No Way Home
Reviewed by Mark S. Garland
Here in Cape May we are especially tuned to migration, as this region is truly one of the world’s great hotspots for observing spectacular migrations. One of the glories of migration, however, is that some sort of migration may be observed any place on earth, and across the globe there are a number of truly great migratory phenomena, in which huge numbers of animals move great distances in breathtaking numbers.
Princeton ecologist David Wilcove has written a new book about migration, No Way Home. This is an excellent and very important book. Wilcove outlines many of the key principles of migration through six chapters, each focused on a particular group of migratory creatures. Two chapters focus on airborne migrants, two on land-based mammals, and two on aquatic species. Amidst discussions of migratory songbirds, monarch butterflies, wildebeest, bison, whales, and salmon, Wilcove gently provides a thorough lesson in the dynamics of migration. The prose is lively and filled with meaningful anecdotes; it’s a well-crafted narrative that reads effortlessly.
Conservation is at the heart of every chapter. It’s a sad truth that virtually every great migratory phenomenon on earth is in decline. As a global society, we’re having trouble protecting sedentary species; migrants can only be preserved when we protect habitat all along migratory routes, which often cross international boundaries and cover huge distances. We must also appreciate that sometimes animals that seem to be abundant may still be vulnerable. Wilcove brings up poignant examples of migrations that have vanished, ranging from well-known stories like that of the extinct Passenger Pigeon to lesser-known collapses, such as the disappearance of the Rocky Mountain locust and the decline of South Africa’s bontebok, a once abundant migratory antelope now restricted to zoo-like small, fenced reserves. The picture painted by Wilcove is one of an unraveling world, as he describes how our great migrations are truly in jeopardy.
Wilcove manages to be an optimist, however, and he cites examples of positive conservation efforts that are underway. This is the greatest strength of the book: it is an intelligent call to action written engagingly for the layman. It’s not a scholarly text, though Wilcove is celebrated for his scholarly writing. No Way Home is written for the general audience, the average citizen for whom this message is most important. Serious birders are going to read the chapter on bird migration and, as certain basic facts are presented, think, “yeah, I know about that.” Butterfly enthusiasts will react similarly when reading about monarchs, and other naturalists will do the same for other chapters. Still, we’re all likely to find nuggets of new information. More importantly, however, John Q. Public can read this book, understand important ecological concepts, and (hopefully) become motivated to support conservation efforts. Without the basics, the message would be lost on those learning about migration for the first time.
There are signs that Wilcove’s message is getting out there. I have twice heard him interviewed on different public radio programs. The book was favorably reviewed by Sandy Bauers in the Philadelphia Inquirer. I’ve seen the book displayed with some prominence in mainstream bookstores. I’m cheering for this book to become a huge success, hoping that thousands of readers will learn from the book and will be motivated by its message.
Buy a few copies of this book and give them to friends and relatives. Talk about it over the water cooler with your non-birding friends. Populations of our migratory songbirds are continuing to decline. Other migrations are equally threatened. Time is short; we still have opportunities to reverse the declines, but we must recruit more people to our side of the argument. No Way Home is a masterful work that can help us accomplish that goal and, with luck, protect some of the world’s greatest wildlife spectacles, our planet’s mass migrations.
Wilcove, David S. No Way Home: The Decline of the World’s Great Animal Migrations. Illustrations by Louise Zemaitis. Washington, Island Press/Shearwater Books, 2008. 245 pages, hardcover, ISBN-10: 1-55963-985-7; ISBN-13: 978-1-55963-985-9.
To order a copy of a title reviewed on the Birder's Bookshelf, please call CMBO’s Northwood Center (609)884-2736 or the Center for Research & Education (609)861-0700.
Of a Feather: A Brief History of American Birding
Reviewed by Mark S. Garland
Scott Weidensaul’s new book, Of a Feather, is subtitled A Brief History of American Birding. For the first seven of the book’s eight chapters, the subtitle is apt. In the typical straightforward style of this prolific author, we enjoy a whirlwind tour of American ornithology, bird study, bird watching, and birding from the Native Americans to David Sibley. The word brief in the subtitle is certainly appropriate, as Weidensaul necessarily covers the book’s many topics in abbreviated fashion – the “full history of American birding” would require many thousands of pages. (I imagine that Weidensaul could write such a tome; this book is loaded with citations and the bibliography is extensive).
For those of us who have done some reading about the subject (or who have spent some time hearing the stories of Pete Dunne and other history aficionados), the first seven chapters of Of a Feather present a nice summary and overview. Birding’s historical roots include many fascinating characters: Catesby, two Bartrams, Wilson, Audubon, Coues, Grinnell, and Griscom among them. Weidensaul’s usual snappy, conversation writing makes this an quick and enjoyable read.
