Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter. That was almost three weeks ago yet there is still one third of winter ahead of us. In Colorado, March is the snowiest month and storms can continue to bring winter-like weather through April.

Even as I write this, a winter storm is delivering more snow to Colorado with forecasts predicting up to a foot of white flakes.

There are still plenty more winter nights in the near future for snuggling under a warm blanket as you sit by a fire with a good book. If your world has already started to show signs of spring, these also make great audio books for long drives to your next outdoor destination.

Here are five non-fiction reads I found informative, eye opening and enjoyable that focus on nature, being outdoors and environmental issues. 

Let me know what you think about each by adding your thoughts in the comments. 

Note: Please consider purchasing these titles through the links provided. I earn a small portion of the sale at no additional cost to you, and it helps me keep this business running so I can continue to provide you with helpful information and once-in-a-lifetime photo tour experiences. Thank you for your support.

1. A Life on Our Planet by David Attenborough

This eye-opening and beautifully written book is Sir David Attenborough’s witness statement about what he has seen during his 94 years on Earth. His harsh realities, scary predictions and insight into the hope for the future will give you new perspective on just how quickly our planet has changed and how things can still be salvaged.

2. A World on the Wing by Scott Weidensaul

Whether you are a bird lover, avid traveler or just enjoy learning about nature, you will find the often times humorous first-hand accounts of Weidensaul’s field experiences mixed with in-depth information about birds and how they migrate — including one startling fact about how one species flys with one eye opened.

3. The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman

Author of eight non-fiction titles, Jennifer Ackerman is best known for her ornithology books, including Birds by the Shore and the 2020 title The Bird Way. The Genius of Birds, her first book delving into the mysterious avian world, details research that explains the remarkable forms of intelligence displayed by birds — and clears up any misconception of the phrase "bird brain".

4. Bear in the Backseat by Kim DeLozier

This book had me in tears laughing so hard. A non-fiction book written by a retired National Park Service ranger who spent much of his career in Great Smoky Mountains recalls some of his experiences with "befuddled bears, hormonally crazed elk, homicidal wild boars, hopelessly timid wolves, and non million tourists." For anyone who has spent time in a national park — any national park — this tale is certain to be an entertaining read you will not want to put down.

5. Braving It by James Campbell

There are numerous coming-of-age books in the fiction and non-fiction categories that many of us can relate to from our own challenging and exciting days as teenagers and 20-somethings. This book, however, is told from the perspective of a father as he takes his reluctant teenage daughter on her first wilderness experience in remote Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Spending a summer building a cabin with the author's cousin, the book recalls the experiences that tests the family and their relationship, and inspires them to return two more times as father and daughter into the land of muskox, wolves, caribou and grizzlies.