Central California – Page 2 – Quick Reference Publishing Retail

California Rocks: A Guide to Gems, Minerals and Crystals

California Rocks is a colorful quick identification guide to rocks and minerals in California. While accurate identification of rocks and minerals often requires extensive laboratory techniques, many are easily identified by unique combinations of features. This guide bases identification of rocks and minerals on color, hardness, crystal shape, and unique features.

The rocks and minerals in this guide have been chosen specifically because they are either unique to California or commonly available and easily identified. The guide also provides brief descriptions of the different classes of rocks, differences between rocks and minerals, and accepted mineral groupings.

This waterproof, pocket-sized quick reference also contains information on proper collection and documentation of specimens you may find, and rules and regulations concerning such activities. Collectors of every level will find this information helpful. This guide is a must-have for anyone who wants a quick and easy way to identify rocks and minerals they may encounter in their outdoor activities.

ISBN: 978-1-732875-26-5

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David Trexler

David Trexler is a research scientist whose career has focused on dinosaurs and their environments. He and his family are known for major paleontological discoveries including Maiasaura peeblesorum. His current research focuses on comparisons between past and present climate and its effects on animal life.

David was born and raised in Montana. He spent his early years working in his family’s rock shop where he learned rock, mineral, and fossil identification. Growing up along the Rocky Mountain Front, Dave learned firsthand the interactions between geologic, climatic, and biologic processes in a largely undisturbed environment. This background sparked an interest that has continued throughout his career. He always enjoyed sharing his love of rocks and fossils, and in 1985 began teaching field programs for the general public. In 1990, he began teaching college level courses in field paleontology and geology. Dave received dual undergraduate degrees in Biology and Earth Sciences in Montana, and a graduate degree in Vertebrate Paleontology in Alberta, Canada.

A driving force throughout his career has been providing participation in scientific research for the general public. Dave has conducted research and training throughout western North America. He has served as the staff paleontologist for several museums and currently works for the Two Medicine Dinosaur Center in Montana. Dave’s research includes climate and climate change from a paleontological perspective. His work has identified long-term cycles that have a major impact on present day events. A portion of this work is explained in his book, “Becoming Dinosaurs: a Paleontologic Perspective on Climate Change Today.”

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Mushrooms of California

Did you ever find a mushroom and wonder what species it was? The mushrooms of California always intrigue! This guide will help you learn about 54 of the most common edible and poisonous species found in this region. Using crisp, clear photographs along with short, detailed descriptions you will learn which common mushrooms to watch for. Additional information included in this guide includes:

• How to make a spore print
• A diagram illustrating the parts of a mushroom
• Illustrations of the major mushroom groups

With this guide you will look at the mushrooms around you in a whole new light! This 12-panel guide, conveniently folds up in to a packet narrow enough to fit in a back pocket, glove box or backpack yet sturdy enough to stand up to outdoor use—durable lamination also makes it waterproof. Size: 4”x 9” folded; 9” x 24.5” unfolded.

ISBN: 978-1-943334-96-4

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J. Duane Sept

Duane Sept is a biologist, professional free-lance nature photographer and writer. Duane’s award-winning photographs have been published internationally in books, magazines, newspapers, displays and others. He is the author of 30+ natural history books including Common Mushrooms of the Northwest published by Calypso Publishing which is a best seller many times over! He is also the past president of the Sunshine Coast Mycological Society in British Columbia.

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Bats of Western North America

Bats are one of the most unique and mysterious animals on earth. You may have feared them or have been fascinated by them. Either way, you have wanted to learn more. This is your chance. Their nocturnal habits make them difficult to photograph and document. However, this guide provides the expert and the novice alike the visual cues and scientific observations to identify bats from the Cascades Mountains to Chihuahuan Desert.

This 12-panel guide, conveniently folds up in to a packet narrow enough to fit in a back pocket, glove box, or tackle box yet sturdy enough to stand up under repeated use—durable lamination also makes it waterproof. Size: 4”x 9” folded; 9” x 24.5” unfolded.

