India is the only place where nature seems to flourish in spite of dense populations, even in cities. I was told of a sacred grove in a village on Bali, a Hindu island. We arrived just before dusk, when hundreds, if not thousands, of birds were restlessly rearranging their roosting positions. Most of the birds were egrets of three species. As they rose and whirled through the air, they reminded me of spirits - the essence of birds. - RB