Page 115 - BBC Wildlife - August 2017 UK

YOUR FEEDBACK

The predatory hawk
ONLINE PHOTO CONTEST O Enter our monthly online Hovering on a hint of a breeze,
photographic competition at
THEME: BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS www.discoverwildlife.com/ the predatory hawk hangs
your-photos/photo-contest with a practised ease
high in a cloudless sky,
scanning all that lies below
1 with a keen unblinking eye.

A slight tilt of the head,
a sudden tip of awing,
then swooping, talons spread,
down on unsuspecting prey.
A lazy flap of the wings,
and gone, upon its way.
Kevin Cowdall, from his
2 forthcoming NaturalInclinations

Sneak peek
Where I live in Kettering Iam
3 lucky enough to walk straight
out onto fields. There is a small
wood and a stream, and in the
past we have seen kingfishers,
and an egret presumably on its
way to nearby Rutland Water
Nature Reserve. While out
walking my dogs in mid June, I
saw an adult green woodpecker
onthe grass feeding. I could
hear a lot of noise nearby, and
1 BRIMSTONE BUTTERFLY, Sofia Gammage, UK
2 LARGE COPPER BUTTERFLY, Kate Ke, Zetea, Romania managed to find a nest with this
3 RED UNDERWING MOTH, Julie Kemp, Suffolk, UK juvenile looking out. I’m not
a photographer by any means,
but I’m pleased with this image,
because I was also having to hold
Do you have a tree tale? All urbantree stories are was in the Highlands in early onto my beagle and chihuahua!
I’m getting in touch to ask your welcome.Please send them May and cuckoos seemed to be Rebecca Johnson-Sutcliffe,
readers for their best urban tree to urbantreestories@gmail.com everywhere. Further south, it is via email
stories for an illustrated book Helen Babbs, via email a different story. The BTO has
– I’m keen to find out about done a lot of work on this recently,
incredibleindividual trees, Faring better in the north and the cuckoo is one of a suite
ambitious city tree projects, and The cuckoo is said to bein of migrants which overall are
interesting tree people– bethey decline in Britain. I don’t doubt faring better the further north
artist, ecologist, tree surgeon, that it is so in the south, but you go. The reasons have yet to
or woodworker. wonder about Scotland? be established, and research is
Brighton is famous for its In late May and early June, ongoing on this complex question.
elms, London for its planes, we walked the 100 miles of
Sheffield for its surprising the KintyreWay (Tarbert to Music to my ears
riverside forest offigs. What tree Machrihanish). During the I was reading Chris Packham’s
is your city known for, and why? ramble, we heard at least one piece about dawn in the forest
I live in London,but I’m keen cuckoo on each of the eight days, recently (Notes from an English
to hear about trees in cities far and on most days we heard two Wood, June 2017) while waiting
from my own. or three! We have had similar for a dental appointment.
experiences previously in other I found it very impressive
parts of Scotland. with its unusual use of Rebecca found this
Is it habitat or climate which language to create atmosphere young green woodpecker
while on a walk.
is helping the cuckoo do better, and impressions.
as it seems, in Scotland? I never realised that Chris
Ian McColl, Liverpool had such poetic skill. In fact, the Correction
piece reminded me of listening O The author ofAncient Oaks in the English
Landscape is Aljos Farjon (Reviews,July 2017).
Features editor Ben Hoare toaSibelius symphony,in
Share your tree replies: You’re right - Scotland and particular the first movement
stories with QUIZ ANSWERS (see p121)
Helen Babbs. northern England are emerging of Symphony No.5. The WildWords are: 1B, 2A,3C,4C,5B,6B
as key cuckoo strongholds. I Martin Spaull, Chesterfield
August 2017 BBC Wildlife 115