Then comes chapter eight, titled “Beyond the List”. This chapter is a passionate essay on the current state of birding and the author’s hopes for the future. Birders have long debated on whether or not it’s okay to simply enjoy birding as a pastime, perhaps focused almost exclusively on listing, or whether birders have an obligation to work to protect birds. Weidensaul passionately falls into the latter camp. While he falls short of truly stinging criticism of those who disagree – this is the writing of an extremely courteous gentleman – he cites many examples of ways that birders can make contributions to conservation and scientific inquiry. He is truly a champion of citizen science and an individual firmly committed to conservation.
It’s a persuasive argument. It’s hard to miss the constant environmental deterioration that surrounds us. It’s shortsighted to completely ignore the conservation crises that endanger many birds, and Weidensaul suggests that many birders are doing just that. I’m not sure that I agree, yet it is certainly true that most of us could easily do much more to support conservation. Weidensaul doesn’t delve into the long list of conservation actions that he recommends (he devotes a few chapters to the topic – if you are inspired for more ideas, I recommend Jeff Wells’ great book, Birder’s Conservation Handbook), but he does offer a few examples and he challenges birders: “Can you name a single, concrete action you’ve taken in the past week to better the world for birds? In the last month? The last year? If you had to think about it for more than a moment, then I gently suggest you rededicate yourself to doing more for the creatures on which our hobby is based.”
This is what Weidensaul’s book is all about. After reading chapter 8, you realize chapters 1 through 7 are written primarily as background for the arguments presented in the concluding chapter. A better subtitle for Of a Feather might be A Call to Action for Today’s Birders. But a book so titled would probably be avoided by many of us. Still, the message is vitally important, Weidensaul’s arguments are convincing, and his style is such that the message isn’t presented in a confrontational or unpleasant manner. I thoroughly enjoyed Of a Feather, and recommend the book heartily.
Weidensaul, Scott. Of a Feather: A Brief History of American Birding. Orlando, Harcourt Inc., 2007. 358 pages hardcover, $25.00. ISBN: 978-0-15-101247-3.
To order a copy of a title reviewed on the Birder's Bookshelf, please call CMBO’s Northwood Center (609)884-2736 or the Center for Research & Education (609)861-0700.
Reading the Forested Landscape
Review by Mark S. Garland
As you probably know, most of the reviews in this space are of new books, and the majority relate to birds. We do cover some titles relating to other aspects of natural history and conservation, and from time to time we visit an older book. The older books we review are often little-known titles that we believe deserve wider attention.
Tom Wessels’ book Reading the Forested Landscape lies squarely in this category. First published in 1997, this book is focused on a rather small geographic area, central New England. The book is fairly well known in that region. It is used by students in some college natural history programs in the area [including the Web Manager who studied at UVM], and the copy I just read was sent by friends who live in southern New Hampshire. They sensed that I would like the book. They were right.
Wessels looks at landscapes as the sum of the components, a refreshing view in an era when too many of us look at only the parts that interest us. How many avid birders are out there who can’t identify many trees, don’t know the reptiles, and don’t even notice the salamanders and beetles? It’s impossible to develop an encyclopedic knowledge of every element of natural history, and Wessels doesn’t suggest we need to do that. It is important, however, to keep the senses sharp and to pay attention.
Once you learn how to look, the author suggests, then the world becomes a series of great mysteries. His challenge to the readers is simple: take a good look at a forested area and find the clues that will tell you the history of that patch. The chapters in this book are basically “natural mysteries.” Forests are described and depicted by artwork and we are challenged to solve the mystery. As Wessels describes each forest patch, he gradually gives us clues to the solution. It becomes an extremely fun book to read, more interesting to me than hackneyed murder mysteries. Work your way through all of the chapters and you’ll find yourself wanting to head outside and put your newfound skills to work in the forests of your neighborhood.
Admittedly, you will be better prepared for your field exercises if you travel to the New England region described in Reading the Forested Landscape, yet the ideas and principles are transferable to other areas. Above all, you’re bound to pay closer attention to details in the landscape after reading this book.
Looking for a negative comment? I do have one, though it’s not unique to this book. I’m amazed at how often I’ll read an obviously overblown claim in a book’s introduction. I’ve seen books where an author suggests filling a dump truck with other books on his subject and heaving them into a bottomless abyss. I’ve read field guides that claim to be the first to do this or that, when other well-known books exist to prove the claims wrong. My only qualm with Reading the Forested Landscape is the certainty with which the author asserts that virtually nobody else looks at landscapes as he does. I don’t know, maybe it’s true, but that’s not something I needed to read in his introduction. It made me want to dislike the book. Fortunately, none of that hubris is found elsewhere and Wessels' book is a truly great read.
Wessels, Tom. Reading the Forested Landscape: A Natural History of New England. Woodstock, VT, The Countryman Press, 1997. 199 pages, paperback edition $18.95. ISBN-10: 0-88150-420-3; ISBN-13: 978-0-88150-420-0.