"Writing with uncanny skill, Louise de Kiriline Lawrence leads us gently into the world of birds. Her perception, intuition and experience give her insights that she here freely shares with us all. "I knew this remarkable lady for years, and had previously read her Mar, but on re-reading it, I was struck with the sensitive, magical way she reveals the behaviour of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers. "At her doorstep, at almost everyone’s doorstep, there is a wondrous, beautiful world, if we will only be patient and observant. In Mar, Mrs. Lawrence shows us the way."Naturalists, birders, aspiring ornithologists, scientists, all should take time to read Mar." - Robert W. Nero, Author of The Great Gray Owl and Redwings "Mar is a glimpse into the natural life of a woodpecker – a yellow-bellied sapsucker – in two nesting seasons, as it interacts with its mate and other forest creatures. "The narrative, deceptively simple, consolidates a lifetime of careful observation and imaginative research. It should appeal to all birdwatchers, novice or expert."- Maureen Johnson, The Ottawa Citizen