Maria Ruth Books - Rare Bird, Marbled Murrelet
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATIONS
IN RARE BIRD
The intimate and detailed sketches in Rare Bird were created by Canadian Paul Harris Jones--a retired forestry consultant, artist, conservationist, and birder. In 1993, Paul discovered Canada’s first active Marbled Murrelet nest in the forest of British Columbia's Caren Range. To avoid disturbing the nesting birds, Paul worked in concealment and silence, sketching through a Nikon telescope. Through the efforts of Paul, his wife, Mavis, and other conservationists, 3000 hectares of old-growth forest in the Caren Range were set aside as Spipyus Provincial Park in 1999 to preserve the Marbled Murrelet's habitat. Paul published more than 40 of his sketches and a chronicle of his three-year-long nest search in 2001 in a book entitled The Marbled Murrelets of the Caren Range and Middlepoint Bight.
Copies of this book are available through Paul at: mrjones@uniserve.com
To see more of Paul’s illustrations click here
Rare Bird
Part naturalist detective story, part environmental inquiry, this vibrant narrative follows the improbable trail from the hallowed halls of the Smithsonian Institute to the foggy coastal environs of Redwood National Park. Along the way, the author makes a compelling case for the search for meaning in our changeable world.
What People Are Saying...
"Maria Mudd Ruth's engaging, scientific detective story bristles with humor, curiosity, frustration and passion as the accidental naturalist tracks the history of this elusive seabird...a fascinating avian odyssey, recounted with ferocity and grace."
— The Los Angeles Times
"…a fascinating and inspiring detective story."
— Birder's World
“In Rare Bird [Ruth] tells us not only about this intriguing seabird, but also about the dedicated people drawn into its world. The murrelet becomes a symbol of wildlife endangered by people who do not yet realize their own lethal power in a world they barely understand…for readers who adore birds or find fascination in nature's subtle charms, "Rare Bird" is a gem. All in all, it is a neat little book about a neat little bird and a tale well told.”
—Kenai Peninsula Clarion, Alaska
"Beautifully and deftly written. Truly captures the mystery and excitement of the murrelet's story."
— Joan Dunning, author of
"From the Redwood Forest"
"It is not often that you find a natural history book you can't put down."
— Jennifer Ackerman, author of
"Notes from the Shore"
"Rare Bird is a unique and delightful book: too passionate for ordinary journalism, too well-researched fro a personal essay, and far too witty or natural history."
— Peter Cashwell, author of
"The Verb To Bird"
"…an important addition to birding and environmental literature."
— Santa Cruz Sentinel
"...this is one of those tales where the science of natural history and a sense of wonder at the world around us come together; ultimately, like the author, we are seduced by a seemingly ordinary creature that manages the most extraordinary feats..."
—American Birding Association
“I found the chapters on early history fascinating, and I commend Ruth for her background reading and archival digging to uncover obscure early material, and for her presentation of it in a fresh, clean manner.”
—Marine Ornithology
“Rare Bird is a rare book – not because it is hard to obtain, but because it tells its story so well…The Marbled Murrelet is a rare bird in that, once you get to know it a little, it can change your life.”
—Santa Cruz Bird Club
“The author's commitment to the marbled murrelet is well illustrated in this highly personal narrative.”
—Science News
“…the book is well-researched and clearly structured. Ruth did her homework, logging many interviews and traveling to see birds, specimens, people, and places. The result is a fascinating and inspiring detective story."
—Birder’s World
“…Ruth does an outstanding job of telling the tale of the discoveries of the Marbled Murrelet's nesting ecology and highlighting some of the important players. There is much of local interest pertaining to the Santa Cruz Mountains and a focus on local longtime murrelet researcher Steve Singer. Whether you know a lot or a little about this fascinating bird, I know you'll enjoy the book.”
—Monterey Bay Birds
“…it’s an eminently readable book for birders….a good mystery….and a focused case study of this one single species and its endangered existence. Other species are more endangered, all are fighting their own particular battles, but understanding this one bird and its challenges drives the broader lesson home for the readers.”
—Forsyth County [North Carolina] Audubon Society
