Return of the Osprey
A Season of Flight and Wonder
Cornell University Press · Print & ebook · October 15, 2025
A memoir, tribute to a once-endangered species, and natural history, Return of the Osprey recounts the many discoveries David Gessner made when he immersed himself for an entire nesting season in the lives of the ospreys that had returned to his seagirt corner of Cape Cod.
We earn from qualifying purchases.
- Who it’s for
- Readers interested in memoirs that blend natural history with personal reflection
- Themes
- Osprey recovery, Human connection to the natural world, Readjustment to a childhood landscape
- Genres
- Birds, Conservation, Naturalists' Lives
Nearest books
Matched by what the books are about, then ordered by what their readers also loved. Most of these share its genre: Birds.
The Place of TidesJames Rebanks58% matchAlso shares Naturalists' Lives
What an Owl KnowsJennifer Ackerman57% match
The Hidden Lives of OwlsLeigh Calvez57% match
Birds of the Photo ArkNoah Strycker, Joel Sartore57% match
What It's Like to Be a BirdDavid Allen Sibley56% match
More Than Meets the EyeMargie Patlak55% matchAlso shares Naturalists' Lives
The Bird WayJennifer Ackerman55% match
The Bird BookDK, D.K. Publishing54% match
For younger readers: The Boy Who Drew Birds, The Monarchs of Winghaven, Fly
Start with three books, and this one can be the first.
Members get a new edition every morning: a route out from their books to essays, research and talks, with the reason for each.
Start with this bookAbout this book
A memoir, tribute to a once-endangered species, and natural history, Return of the Osprey recounts the many discoveries David Gessner made when he immersed himself for an entire nesting season in the lives of the ospreys that had returned to his seagirt corner of Cape Cod. The osprey, hailed by Roger Tory Peterson as the symbol of the New England coast, all but vanished during the 1950s and '60s because of the ravages of DDT.
Continue reading
In the next few decades, however, the birds returned, slowly at first and then in a rush. Writing with passion, humor, and a reverence for the natural world, Gessner interweaves the stories of the nesting osprey pairs he observed with his own readjustment to life on the windblown, beautiful, and increasingly developed landscape he had known as a child. With a new preface from Gessner and foreword by Helen Macdonald, Return of the Osprey celebrates one of nature's most remarkable creatures, as well as our own limitless capacity for wonder.
Who it’s for
- Readers interested in memoirs that blend natural history with personal reflection
- Readers interested in osprey recovery and the Cape Cod landscape
Where it sits
| Birds | 89% |
|---|---|
| Naturalists' Lives | 53% |
| Conservation | 45% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Birds
- Coasts & Shorelines
- Bird Biology
- Authors
- David Gessner
- Publisher
- Cornell University Press
- Published
- October 15, 2025
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Osprey recovery · Human connection to the natural world · Readjustment to a childhood landscape
- Reading lane
- Birds