Many people in the world of birding and nature are connected to Cape May, but none as thoroughly as the husband/wife naturalist team of Clay and Pat Sutton. For over three decades, as individuals and as a couple, the Suttons have been helping countless people enjoy nature, wildlife, and birding in Cape May County and throughout southern New Jersey. Their work includes the teaching of hundreds (more likely thousands) of classes, workshops, and field trips, the writing or several books and many dozens of articles, and presentations to clubs and festivals all over the United States.
These great ambassadors of Cape May have summarized their love and knowledge of this special place in a magnificent book, their magnum opus, Birds and Birding at Cape May. You shouldn’t even think about coming to Cape May without digesting a good portion of this book, which will answer questions you haven’t even thought to ask (and that goes for those of us who live here, too!). Add the color plates (great stuff!) and introductory material to the nominal page count of 568 and you’ve got 600 pages of information, the distillations of two lifetimes of exploration, study, and contemplation. A third of the book is a thorough overview of the progression of natural events through the seasons, something of a “New Jersey Sand Country Almanac.” There are tables of data from various bird studies, weather maps showing the conditions that bring the most and best birds, photos of birds, birders, places, and some landmark Cape May characters. All these pieces are woven together in heartfelt prose.
There is also a site guide, listings and descriptions of places to enjoy nature around Cape May, from the world-famous spots to lesser-known bits of the wild. Cape May has needed a good bird-finding guide for a long time, and this volume ably fills this niche. Coming to Cape May for the first time and wondering where to go? With this book you’ll know what the locals know; you’ll just face the same dilemma, the need to decide just which site to visit on any given day!
Few people revere the history of Cape May and its importance to nature study, birding, and conservation as much as the Suttons do. For nearly a hundred pages Clay and Pay share their thoughts about the major moments of Cape May’s illustrious history. This is a section to savor.
Yes, Clay and Pat are good friends of mine, but that’s not why I love this book. Cape May is widely respected as one of the world’s best places to enjoy avian migration, and it has long been a Mecca to naturalists, a destination for Holy Pilgrimages. All that has been missing is the sacred text. Now it’s here.
Sutton, Clay & Pat. 2006. Birds and Birding at Cape May: What to See, When and Where to Go. Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA. $26.95, paperback. ISBN: 978-0-8117-3134-8.