A richly illustrated full-color guide to the unique plants, wildlife, and environments of Cape Cod and the other nearby "Outer Lands" that face the Atlantic Ocean This essential guidebook presents the most abundantly illustrated and fascinating account of the natural history of Cape Cod, its nearby islands, Block Island, the western coast of Rhode Island, and southeastern Long Island ever published. Exploring the ecology and most common plants and animals of the various regional environments--beaches, dunes, salt marshes, heathlands, and coastal forests--the book also encompasses marine mammals, sea turtles, and fish offshore. For nature-loving local residents and visitors alike, this essential book will be a treasured resource.

Features over 140 color illustrations of common Cape Cod birds, providing accounts that include locations where they may be found, advice on the best bird watching techniques and six field trips focusing on different environments and the species that populate them.--

"In these compassionate, quietly evocative essays, Mr. Finch makes an eloquent case for dealing with nature not just as an extension of ourselves but as a world apart." -- New York Times Book Review When Common Ground was first published, Annie Dillard praised Robert Finch's essays for "their strength, subtlety, and above all their geniality." New readers will have a chance to discover that Finch's Cape Cod is indeed a wonderful place. The birds, fish, and animals that share the cape's fragile ecology on any given summer day with the human residents are described with the fresh eye of a first-rate nature writer.

Did you know that horseshoe crabs have been around for 200 million years? That mussels spin long anchor lines and climb steep slopes with them? Do you know what a Beetlebung tree is?

A field guide to one of the world's premier birding locations, this volume makes it easy to take this sublime pastime to the next level. With a breakdown of the Cape into regions, towns, and favorite birding areas, the guide includes a section on pelagic birding, detailed maps that indicate items of interest, birding hot spots, and even parking locations. A section on the descriptions of Cape Cod specialty species is also included as are explanations of when to bird, what to look for, and in which habitats to find birds. A useful checklist of the birds of the Cape, helpful cross references, and a complete index for quick reference round out this perfect field guide for both visitors to and residents of Cape Cod.

Birdwatching is for everyone. No other outdoor pursuit yields so much knowledge of nature’s ways with so little effort—if one knows what to look for. Best Easy Bird Guide Cape Cod opens the world of birding to the novice and expert in this complete guide to getting the most out of birding in Cape Cod. Best Easy Bird Guide Cape Cod includes sections on birding technology, equipment, identification techniques, birding “by ear,” where to view birds, field guides, optics, and other essentials to get birders of all skill levels into the field to identify birds throughout Cape Cod. Especially valuable are descriptions of habitat, feeding, nesting, and migration—informing the reader not only about what kind of bird is on the other end of the binoculars, but what it is up to as well. Includes: GPS coordinates for each species of the top three to five locations where you’re likely to see the bird and what time of year is best for this Full-color photos