The Armchair Birder Goes Coastal

“Yow ventures from his porch to take readers hunting for shorebirds . . . . [with] his folksy, humorous, and erudite style.” — Publishers Weekly

“This book can be very funny, but it’s way more. . . . [Yow’s] well-chosen quotes from the masters add a smart heft to his clear and often fascinating narrative. His writing is as important as his watching. . . . This book has plucked me from my backyard perch . . . and dropped me into an oceanside beach chair to marvel.” — Clyde Edgerton, Garden & Gun

“Entertaining . . . . A good read, this title is appropriate for generalists interested in natural history, the wildlife of the southeastern U.S. shore, and birders.” — Library Journal

“Through enchanting descriptions and personal anecdotes, Yow makes characters — the villainous ruddy turnstone, the “drunken” reddish egret — out of his subjects, carefully highlighting each species’ subtleties.” — Audubon Editors' Choice

“You don’t have to go coastal to fall in love with this literary compendium of birding, easily as “charming, witty, anecdotal, [and] readable” as its forefathers.” — Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“In this informative, chatty, anecdotal and eminently readable tome, Yow takes us season by season into the watery environment enjoyed by its feathered denizens.” — The Rocky Mount Telegram

Audubon Editors' Choice

“[Yow] allows readers to share his discoveries and enjoy the surprises that each bird can bring. . . . [and this book] will help them gain a new appreciation for the unique characteristics that set shorebirds apart and make them so enticing to birders.” — About.com

“Infusing stories, observations, and musings, Yow makes it easy to learn about these fascinating birds. This book might well lead 'armchair birders' to become active birders, and eventually, conservationists.” — Janet Lembke, author of Why the Cat Purrs: How We Relate to Other Species and Why It Matters

“Witty, irreverent, and perennially entertaining, The Armchair Birder Goes Coastal is — like its author John Yow — a great companion for a ramble along the beach or into the tidal marsh. Yow mixes science, history, culture and his own experiences as an 'idiosyncratic' birder to create a delightfully readable peek into the lives of the Southeast’s most familiar water birds.” — Scott Weidensaul, author of Of a Feather: A Brief History of American Birding