The Young Ones E-Book

Hannah Dale

• Herausgeber: Batsford
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 45

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

An adorable collection of the sweetest baby animals you've ever seen, brought to life by Hannah Dale, creator of Wrendale Designs. This gorgeous celebration of new life features over 50 British baby animals, painted by award-winning artists Hannah Dale. From the playful fox cub to the tiny fluffy duckling, from the prettiest baby seal to a wobbly thoroughbred foal, everyone's favourite mini creatures are charmingly brought to life in the author's quirky inimitable style. Each animal portrait is accompanied by informative and entertaining text on how these little creatures will make their way in the world. Did you know that kingfisher chicks have to leave the nest after four days, while young dolphins remain in their mother's care for three to six years? A new and larger edition of a bestselling book, the gorgeous baby animal paintings get even more space to shine. It's an irresistible book for nature enthusiasts who will love the cuteness within.

Leseprobe

The Young Ones

The Young Ones

The early days of ourbest-loved animals

Hannah Dale

Contents

Introduction

Woodland

Farmland

River and Pond

Coast and Sea

Garden and Meadow

Domestic

Index

Introduction

When asked to write and illustrate a book about baby animals, I have to say that I was daunted by the task ahead. There is no denying the ‘cute’ factor – it’s striking how appealing baby animals of all species are – and during the process of researching the book, I came across a few that even surprised me with their unutterable gorgeousness. Who could possibly resist the peacock chick with his stubby little tail, displaying it with all the pride of the bejewelled adult male showing off his eccentric tail feathers? Not to mention the sweet little ‘puffling’ (doesn’t the name just say it all?), fluffy and adorable even without the striking multicoloured beak of the adult puffin. However, for me, therein lies the challenge. I always seem to be drawn to life’s stragglers. The runt of the litter, the scruffy mongrel, the weathered-looking hare who has seen his share of ‘mad Marches’ and boxing fights. I always try to paint a character rather than just an image. By the end of the painting, we are old friends and I have conjured up a whole life story for him or her. I was, therefore, unsure how to tackle a subject almost defined by its sweetness – it’s just not me!

I needn’t have worried. It’s impossible to get away from the fact that baby animals are cute, and in the end, I embraced this. After all, life is often tough for newly born wildlife, and this was a recurring theme as I researched the book. Take, for example, the leveret. With its ears pinned back, crouched into its nest – a hollow scraped into the open ground – the first challenge the young hare faces is to survive its first week. Baby hares are often mistaken for having been abandoned, but in fact, the mother’s rich milk can sustain her young all day, meaning that she has to make fewer visits, therefore reducing the risk of attracting the unwanted attentions of predators on the lookout for their next meal. It was fascinating to learn how the appearance of so many juvenile animals is shaped by the fight for survival as well, often resulting in them looking very different from their parents. The common tern chick, its dappled down providing it with the perfect camouflage, is unrecognisable from its graceful parents with their striking black and white plumage and forked tails. I also found plenty of examples to satisfy my craving for the odd-looking and obscure. Particular favourites are the grey heron with its wild hair and oversized beak, and the moorhen, tumbling over its enormous feet – perfect for navigating weeds and lily pads on the surface of ponds.

It was also fascinating to learn more about the darker side lurking behind the unassuming exterior of Britain’s animal babies. I spent some time after university as a research assistant, and one project I helped on was the study of brood parasitism in meadow pipits. This entailed day after day of systematically hunting through waist-high heather in the stunningly beautiful Scottish highlands in search of ground-nesting meadow pipits whose nests had been hijacked by the most notorious of all birds, the cuckoo. Its first act as a newly hatched chick is to swiftly dispatch its adoptive siblings, ensuring the poor parents give all of their attention to this insatiable and demanding bird. Evolution has shaped all aspects of the cuckoo’s appearance and behaviour, and indeed that of all other species, in an ongoing battle for survival. This has resulted in a rich variety of intriguing life histories amongst the inhabitants of the British countryside, and it has been an absorbing journey researching and learning about some of them.

With this book, I have tried to offer a glimpse into the fascinating world of the wild and domestic animals we share our lives with and I hope that the illustrations serve to capture some of the eccentric and charming personalities of these wonderful characters. Above all, I hope it inspires you to celebrate the wonderful variety of life in the great British countryside.

Tawny Owl

Strix aluco

Beautiful brown-eyed tawny owls find a partner at one year of age and will usually mate for life, hooting and calling to one another as part of their courtship. They nest in holes in hollow trees and will produce between two and four glossy white eggs in each clutch. The eggs hatch 28 days later and the chicks will stay in the nest for a further month, curiosity eventually getting the better of the young owlets as they start to hop out onto nearby branches. The demanding fledglings spend most of their time calling out to their parents and waiting to be fed – they can call all night at five to six second intervals, which would test the nerves of any parent! The owls take care of the young for two to three months, with the devoted dad doing the majority of the feeding. Once the owls have flown the nest, it is vital for them to find a territory of their own.

Barn Owl

Tyto alba