Wild America: The Record of a 30,000 Mile Journey Around the Continent by a Distinguished Naturalist and His British Colleague Book

In 1953, Roger Peterson (of Peterson's Field Guides) embarked on the birding trip of a lifetime with his friend, James Fisher - a British ornithologist. They travel along the eastern seaboard, across the southern US border, and back up the west coast and finish their journey in Alaska about three months later. What an incredible journey, and who better to show you around the country than THE bird expert? The reflections of each naturalist are rich, descriptive, and interesting. For places I have been (Smoky Mountains, Yosemite), it felt like a trip down memory lane. Then other places that I had heard of but never visited, such as Crater Lake, I felt like I got a real glimpse of what it would be like to visit, and learned many facts. Then there were other areas like Destruction Island and the Pribilof Islands that I had never heard of and found fascinating! A reader who has an interest in birds will not be disappointed in the descriptions of their journey, but non-birders might find the descriptions tedious. I felt like the authors kept my interest by describing the full ecology of the region, not just the birds. They also gave fun details of their personal interactions with one another as well as those they encounter. Some of the facts given in this book are dated and it is interesting to read how things have changed, including some ecological acceptable practices (egg collecting, for example). My favorite travels are to the National Parks of the United States and this gives me the itch to travel and bird!