RECENTLY letters to your paper have expressed differing views concerning the presence of sparrow hawks, goshawks and other birds of prey. I would like to add my observations which result from direct experiences with these predators.
One issue requested information concerning sightings of the first swallow of the year. I record that I saw five flying over my garden at Blakeney on April 3 – they were noisily attacking a sparrowhawk which had chanced to fly near them.
Probably it was the same hawk which, a few days later, killed a female blackbird as she left her nest in my garden to feed. I saw the hen being carried away. The unattended nest then became the target of a magpie which, despite the attempts of the male blackbird to prevent it, visited the nest on several occasions and emptied it of its contents. I tried to assist the male blackbird to frighten the attacker away but found that it was a futile effort on my part.
Kills are made regularly by hawks but there never seems to be a decrease in the number of small birds frequenting my garden, apart from natural seasonal fluctuations in population.
My records show that on March 20, 1997 I found the body of a female goshawk in woodland. Two rings were fastened on her legs, one of which bore the inscription – "Inform BTO British Museum Nat Hist London SW7." I phoned BTO and was given a phone number to which I gave details of the finding of the bird. I was later informed in writing that the goshawk was six years old and had come from a nest in the Forest. Close examination of the bird proved it had died of gunshot wounds and had suffered a lingering death from the effect of lead shot. It was suggested that it may have been the result of visiting local pigeon lofts.
It suggests that pigeon fanciers themselves become predators.
I have watched young goshawks at the nest and witnessed the spectacular dive of an adult leaving the nest, plummeting down until it almost hits the ground and then darting silently away through the bracken fronds. Even around the nest site there are small birds and wood pigeons in numbers, predator and victims living side by side, but always aware of the others' presence. Nature has made it that way, and if left alone, a natural balance will exist.
It is distressing to see a hawk carry a small bird away and I carry with me a mental picture involving an attack on a flock of house martins by a hobby. A hobby is a small falcon which specialises in preying on swallows and martins. It has even evolved so that, when in flight, it mimics a swift. It follows the flocks when they migrate between the Forest of Dean and South Africa.
The hobby struck and secured a martin in full flight and carried it away, all the time the victim crying out to warn others of the presence of the predator.
Its alarm call continued and faded away into the distance until it finally ceased.
Nature can be cruel!
I once watched a TV film which depicted sportsmen on the continent shooting at every migrating bird flying up the mountain passes. Perhaps they have shot the cuckoo which used to visit the Forest of Dean?
Mankind is a predator of the highest order. – Brian Johns, Sunnybank, Millend, Blakeney.