The Bird of Light

Here is an evocative, closely observed portrait of terns, as the noted naturalist John Hay has watched these “tirelessly flying, excitable, vulnerable birds” for years on Cape Cod. Celebrating their beauty, Hay describes all aspects of the birds’ lives, from threats by enemies (including human beings’ neglect of the environment) to mating rituals, the wild tumult of a crowded nesting site, and their long-range migrations.