The Wind Masters

The Wind Masters follows Pete Dunne's year-long observation of peregrine falcons along the shores of Cape May, New Jersey. Through his lens as a naturalist and birder, Dunne tracks these raptors during their migration seasons and nesting periods. Dunne documents the hunting techniques, territorial behaviors, and survival strategies of peregrines as they navigate their coastal domain. The narrative includes accounts of falcon-watcher culture and the recovery of peregrine populations after the DDT crisis of the mid-20th century. The book combines memoir, natural history, and scientific research to explore the connection between humans and wild birds. Through the story of peregrines, it examines broader themes of conservation, adaptation, and the persistence of wildness in modern landscapes.

Readers describe The Wind Masters as an intimate look into the lives and behaviors of North American hawks during migration. The book combines scientific detail with storytelling that brings the raptors' personalities to life. Readers appreciated: - Clear explanations of hawk identification and behavior - Personal anecdotes from Dunne's hawkwatching experiences - Blend of natural history and narrative writing style - Accessibility for both beginners and experienced birders Common criticisms: - Too much anthropomorphizing of the hawks - Some sections drag with excessive detail - Focus sometimes strays from the birds to human observers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (43 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (21 ratings) Sample review: "Dunne makes you feel like you're on the hawkwatch platform with him, learning to read the nuances of each species' flight style." - Goodreads reviewer "The anthropomorphism occasionally goes too far, but the information about hawk behavior is solid." - Amazon reviewer

Hawks in Flight by Pete Dunne, David Sibley, and Clay Sutton The book presents detailed observations of raptor behavior and identification through studies of these birds in their natural habitats.

Red-Tails in Love by Marie Winn A chronicle follows the red-tailed hawks of Central Park through seasons of nesting, hunting, and raising their young.

H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald The narrative weaves personal memoir with falconry as the author trains a goshawk while processing grief.

The Peregrine by J.A. Baker The book records daily observations of peregrine falcons in the English countryside through a season of hunting and survival.

A Rage for Falcons by Stephen Bodio The text explores falconry's history and practice through accounts of hunting with different raptor species.

🦅 Pete Dunne has spent over 10,000 hours observing hawks from the Cape May Hawk Watch platform in New Jersey. 🌟 The book explores all 34 species of diurnal raptors found in North America, weaving natural history with personal observations. 🦅 Cape May Point, where much of the book's observations take place, is one of the world's premier hawk-watching sites, with over 80,000 raptors passing through during fall migration. 🌟 Dunne coined the term "hawk-watching" in the 1970s and is considered one of the founding fathers of modern bird identification techniques. 🦅 The author served as director of the Cape May Bird Observatory for over two decades and has written more than a dozen books about birds and nature.