As Curtis Badger will tell you, "Being a good naturalist has more to do with being an enthusiastic observer than traveling to distant places. It is more a matter of curiosity than of a need for adventure, a frame of mind rather than peculiarity of place." A Naturalist’s Guide to the Virginia Coast will indeed incite an enthusiastic interest in that special place where the land meets the sea. Among Badger’s goals is to draw the observer beyond the armchair and reading lamp, the museum and classroom, and outdoors onto the beaches and tidal flats of the Virginia coast to experience its rich natural diversity firsthand. And foot-first: Feel the mud between your toes on the tidal flats at Chincoteague; walk the sandy beach at Back Bay; pedal a bike along the Cape Henry Trail at First Landing State Park.

Informative as a guidebook—complete with sections on Virginia’s primary coastal wilderness areas and appendices listing where to go and what to look for—A Naturalist’s Guide also serves as a natural history primer, offering clear and concise chapters on the ecological, historical, and botanical background of the region Badger explores.

For the parent adventuring with a curious child or the experienced birder in new territory, the weekend wanderer or the seasoned naturalist, Curtis Badger’s user-friendly guide provides an engaging discussion about just the sorts of wondrous things the interested observer will encounter on a visit to Virginia’s coastline.

tag:A handy family guide to Virginia's diverse coastline from the Eastern Shore's favorite naturalist