New book from local author

Ashland birder Jeff Miller has written a quirky and informative watchable wildlife guide for the fauna of the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Bay Area Wildlife: An Irreverent Guide is much more than a practical guidebook. The book’s 55 chapters cover 100+ native wildlife species, from furry mammals to blubbery marine creatures, and critters feathery, scaly, and slithery. Jeff picked some of the Bay Area’s most interesting and unusual fauna – creatures that are iconic, endemic, or have dramatic behavior or stunning congregations. His humorous and salacious introductions to these charismatic animal ambassadors provide inspiration to get outside to explore and experience nature, and spark interest in conservation. Chapters on Sandhill Cranes, night herons, rails, raptors, Bald Eagles, Burrowing Owls, Peregrine Falcons, woodpeckers, and rare warblers will be of interest to Southern Oregon birders.

Bay Area Wildlife is intended as an antidote to dry nature guides and scholarly ecology papers – informative, but also amusing and engaging. Meet the “screaming death parrots” (aka Peregrine Falcons). Or go tidepooling to commune with “disco slugs dressed for a P-Funk concert” (nudibranchs). Find out where to encounter “rototillers with fur” (badgers).

Jeff’s colorful descriptions offer a compilation of each species’ natural history and fun facts. Each section also includes tips on when, where, and how to best find and observe each animal. The wildlife species are beautifully illustrated in watercolor by writer, artist, and eco-philosopher Obi Kaufmann, along with color photographs. You can learn more and purchase the guide at https://irreverentnaturalist.com/