"Jack" Laws, a naturalist managing the field studies program at the California Academy of Sciences will explain the reasons behind his plan to document the plants and animals of the Sierras in a single field guide, arranged by size and color rather than by taxonomy.  He will show slides of some of his most recent works, describing how illustration and drawing can train the eye to see nature’s details.  His latest book, Sierra Birds: A Hiker's Guide, will be showcased (see the last page of the newsletter for a description).  Autographed editions will be available for purchase. If you are not one of our regular meeting attendees and plan on being at this meeting, please call Altacal Board member David Tinker (824-0253).  Indicate how many people will be in your party and leave a message. We want to make sure we have enough chairs.  Thanks!  The meeting will be at the Chico Creek Nature Center, 1968 East 8th Street.

In conjunction with our Program this month we wanted to mention the new book by our speaker, John Muir Laws. (Trade Paper, ISBN: 1-890771-18-3, $9.95 - 64 pages (4.75 x 8.75), with full-color illustrations throughout).

Published in conjunction with the California Academy of Sciences.

As a naturalist managing the field studies program at the California Academy of Sciences, John Muir Laws noticed that novice birders often distinguish birds by color and size rather than species. This inspired him to create Sierra Birds: A Hiker’s Guide, a unique book that assumes no prior birding knowledge on the part of the reader and is organized for easy and quick reference. Color-coded keys eliminate the time-consuming frustration of thumbing randomly through a guide, hoping to stumble upon the right species…before it disappears! A cross-index is also included for more advanced birders. All this in a format that is simply organized, lightweight, and small enough to tuck inside a pocket.

A first-rate naturalist, John Muir Laws is also an accomplished artist. His illustrations are lively, colorful, and accurate, and drawn to represent species in the manner in which one generally sees them in the field. The blue-gray gnatcatcher staring at the reader is not just an artistic fancy: this is indeed how the bird behaves.

Part of a larger project forthcoming from Heyday Books and the California Academy of Sciences that will catalog the flora and fauna of the Sierra Nevada, Sierra Birds is a stand-alone guidebook that will be celebrated by beginning and experienced birders alike.