Twenty-four million people live within one hundred miles of Long Island Sound, the 110-mile-long body of water that separates Long IsLand from Connecticut and mainland New York. While it has been endangered by pollution and development, the sound is far from dead: Buckles's inspired explorations instead show that it teems with life and is well worth our attention.With a deft touch and a naturalist's keen eye, Buckles blends hard science with her often whimsical observations. She discovers the magic of shorebirds on stopover during their semi-annual migrations and comes to appreciate the temperament of owls, the intricacy of barnacles, the crustiness of horseshoe crabs, and the fragility of osprey chicks. Buckles explains the ongoing battle over wetlands and elucidates the complexities of the place she describes as "inherently sacred by virtue of being alive".
