Armchair travelers can journey with author and naturalist Robert Winkler as he experiences amazing wildlife encounters--all within reach of his own backyard. An avid nature writer with field experience spanning more than 25 years, Winkler writes about his beloved New England, where he has logged more than 20,000 miles on foot exploring the woods, fields, and shores he knows so well.

This beautifully lyrical book describes Winkler's firsthand encounters with goshawks, copperheads, flying squirrels, Kinglets, Chickadees, Nuthatches, and other birds and animals as he travels into areas many may have overlooked or forgotten. Winkler weaves anecdotes and stories about his own life into each chapter--how he discovered nature, why he watches birds, and why his suburban surroundings have held his interest. To quote the author: ''Living in society's overpopulated, paved-over world--with all its rules, regulations, and traffic jams--I think we envy the birds' wild freedom. We want that freedom and wildness for ourselves. And so we birders watch, listen to, identify, count, list, house, feed, and photograph birds.'' "Going Wild" is an irresistible invitation to follow in Winkler's footsteps and revel in the wonders on our own doorsteps.