For the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve



A Beginning Point for the New Coastal Explorer

This field guide was designed to assist students, young and old, in exploring the Rookery Bay ecosystem. It is not intended to be a comprehensive description of all plants and animals found in the Rookery Bay Reserve, but rather a beginning point for the novice coastal explorer. The flora and fauna described in this guide are those that may be found while participating in field trips conducted by Reserve staff, and those that have special significance (e.g. listed as endangered). This field guide covers both estuarine and upland communities.


Learn Common and Scientific Names

This guide encourages readers to learn the common and scientific names of organisms, and some facts about their natural history. Students are encouraged to take the next step in learning about this unique ecosystem through books and scientific literature that focus on specific groups of plants and animals (see bibliography). Readers are also encouraged to explore Rookery Bay Reserve with the goal of understanding the organisms as well as their own roles in the function of this unique system.



Written by Ginger Hinchcliff with help from Rookery Bay NERR staff 2004 revision edited by Renee Wilson with help from Rookery Bay NERR staff

Illustrations by Laura Dunn, Ginger Hinchcliff, Diane Peebles, and Irene Brady, www.natureworksbooks.com.
Fern section written and illustrated by Ginny Below and Donna Devlin

Cover Illustration by Katherine Spalding

Grant This field guide was developed through a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Sanctuaries and Reserves Division.

Copyright © 2007 Reproduction of this guide in full or in part must be approved by Rookery Bay Reserve. All rights Reserved.