Page 15 - Out Birding Issue 111 Summer 2023

Doreen Langfield
It is with sadness that we report the death of Doreen Langfield, probably our oldest member, aged 97. Whilst Doreen had not been able to get out birding very much in recent years she thoroughly enjoyed GBC events, both for the birding and for mee􏰀ng people. When she couldn’t go out any more, she always had binoculars by her side and enjoyed watching birds in the garden and the Ospreys nes􏰀ng at the Dyfi Osprey Project on television.
Our sympathy and condolences go to her partner, Sheila.
The Secret Network of Nature
This is the 􏰀tle of a book by Peter Wohlleben (ISBN 978-1-529-11577-2) which begins with an explana􏰀on about how eradica􏰀ng wolves from Yellowstone Park, which began in the 19th century and was complete by 1926, caused riverbanks to become wastelands, soil erosion, and the disappearance of wildlife. This was all due to the massive expansion of the elk popula􏰀on once their main predator was removed.
I was going to write a review of the book but, instead, I will tell you about a similar situa􏰀on that I have encountered. During 2020, no human beings went on to RSPB Blackto􏰁 reserve for months – no staff, no visitors. This resulted in Marsh Harriers, of which there are many, hun􏰀ng parts of the reserve which they previously avoided, in par􏰀cular the dry areas adjacent to the footpath where most of the mammals occur. The result was a significant decline in stoats and weasels.
One prey of the mustalids was brown rats whose numbers burgeoned. They were already numerous and, perhaps, cleverer in avoiding the harriers. They also became bolder un􏰀l, one day, a visitor was startled by rustling coming from a waste bin in the toilet block and saw a brown rat mooching about in the paper towels. A bit of a shock! We now have covered bins.
The book is well worth a read. Pat
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