Of birds and berries

 

I was talking to this old guy who lives right out in the forest, he noted that there were fewer birds about than usual, something I'd noticed too. As evidence he pointed to the number of berries left on the surrounding trees, something I'd not considered, though yeah, with holly particularly noteworthy. Climate change? Who knows. The old guy suggested it could be the return of Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) to the forest after an absence of over a 120 years.  Apparently there are 45 pairs in the forest, as successful breeders that number could rise quickly. They're top of their local food chain, a big hawk, as big as a buzzard, and a formidable predator too, predating on other birds of all types and sizes, they'll even take out other raptors (the old guy mentioned he'd found a couple of dead owls which looked Goshawk-ed) and a whole range of mammals, earning themselves the moniker the 'Phantom of the forest'. I couldn't say whether he's right, it's interesting though, conservation as we practice it can be myopic, prioritizing the welfare of one species over the interests of the wider community.