Publishers Weekly
01/28/2019
Thanks to the author’s firsthand experiences and deep knowledge of his subject, readers will learn about winged migration and better understand the significant threats to bird environments covered in this thoughtful, informative book. When Kaufman, a naturalist, artist, and avid birder, moved to Ohio, “the epicenter of spring migration,” he found a new fascination with this aspect of birds’ lives. He writes of coming to welcome an unlikely species—crows, common year-round elsewhere but typically sparse where he lives—as the harbinger of spring, and, perhaps equally unexpectedly, appreciate duck hunters as a crucial ally in preserving marshland bird habitats. In the most fascinating passage, Kaufman describes the blackpoll warbler, which weighs less than half an ounce but can fly over six thousand miles, both a “miraculous and monstrous experience” of endurance, Kaufman adds. However, he notes that seasonal bird migrations can’t be discussed without also considering how wind turbines have been killing thousands of birds and bats yearly. To keep construction away from crucial stopover sites for migratory species, he argues, conservationists must show winged migration’s importance to local economies as a stimulus for birder tourism. Nature-loving readers will be moved by Kaufman’s detailed look at a fascinating yearly process. Agent: Wendy Strothman, Strothman Agency. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
Kenn Kaufman knows his birds and their miraculous journeys—and he feels them deeply, too. An enlightening, thought-provoking, and poignant read.” —Jennifer Ackerman, author of The Genius of Birds “In A Season on the Wind, Kenn Kaufman soars above his Ohio home place and artfully shares the world of birds and the miraculous feats of migration that persist amidst constant conservation struggles and hard-won successes. It’s a wondrous compendium of stories about birds and humans that compels us to be more in nature and work ever harder to protect it. The message within to love and conserve is as clear as a Swainson’s thrush’s flight call in a spring night sky. What A Season on the Wind does is so much more than inform, it inspires.” —J. Drew Lanham, author of The Home Place “Some people love birds, but others have a passionate commitment to birding. Kenn Kaufman has that kind of dedication, which includes a fascination for bird watching, but also he’s a genuine part of the birding community dedicated to protecting these beautiful creatures.” —Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist “Seamlessly weaving together natural history with personal narrative, Kaufman reveals how an appreciation of birds not only helps build community and conserve land, but also can make life a great deal richer for each of us. The more he uncovers the fascinating lives and migratory feats of birds, the more wonder and magic he lays bare; by the end, his sense of awe has become our own. A Season on the Wind will transform the way we see birds and the season of spring!” —Melissa Groo, wildlife photographer and conservationist
SEPTEMBER 2019 - AudioFile
Kenn Kaufman's voice isn't emotive or passionate, but his fascination with birds is evident in his narration. He makes the listener smile as he describes a sandpiper's mating ritual. His tone takes on a thoughtful quality as he ponders the viewpoint of chimney swifts. When he talks about the effects of climate change on migrating birds, Kaufman has concern but also shows faith in birds' resilience. The fight to stop a wind turbine in northern Ohio weaves through the audiobook. Kaufman's soft-spoken voice is unfailingly polite toward turbine supporters, while still showing determination to advance his own viewpoint. Overall, Kaufman is an enthusiastic ambassador for birding, one who might encourage listeners to seek out birds they've never seen before when spring rolls around. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2019-01-14
A naturalist and conservationist with a self-confessed obsession with bird migration shares his love and knowledge.
Kaufman (Flights Against the Sunset: Stories that Reunited a Mother and Son, 2008, etc.), the creator of the Kaufman Field Guide series, focuses on the spring migration through the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area on the southwestern shore of Lake Erie. As the author notes, the boardwalk there, one of the most popular among North American birders, is the center of a 10-day bird festival in May that attracts bird lovers from across the country. Throughout the book, Kaufman displays his deep knowledge of birds, and his descriptions of them, from crows and warblers to bald eagles and waterfowl, are spot-on. The author is deeply concerned about the complex and varied threats to birds, especially the proliferation of wind turbines. He devotes a substantial portion of the text to discussions of the fight to keep wind farms out of the heart of his beloved marsh, a major stopover habitat in North America. He also explores the technological advances in tracking both migrating flocks and individual birds. Though he only focuses on one site in northern Ohio, Kaufman also makes broader points about weather, climate change, patterns of migration, and the awesome endurance of migrating birds and the hazards they face. The narrative also contains elements of memoir, similar to his early book, Kingbird Highway (1997), which followed his adventures as a teenage birder hitchhiking across the country finding and tallying birds. This book makes it clear that the author has retained his youthful enthusiasm. He thrills to be outdoors in all weather, hearing and seeing birds, rejoicing in their presence, and he allows readers to share both his joy and his concerns.
Highly readable and thoroughly enjoyable for all lovers of nature books but will be of greatest interest to active birders.
