Owls of the Eastern Ice: The Quest to Find and Save the World's Largest Owl

Sometimes the most rewarding books are on a subject about which one knows almost nothing. Few of us will have heard of Primorye province, the furthest east in Russia where the port of Vladivostok is the capital. This is a harsh place where a sparse population makes its living from fishing, hunting, and logging. It is the home of the world's largest owl species , Blakiston's fish owl, a magnificent denizen of the forests and rivers of this distant land. Jonathan Slaght is an American ornithologist. For two decades he has been developing and promoting a conservation plan for this splendid creature.A Russian winter must be among the least attractive times to carry out field research. The rivers are frozen over, snow envelops the land, the wind howls down from the arctic, bringing blizzards with it and it is perishingly cold. Unfortunately it you want to research fish owls, this is the time to carry out field studies. And of course with owls, much of the work has to be done at night. Vehicles break down or get stuck in the snow, any travel is fraught with difficulty and danger, and it is easy to get lost in the forest. When spring approaches and a thaw sets in, the ice begins to melt and flooding becomes a risk. Living in tents or dilapidated huts in the forest, Dr Slaght and his Russian colleagues brave these conditions, searching for likely territories for owls and seeking out their feeding and nest sites. The problems the team encounter create a sense of adventure and humorous interactions between the participants lighten the tone and sit well with the scientific purpose of the project.Just finding owls is not enough. In order to develop an effective conservation plan, knowledge of the birds' daily needs is necessary. Owls have to be captured and fitted with GPS tags and their movements monitored. No easy task with an enormous bird which does not take kindly to its temporary capture. Various capture methods are successful deployed and the birds' movements can then be discerned. Careful analysis of the data will unravel the secrets of where the birds nest, feed and roost, and the habitat to sustain a healthy population. Many questions have to be answered; what are the favourite nesting trees? Where are their fish prey most abundant? What fish species live in the rivers? What is the optimum forest by tree density , understorey etc? The team finds the answers through meticulous fieldwork, Dr Slaght, working closely with his Russian hosts. The results are then analysed and it becomes clearer how these birds' needs can best be met, by making compromises with loggers, hunters and fishermen with whom they have to coexist. There is a sting in the tail but owls are resilient so let us hope they can cope with any challenges they face.This project was a voyage of discovery for the writer, and so it becomes for the reader. An unfamiliar part of the world, a remote landscape, a harsh environment, a variety of locals, some helpful, others less so and of course unfamiliar birds. Sometimes the investigative work seemed a shade intrusive but as Dr Slaght points out "fish owls were a species that needed a voice and by teasing out their secrets, we were giving them one" Quite simply, they cannot have found a better voice.

A great read, very vivid and well paced. I really enjoyed it.

Good coverage of the conservation work done concerning the Blakiston's Fishing Owl that perhaps many readers will know little to nothing about. We hear of the failures and tedium of the work as well as the successes. Equally good descriptive coverage of the bleak and harsh area of Eastern Russia where the work takes place mainly in difficult winter conditions, again an area that many readers will know little to nothing about. We are introduced to some of the other wildlife of the area and several human characters, and their idiosyncrasies, who work and/or live in the area. I doubt that I would ever want to visit this area, but it was good to read about it in the comfort of my home. Personally, I would have preferred more about the nature and wildlife of the area and a little less about the technical aspects of monitoring the owls, so as far as enjoyment goes, I give 4 stars rather than five.

This book is totally different to any I have read. The subject appears at first sight to be the fish owls but they are only one of a host of rich and unforgettable characters that come to life as Jon Slaght stumbles his way through blizzards and awkward encounters on his quest for his (initialy) elusive feathered friends. Because of this and Slaght's writing, you don't even have to be interested in Russia or Fish owls to enjoy this book. So I would highly recommend this book to anyone that loves great writing and immersing themselves in a place, people, and situation that they will otherwise never get the chance of learning from and enjoying. As well as entertaining just about everyone I can think of, I also have no doubt that it will inspire another generation to follow in Jon Slaght's footsteps and do everything they can to make a difference for some wild animal or place that they feel passionately about.

This is a fabulous book. It took me to the snowy, icy terrain and rivers of a part of Russia that i knew little about and introduced me to the fish owl. Written in compelling prose, this is a book without pretension and from which much can be learned about the efforts a small group of people are making to conserve and protect this shy creature and its habitat. I couldn't wait to get into bed every night and read more.

I was not totally entranced by the book at the start, however, this did change. This is a slow burner but it ends with a crescendo and it will remain with me for some time. It is as much about the people of Eastern Russian as it is about the owls, and all the better for it. Unmissable.

Arrived today - looking forward to reading it! Shame there is a tear on the dust cover as it’s a brand new book pre ordered!

Jonathan slaght and his hardworking and dedicated field assistants explore forests of russian far east looking for blackiston's fish owls. Their tale is equal parts adventurous and funny as they meet numerous challenges and various persons with strange ways and odd pasts. The assistants too reveal themselves to be no less eccentric but get the job well done !

I am not a biologist nor have I ever been particularly interested in owls or Russia, but previous good reviews for this book caught my eye. I am glad I bought it.This is an enjoyable and informative read. It teaches you without being too technical or data heavy. It is interspersed with anecdotes from life in the field that show the difficulties that a researcher has to deal with. In hindsight the author is able to convey the funny side to them.The results are no doubt commendable and important to preserving the habitat of the fish owls and other local species.Highly recommended to everyone.

It was interesting to read about this biologist's field work in Russia with fish owls. A good look into the culture, too, of this part of that country. I feel sorry for the Russian women, it sounds like all their husbands do is drink vodka.

This book details the research and field work of a very dedicated scientist, Jonathan C. Slaught, now a leading authority on the Blackistone Fish Owls, found in Siberia and Russia's Far East. If that does not sound like your cup of tea, give the book a chance anyway, because it is also a serious look at obsessive work ethic and the value of pursuing knowledge and beauty. For me, it covered an area of the world I knew nothing about and the research into these huge owls was also new territory. I feel I learned a lot from this book, which is often the case when it is a completely new topic. If you enjoyed Barry Lopez's, Arctic Dreams or Peter Matthiessen's Snow Leopard, then you will enjoy this.

This book is right up there with my all-time favorites. It's an immediately engaging account of intrepid field biologists at work in a world I never knew. Great descriptions of the owls, the ice, the search, the travails, the people. The author brings you right in alongside him as he and his cohorts track the elusive Fish Owls. Lots of fascinating information and adventures in this well-written, engrossing book. Highly recommended!