Wechsler, Doug

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Wechsler, Doug

Personal

Male. Education: College degree.

Addresses

Home—Philadelphia, PA. Office—VIREO, Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1195. E-mail—[email protected].

Career

Ornithologist, writer, and photographer. Seattle Audubon Society, Seattle, WA, field biologist; worked as a park ranger/naturalist, wildlife biologist, and researcher; Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, director of Visual Resources for Ornithology (VIREO).

Writings

AND PHOTOGRAPHER

Bizarre Birds, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 1999.

Bizarre Bugs, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 2004.

Frog Heaven: Ecology of a Vernal Pool, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA), 2006.

"REALLY WILD LIFE OF SNAKES" SERIES; AND PHOTOGRAPHER

Rattlesnakes, Rosen (New York, NY), 2001.

Taipans, Rosen (New York, NY), 2001.

Pit Vipers, Rosen (New York, NY), 2001.

Pythons, Rosen (New York, NY), 2001.

Garter Snakes, Rosen (New York, NY), 2001.

Boas, Rosen (New York, NY), 2001.

"REALLY WILD LIFE OF BIRDS OF PREY" SERIES; AND PHOTOGRAPHER

Peregrine Falcons, Rosen (New York, NY), 2001.

Red-tailed Hawks, Rosen (New York, NY), 2001.

Bald Eagles, Rosen (New York, NY), 2001.

Great Horned Owls, Rosen (New York, NY), 2001.

Vultures, Rosen (New York, NY), 2001.

Ospreys, Rosen (New York, NY), 2001.

"REALLY WILD LIFE OF FROGS" SERIES; AND PHOTOGRAPHER

Bullfrogs, Rosen (New York, NY), 2002.

Glass Frogs, Rosen (New York, NY), 2002.

Leopard Frogs, Rosen (New York, NY), 2002.

Treefrogs, Rosen (New York, NY), 2002.

Wood Frogs, Rosen (New York, NY), 2002.

Poison Dart Frogs, Rosen (New York, NY), 2002.

Contributor to periodicals, including Audubon, Natural History, Smithsonian, International Wildlife, and Ranger Rick.

Sidelights

After traveling around the world studying bird habitats and species, ornithologist and photographer Doug Wechsler became director of the Visual Resources for Ornithology, or VIREO, the world's largest single collection of bird photographs, which is housed at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. In addition to sifting through the thousands of photographs he receives from ornithologists and photographers from around the world, Wechsler also continues to travel, visiting some of the world's most exotic wildlife habitats to document rare species with his camera. He has also gained respect as an author of nonfiction books for children that share his passion for wildlife. In addition to his books Bizarre Bugs, Bizarre Birds, and Frog Heaven: Ecology of a Vernal Pool, Wechsler has compiled several series of picture books combining his detailed photographs with information about different species of frogs, snakes, and birds of prey. Praising Bizarre Birds as "a good item for browsing," Booklist contributor Kay Weisman cited Wechsler's "clear, succinct text" and "crisp, well-chosen photographs."

In Frog Heaven Wechlser introduces young readers to the life cycle that has evolved within the shallow ponds that form in spring. These pools serve as a breeding ground for frogs, salamanders, and insects before the water dries up and disappears. With its focus on frogs, Frog Heaven takes readers to a woodland pool in Delaware and follows its cycle through the seasons. In School Library Journal Christine Markley had special praise for Wechsler's photographic images, noting that they "vividly bring this environment to life" for young readers. "Focusing on one animal after another, [Wechsler] … shows not only the variety of life supported by the pool but also the complex, interconnected ecosystem" that exists there, observed Carolyn Phelan in her Booklist review. Calling Frog Heaven "attractive and informative," a Kirkus Reviews writer predicted that Wechsler's book "will be welcomed by young naturalists and their teachers."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, January 1, 2000, Kay Weisman, review of Bizarre Birds, p. 918; November 1, 2006, Carolyn Phelan, review of Frog Heaven: Ecology of a Vernal Pool, p. 52.

Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 2006, review of Frog Heaven, p. 970.

School Library Journal, May, 2002, Karey Wehner, review of "Really Wild Life of Frogs" series, p. 145; November, 2006, Christine Markley, review of Frog Heaven, p. 165.