Description

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It might seem unlikely that a place designed for the departed could be teeming with life. Cemeteries have a long history of serving the dual purpose of honoring the deceased while also proving a space for the living to gather and grieve in the embrace of nature. Touted as some of the earliest public parks in the country— with mature trees, open grasslands, meadows of wildflowers—cemeteries are also attractive to birds and wildlife. In an age of distractions and disconnection, cemeteries create a sense of place where visitors can reconnect with nature while exploring the cultural history of a region. For bird watchers, cemeteries offer easy walking, open spaces to peer into habitats, and a peaceful place to feel the breeze and listen to the quiet conversations of nature.
Cemetery Birding builds upon the unique and approachable experiences introduced in Jennifer L. Bristol’s first book, Parking Lot Birding. While cemeteries offer accessible places to bird watch, Bristol highlights the need to tread carefully and ethically when exploring these sacred spaces. Her treatment of each of the nearly 100 locations provides information about what birds can be observed in various seasons and offers readers a snapshot of the cemetery and community’s history. Filled with rich photos, Bristol deciphers headstone symbolism in “Tombstone Tales” and offers fun facts about individual species of birds in “Tombstone Tails.” Locations range from the heart of Houston to the wide-open spaces of West Texas and every ecoregion in between.

About the Author

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JENNIFER L. BRISTOL is the former director of the Texas Children in Nature program at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The 2018 and 2019 recipient of the Most Valuable Birder Award in the Great Texas Birding Classic she guides cemetery bird walks for Travis Audubon. Author of Parking Lot Birding: A Fun Guide to Discovering Birds in Texas is a contributor to Texas State Parks the First 100 Years 1923–2023. She resides in Austin.
 

Praise For…

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“From Beamont to Amarillo and beyond, the cemeteries of Texas are alive with the sound of birdsong! And birders are lucky to have Jennifer Bristol as their guide once again. This follow-up to Bristol's chipper Parking Lot Birding improves on that title by layering the history of graveyards in Texas -- which often double as public parks in a state that is dominated by private lands -- and the history of local communities (and in some cases people you will find buried). Chock full of tips for beginners and experts alike, Bristol also highlights accessibility along the way.”—Dan Oko, author and freelance journalist (Texas Highways, Garden & Gun, Audubon and more)
— Dan Oko

“An extraordinary blend of Texas history and culture as well an excellent location guide for ‘birders’ of all levels. Imbued with both extraordinary utility and cultural history, Cemetery Birding is a wonderful concept beautifully executed.”—Bill Harvey, author of Texas Cemeteries: The Resting Places of Famous, Infamous, and Just Plain Interesting Texans
— Bill Harvey