These tiny, jewel-like birds can be spotted in the Santa Cruz area early in the spring, when the males start courting females for the breeding season. This colorful enamel lapel pin measures 1.25″ wide.
The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds
Learning to draw birds can do wonders for your ID skills! The combination of close observation and sharp drawing/sketching skills can help your brain hone in on the small details that separate species. Don’t think your art skills are up to snuff? No worries! Anyone can learn to draw, and this staff favorite is a perfect starting place.
From publisher Heyday:
John Muir Laws’s guide to drawing birds is itself winged, soaring between a devotion not only to art but also to the lives, forms, and postures of the birds themselves. Here, artistic technique and the exquisite details of natural history intertwine, and drawing becomes the vehicle for seeing. As Laws writes, “To draw feathers, you must understand how feathers grow, overlap, and insert into the body. To create the body, you must have an understanding of the bird’s skeletal structure. To pose this skeleton, you must be able to perceive the energy, intention, and life of the bird.”
This how-to guide will perfect the technique of serious artists but also, perhaps more importantly, it will provide guidance for those who insist they can’t draw. Leading the mind and hand through a series of detailed exercises, Laws delivers what he promises: that “drawing birds opens you to the beauty of the world.”
Field Guide to the Animals and Plants of Monterey Bay: Santa Cruz Shoreline
Bay Area author Lorrie Klosterman has created a unique and beautiful field guide to one of Santa Cruz’s favorite local attractions: West Cliff Drive! Bursting with incredible illustrations and information, this book is all you need for a stroll through Lighthouse Field or a trip to the Natural Bridges tidepools. Learn about flowers, geologic formations, birds, and many other flora and fauna.
Union-printed in the USA! Also available at the Seacliff, New Brighton, Santa Cruz Mission, Natural Bridges, and Wilder Ranch ParkStores.
Laminated Field Guide – Birds of the Monterey Bay
This laminated, portable guide features common land and aquatic bird species in the Monterey Bay area. Perfect for new and seasoned birders alike! Fits easily into back pockets, glove compartments, and bags so you can ID on the fly.
100 Plants to Feed the Birds
The growing group of bird enthusiasts who enjoy feeding and watching their feathered friends will learn how they can expand their activity and help address the pressing issue of habitat loss with 100 Plants to Feed the Birds.
In-depth profiles offer planting and care guidance for 100 native plant species that provide food and shelter for birds throughout the year, from winter all the way through breeding and migrating periods. Readers will learn about plants they can add to their gardens and cultivate, such as early-season pussy willow and late-season asters, as well as wild plants to refrain from weeding out, like jewelweed and goldenrod. Others, including 29 tree species, may already be present in the landscape and readers will learn how these plants support the birds who feed and nest in them.
Introductory text explains how to create a healthy year-round landscape for birds. Plant photographs and range maps provide needed visual guidance to selecting the right plants for any location in North America.
A Californian’s Guide to Birds Among Us
This unique field guide provides a beautifully illustrative snapshot of California’s birdlife by closely studying 120 specific and easily-scene species. Far more than just an identification guide, the Californian’s Guide to Birds Among Us goes into fascinating detail about the habits, behavior, habitats of common California birds. The best field guides spark curiosity, and Charles Hood has written a book that will draw the casual birder ever deeper into the avian world.
New Brighton Quail Sticker
Keep an eye out on your next trip to New Brighton State Beach – you just might spot a quail scurrying around your campsite! We fell madly in love with this design by California artist Julie Malizia, inspired by a camping trip she took with her family!
Hummingbird Window Gems
Prevent bird strikes and fill your home with rainbows with this set of hummingbird window gems! These decals are easy to apply to clean windows and stay in place, creating a visual deterrence for birds who otherwise might not recognize the surface of a window.
In order to prevent bird strikes, window gems need to be applied
to the outside surface of a window or door.
Gems applied to the inside surface of a window will look beautiful and fill
your space with rainbows, but may not be as effective at preventing bird strikes.
Quail Window Gems
Prevent bird strikes and fill your home with rainbows with this set of quail window gems! These decals are easy to apply to clean windows and stay in place, creating a visual deterrence for birds who otherwise might not recognize the surface of a window.
In order to prevent bird strikes, window gems need to be applied
to the outside surface of a window or door.
Gems applied to the inside surface of a window will look beautiful and fill
your space with rainbows, but will not be effective at preventing bird strikes.
Field Guide to Owls of California and the West
Did you know that California is home to 14 species of owls? If you’ve ever been curious about the mysterious nocturnal raptors in your neighborhood, this book is for you!
This accessible guide, full of intriguing anecdotes, covers all 19 species of owls occurring in North America. More than an identification guide, Field Guide to Owls of California and the West describes the biology and behavior of owls to make finding and identifying them easier and watching them more enjoyable. The guide also explores the conservation challenges that owls face and tells how owls provide insights to scientists working in fields from technology to health.