Grace has an interesting way of working through time. I’ve been photographing Maryland and Chesapeake birds for over 20 years, with countless extraordinary encounters. While many of my best images have found their way into a book or calendar, there are still plenty of “orphans” needing a good home. Last summer, seemingly out of the blue, I received a phone call from a most exuberant Texan who had seen my website and wanted me to author a Maryland bird guide…now this is a nice way to start your day!

Susan Schaffel of Quick Reference Publishing marveled at my raptor photos in particular and declared that we should collaborate on a new set of bird guides showcasing the Chesapeake Bay region. The pocket-sized, waterproof guides would feature about 130 common and notable species per region, with silhouette-cropped photographs from my collection and basic descriptive information. Despite the daunting task of mining through my extensive library of color slides and digital images, I readily accepted the challenge and signed on for a busy winter of editing, researching and writing.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I actually had good images for all the species on my wish list, representing nearly half the statewide total. For some species like the Indigo Bunting, I had to think “now where did I get that shot… oh yeah, 15 years ago at Irvine Nature Center,” and off to digging through slides again. January was turning into a treasure hunt, and adding up all these wonderful encounters over two decades, I could see how God was laying out for me all the pieces to the puzzle. These beautiful orphans finally found a home!

The Chesapeake region hosts one of the greatest assortments of birds on the continent, especially the waterfowl. From woodpeckers and owls to egrets and sandpipers, your favorite bird groups are all included. For novice and intermediate birdwatchers, these guides are a great way to get started in a hobby that can easily last a lifetime. In all, the guides are divided into three regions: Chesapeake East, Chesapeake West, and Virginia.
Hot off the press, the guides are currently stocked by a variety of nature centers, bookstores, garden centers and birding specialty shops.

The guides may also be purchased online by clicking on the following links:

• Birds of the Eastern Chesapeake: Maryland & Delaware
• Birds of the Western Chesapeake: Washington DC & Maryland
• Birds of Virginia

Happy Birding!

A new adventure in publishing partnership!

These birding guides feature more than 130 common and notable species in each of three regions.