full-page species accounts to cover nearly 700 species of caterpillars found east of the Mississippi. Wagner has finally provided a comprehensive field guide to the caterpillars of the east. "Butterflies of the East Coast: An Observers Guide" (2005, $49.50) by Rick Cech and Guy Tudor consists of 234 full-page species accounts illustrated by nearly 900 color photos.
Alan Burdick addresses the issue of invasive exotic species in "Out of Eden: An Odyssey of Ecological Invasion" (2005, $25; Farrar, Straus and Giroux). The impact of invasive species on biodiversity is one of the most important ecological issues we face, and Burdick takes us around the world as he explains some of the greatest threats.
If you prefer fiction, try "High Country" (2005, $24.95, University of Oklahoma Press) by Willard Wyman. Set during the Depression, "High Country" tells the story of a man who guides mule trains into the high mountains of the west and becomes a legend in the process.
"Upper River: Elk's Origins and Beyond" (2005, $27.50, www.UpperRiver.com) by Skip Johnson tells the natural and cultural history of a river as only someone who has spent a lifetime living with it could. Johnson retired as outdoor writer for the Charleston (WV) Gazette in 1992, and "Upper River" shows he hasn't lost his touch.
If you've heard about the reintroduction of wolves into the Yellowstone ecosystem, "Decade of the Wolf: Returning the Wild to Yellowstone" (2005, $23.95, Lyons Press) by Doug Smith and Gary Ferguson tells the whole story. It explains how returning a top carnivore helped control an exploding elk population and restore a natural vegetative community.
On DVD
If you're looking for great family entertainment, the DVD version of "March of the Penguins" (2005, $29) is available for the holidays. And for more information about the bottom of the earth, consider "The Complete Guide to Antarctic Wildlife: Birds and Marine Mammals of the Antarctic Continent and the Southern Ocean" (2002, $49.50, Princeton). The title says it all.
Finally, Brownbag Productions (www.brownbagproductions.com) offers a series DVDs for birders and nature lovers. Video field guides include "Hawkwatch" ($24.95), "Shorebirds" ($24.95), "Common Butterflies and Skippers of Eastern North America" ($24.95), and "Common Dragonflies and Damselflies of Eastern North America" ($24.95). "The New World Tropics: An Introduction for Naturalists, Belize - Costa Rica - Trinidad" ($24.95) is an excellent introduction to tropical ecotourism, and "Exploring the Nature Around You" ($19.95) is ideal for teachers wanting to bring a touch of nature into the classroom.
XSend questions and comments to Dr. Scott Shalaway, RD 5, Cameron, WV 26033 or via e-mail to sshalaway@aol.com