ISBN: 978-1-943334-56-8

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Rob Mies

Rob Mies is an exciting and adventurous scientist, conservationist, TV personality, and animal expert whose passion is educating and entertaining people about the unique life on Earth and the simple ways people can conserve biodiversity. Rob has appeared on numerous TV shows promoting wildlife conservation including The Tonight Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Today Show, Conan O’Brien, Fox & Friends, CBS Early Show, and Martha Stewart.

Growing up in Michigan, Rob spent his school-age years traveling the Great Lakes exploring forests. He started researching wildlife at Eastern Michigan University studying endangered bats in the swamps of Michigan. Rob is the author of the books Bats A to Z and Understanding Bats, and the field guide Beginner’s Guide to Bats. He has 25 years of experience crawling through caves, wading through swamps, studying animals, and educating people around the world.

From wetlands to caves to rain forests, Rob’s research and conservation projects have taken him to all corners of the world. Rob’s conservation work has been featured in television documentaries by Paramount Pictures “Wild Things,” Germany’s “Nature Adventure,” National Geographic Television’s “America the Wild,” and Korean Broadcasting System’s “Return of the Documentary.” He was recently a featured scientist in the Discovery Channel’s Trailblazers TV series (2016).

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Warblers of North America

Warblers of North America provides comprehensive coverage of all the regularly occurring warblers of NA, plus a few rarities. Over 150 photos include breeding adults, nonbreeding and first-winter plumages of many species where pertinent, and immature male and female photos of some species. Similar species are often shown adjacent to each other to allow for direct comparison in the field.

Each species includes a short description of their physical and plumage features, body and wingspan measurements, and preferred habitats. The status of each species, including seasonal frequency, resident or migrant occurrence, along with the habitat preferences are noted, and geographic occurrence for most species is provided.

These guides differ from other similar products by the increased number of photos for each species, which allows readers to compare a variety of individuals on the same page. This laminated, waterproof, folding field guide is a must for anyone who wants to identify warblers anywhere in North America—and they fit in your back pocket when you complete your ID conclusion. You’ve tried the rest; now try the best quick reference guides for North American warblers.

ISBN: 978-1-943334-29-2

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Kevin Karlson

Kevin Karlson is an accomplished birder, professional tour leader and wildlife photographer who has published numerous articles on bird identification and natural history for an assortment of magazines, books, and journals.A former photo editor for North American Birds, he currently writes the Birder’s ID column for Wild Bird Magazine. Kevin is a co-author of The Shorebird Guide (Houghton Mifflin Co. 2006) and is currently completing a new book for the Roger Tory Peterson Reference series at Houghton Mifflin Co. called Birding by Impression. He is the author and photographer of a book titled The Birds of Cape May (Schiffer Publishing, 2010), which celebrates the birds of this special location through the four seasons, and just completed a new nature photography book called Visions: Earth’s Elements in Bird and Nature Photography, which will be released in June, 2012.

As the sole ornithologist for Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s DVD Birds of North America, Kevin prepared photos and wrote captions for over 2600 bird images, including over 800 of his own. He is a regular presence at numerous Bird and Nature festivals around North America, where he gives keynote presentations and workshops on bird identification and natural history, and leads field trips to a variety of locations. Kevin also leads a limited number of photography tours.

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Owls of North America

This comprehensive guide includes multiple photos of every owl found in North America, including some regional subspecies. Some species have up to six photos that show plumage variation, sexual differences and behavior, with 75 photos representing the 19 species of owls found in North America.

Most other similar guides only show two or three photos of each species, which is why this guide is more helpful in field conditions.

Accompanying text provides tips on how to identify each owl, including how they differ from other similar owls, as well as their calls and vocalizations. The ability to see similar owl species in side by side comparison is the key to your ID success, and this guide allows that to happen due to the foldable panels.

Nine species of nighthawks and nightjars are also shown at the end of this guide, with multiple photos showing nighthawks in flight for ID comparison. All nightjars found in North America are also shown here, with text explaining how each differs from the others. This waterproof guide is invaluable for your field identification of these two birds groups.

ISBN: 978-1-943334-21-6

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Kevin Karlson

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