
John Muir Laws
Naturalist and illustrator John Muir Laws is the author of the Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada and Sierra Birds: A Hiker's Guide. Learn more and find class schedules at johnmuirlaws.com.

September 16, 2019 •

How Water Striders Bend Light
June 23, 2019 •

How a Plant and an Ant Help Each Other to Survive
March 25, 2019 •
Vetch and Argentine ants cooperate, exchanging food for protection.

Birds of Different Feathers Flock Together in Winter
December 28, 2018 •
A quiet winter woodland can suddenly explode with bird life. Jack Laws explains how to tell some of the common species apart.

Naturalist’s Notebook: Freshwater Jellyfish Invade California Lakes and Ponds
October 1, 2018 •
Native to China, Craspedacusta sowerbii is found in freshwater lakes and ponds on every continent.

Naturalist’s Notebook: How An Ant Lion Pit Works
June 26, 2018 •
Ant lions trap their prey in steep pits.

Naturalist’s Notebook: How to Tell Northern California Hawks Apart
March 30, 2018 •
Watching distant raptors in dim light? Ignore color and look at values.

Naturalist’s Notebook: Woodrats Fumigate Their Nests With Bay Leaves to Control Fleas
January 2, 2018 •
Life is so surprisingly webbed and interconnected.

Naturalist’s Notebook: Best Spots to Find Migrating Swifts in the Bay Area
September 25, 2017 •
Every fall thousands of Vaux’s swifts migrate south, congregating at dusk in swirling flocks. Here’s how to find them when they pass through the Bay Area.

Naturalist’s Notebook: Illustrated Squirrels of the Bay Area
July 1, 2017 •
Follow the “kuks” and “quaaas” to find marauding hawks or foxes.