Early on this beautiful Sunday morning in South Florida, we drove up to Leffis Key, one of the most popular and "productive" birding locations in Manatee County. During our brief visit, the birding was fair but everyone we encountered was birding.
One might say it was a birding church, where members congregate to observe, respect and appreciate the natural world. After all, most avid birders are naturalists and are thus devoted to naturalist philosophy. Whether one believes in a God or not, what better way to acknowledge the wonders of life than to immerse ourselves in natural ecosystems.
Many humans choose to connect through public piety, finding solace in song, prayer and ritual. Some of us are more inclined to find our common purpose in the beauty, diversity and welfare of nature.
