Everyday Adventures

Everyday Adventures is a collection of twelve artful essays that relate Samuel Scoville Jr.’s jaunts into nature with arresting detail. Readers are introduced to hibernating mammals, snakes, orchids, and other flora, but especially to birds. Whether listening to birdsong, searching for hidden nests (which remain undisturbed), or quietly observing avian daily routines, Scoville describes his surroundings vividly, and often with considerable wit. With a naturalist’s discerning eye, he recounts expeditions in Connecticut, the Berkshires, Pennsylvania, Delaware, the Pine Barrens, and the far north of Canada. He recounts birding expeditions with eminent naturalists, such as Witmer Stone, and day trips with his four young children with equal relish. Quickly, readers find that they have stepped into the stories for everyday adventures of their own.