"Seattle Field Guide: Explore Nature in the City," a new book by Kathryn True and Maria Dolan

Seattle Field Guide: Explore Nature in the City is a welcoming nature exploration companion for nature-lovers and curious people of all ages and experience levels. Organized by season, the book features 38 outings located around the city, nearly 200 color photos and hundreds of nature facts about Seattle’s birds, fungi, amphibians, marine mammals, butterflies and more. From Carkeek and Magnuson Park to Schmitz Park Preserve and Dead Horse Canyon, we scoured Seattle looking for natural history standouts to share. With Seattle Field Guide, you will:

  • Learn the secrets of an old-growth forest
  • Meet colorful sea creatures on city docks
  • Discover why peregrine falcons nest on skyscrapers
  • Find out where you can hear sea lions roar
  • Get birding at Union Bay Natural Area
  • Visit a wildflower meadow in Maple Leaf
  • Take a hike in the city’s largest contiguous forest

When I met my co-author Maria Dolan 20 years ago, she was writing about clouds, and I was writing about geoducks. We bonded over our shared love of wild places, and both wished for a book that would answer all our questions about nature in Seattle. This prompted us to write our first book together in 2003, Nature in the City: Seattle. We were thrilled when Mountaineers Books asked us to revisit our favorite topic, and the result is Seattle Field Guide!

Hear Us Talk about Seattle Field Guide

Want a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Seattle Field Guide? Listen as we join host Katie Campbell on KUOW’s “Meet Me Here” podcast to discuss our favorite discoveries, how the book came together, and why Seattle is one of the best places in the country to experience nature.

Book Events

Come meet Maria and me, hear our stories in person, and get a signed copy of the book at one of our upcoming events.

  • Sept. 23, 6:45 to 8:30 pm: Register here: Seward Park Audubon Center, Night Wings: Bats, Moths and Wonders of the Night, includes guided exploration. Register here.
  • Sept. 26 time TBD: Bainbridge Book Festival panel discussion
  • Oct. 21, 6 to 7 pm: REI Seattle Flagship Store, Explore Nature in the City with the Authors of Seattle Field Guide. Register here.
  • Oct. 24 @ 9 am: Seward Park Audubon Center, Tweets and Treats: Birds, Beavers & Oaks, guided walk
  • Oct. 29 @ 6:30 pm: Birds Connect Seattle, book overview with slideshow; featuring fall and winter urban nature highlights
  • Nov. 7 @ 2 pm: Mountlake Terrace Library, book overview with slideshow; featuring fall and winter urban nature highlights
  • Dec. 5 @ 1 pm: Seward Park Audubon Center, Science, Nature and a Biscuit, book overview with slideshow; featuring winter urban nature highlights

Buy the Book

We welcome your support of the Seattle Field Guide. Found wherever books are sold, we recommend supporting local independent bookstores, including:

We also appreciate your reviews on Amazon.com.

"Seattle Field Guide: Explore Nature in the City," a new book by Kathryn True and Maria Dolan
"Seattle Field Guide: Explore Nature in the City," a new book by Kathryn True and Maria Dolan

Buy the Book

We welcome your support of the Seattle Field Guide. Found wherever books are sold, we recommend supporting local independent bookstores, including:

We also appreciate your reviews on Amazon.com.