The most comprehensive field guide available to the flora and fauna of California--a portable, essential companion for visitors and residents alike--from the go-to reference source for over 18 million nature lovers. This compact volume contains: An easy-to-use field guide for identifying 1,000 of the state's wildflowers, trees, mushrooms, mosses, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, butterflies, mammals, and much more; A complete overview of California's natural history, covering geology, wildlife habitats, ecology, fossils, rocks and minerals, clouds and weather patterns and night sky; An extensive sampling of the area's best parks, preserves, beaches, forests, islands, and wildlife sanctuaries, with detailed descriptions and visitor information for 50 sites and notes on dozens of others. The guide is packed with visual information -- the 1,500 full-color images include more than 1,300 photographs, 14 maps, and 16 night-sky charts, as well as 150 drawings explaining everything from geological processes to the basic features of different plants and animals.

This easy-to-use field guide will help even the novice birder identify the species encountered in backyards and along wilderness trails across North Carolina. Over 80 different birds are featured, complete with color illustrations, photographs of eggs, and extensive natural history. The author is the mountain area biologist for the Audubon Society in North Carolina and a life-long birder.

Learn about 320 species of Northern California birds in fascinating detail. Descriptions, illustrations and range maps help you identify birds and understand their habits. A checklist helps you keep a list of your birding accomplishments. Perfect for beginner birders and beyond.

"This guide provides description and photographs of 149 rare or endangered plants found in 10 counties in Northern California. Each description is accompanied by a photo of the mature plant (where available), a photo of the plant in its native habitat, a line art illustration of the plant showing diagnostic features, and a map showing the quadrangles where the plant has been found."--NHBS Encironment Bookstore.

Plants of Northern California is an informative guide to the rich and varied flora of Northern California. From lush riparian forests along the rivers and streams to oak woodlands, wetlands, grasslands, and the ephemeral pools known as vernal pools, this revised handy volume enables both amateur and professional to quickly and accurately identify more than 560 Northern Californian plants. Look Inside to FInd: Descriptive text that includes blooming period, elevation, and habitat Species organized by color and family Plant characteristics in easy-to-understand terms Tips on how to distinguish similar-looking species Notes on ethnobotanical uses, history, and other interesting facts Glossary of botanical terms

The Northern California coast--from Monterey County to the Oregon border--is home to some of the richest avian habitats on the North American continent. Field Guide to Birds of the Northern California Coast provides a comprehensive ecological overview of this extensive and diverse region. It features detailed discussions of the area's most common waterbirds, raptors, and landbirds and highlights the most productive birding sites in each Northern California coastal county. Accessibly written and user-friendly, this guide contains nearly 250 species accounts that focus on seasonal rhythms and behavioral characteristics of each species. More than 130 color photographs and hand-drawn sketches depict the birds in context, and maps and occurrence charts indicate when readers might spot each species.