Season at the Point

This fun and informative volume, "Season at the Point: The Birds and Birders of Cape May", turns the tables on birders during Cape May, New Jersey's 1988 Autumn Hawk Watch. Jack Conner observed and interviewed people who gravitate to Cape May's 3 1/2-month annual migration and its impressive 410 recorded avian species. For once, we get to read about who is on the other end of the binoculars: who the serious birders are, what they do, and why. This book was published in 1991, so the individuals may have changed, and more is understood about bird migration now, but this is an enticing introduction to birds and birding in Cape May for those who live or vacation there. And it's a good read for anyone with a general interest in birding. We are guided through the birding hot spots at Cape May Point and Higbee's Beach, as well as some lesser-known nooks and crannies, by a diverse cast of dedicated birders: Jeff Bouton, self-described "punk birder", who was the official hawk counter that year. Richard Crossley, an Englishman with a dim view of American birders, conducting a songbird survey. Conservationist birders Clay and Pat Sutton. Paul Kerlinger, the director of the Cape May Bird Observatory. Al Nicholson, a vocal critic of hawk-banding who has been birding in Cape May since the 1930s. Chris Schultz, hawk bander and "professional raptor bum". And there are the regular, obsessive birders. I may as well mention their names, as they get little other compensation for their hard work. The primary focus is on hawk-counting and hawk-banding, including some history and details about the procedures. The song bird and owl migrations, and the grueling owl-banding program, are also discussed. Most interesting to me are the controversy surrounding the hawk count numbers, which seem to be overcounted on one hand and undercounted on another, and the mild antagonism between professional ornithologists and the skilled amateurs who comprise the ranks of bird counters and banders. For more current, equally readable information on the whys and wheres of bird migration, I recommend Living on the Wind. "Season at the Point" gives more detail about counting and banding, and its perspective is that of a single location. There is a brief guide to Cape May's hawks in the back of the book.

Jack does a wonderful job in "Season at the Point." Even for those who have never birded at Cape May, the book is truly entertaining and informative. The book was very easy to read, and Jack's descriptions are very detailed. Even if you live far away from Cape May Point, this a great book to own. It is astounding to read about the number and variety of birds seen at this spot over the years. The commentary on the characters that frequent CMBO is great! Jack was one of my college professors and was so knowledgeable on birds that I decided to purchase his book. What a great investment! Thanks, Jack.- Anthony J. Chodan

This is a book of many moods, and all of them well-written. It is, by turns, a giggle-provoking acocunt of the eccentricities of those strange folks who watch birds, a warmly nostalgic portrait of the Cape May that once was, a fascinating account of the on-the-spot naturalism that goes on during migrations, and a compelling call for action to preserve the remaining natural beauty of this unique point in the otherwise wasted state of New Jersey. Though it is definitely a sedate read, it is a pleasant one.