Goshawk Summer: The Diary of an Extraordinary Season in the Forest - WINNER OF THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING 2022

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At this unique moment, James was granted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to keep filming. And so, over that spring and into summer, he began to write about his experiences in a place empty of people but filled with birdsong and new life. Compare this to other Wainwright nominated books, for example Lee Schofield’s Wild Fell: Fighting For Nature On A Lake District Hill Farm, and it is evident that the latter has balance and compromise. Aldred comes across more as a diatribe.

JAMES ALDRED — Goshawk Summer

The New Forest is a place which Aldred knows intimately. He speaks, very early on, of his deep affection for the region: 'To this day, part of my heart remains in the forest, dwelling in the quiet rides and woods of my childhood. Even the smell of the place stirs deep currents of longing within me.' Later, he discusses that although he knows stretches of the woods as well as he can, and has such good memories of cooking stews with his friends, and sleeping outside as a teenager, there are other parts of the New Forest which he knows not at all. Magical and transporting. James Aldred's account of a season spent filming Britain's most powerful and mesmerising avian predator shines with the shifting complexities of weather, season, mood and place. In these dark times, it's a beautiful and deeply evocative hymn to love, hope and connection."Aldred is the author of one previous book, entitled The Man Who Climbs Trees, and has worked as a wildlife cameraman and documentary filmmaker since 1997. He has worked with the likes of the legendary David Attenborough, and has won awards for his work. As one would expect, for a filmmaker skilled particularly in filming from heights using aerial equipment, Aldred has worked all over the world. In early 2020, he was located in East Africa following a family of cheetahs. The goshawk used to be widespread throughout Great Britain but became extinct in the late 19th century due to deforestation followed by relentless persecution. Even though goshawks have an unsettling ability to silently come and go, the alarm calls of these other birds would warn him when they were on their way. “By listening to what the birds in the forest were saying, I could work out which direction the goshawk would be coming from and be ready with the camera.” I think he had made a mistake in referring to the pandemic so often, and in particular to the health of the Prime Minister. Between the goshawk action we almost get a day by day update on Johnson’s recovery. It comes over as political, and totally unnecessary. This was something I found particularly off-putting. There is a sublime chaos about ancient woodland that speaks of perfect natural balance, and for me, such places nourish the soul like no other environment.

Goshawk Summer: The Diary of an Extraordinary Season in the Goshawk Summer: The Diary of an Extraordinary Season in the

The idea that pheasant shooting is less of a persecution problem than that of grouse is largely myth, plenty of them sadly are “at it.” For such a large bird they can be particularly elusive and secretive and can remain in an area for some time without being detected by the casual observer. However at certain times of the year they can be very noisy, in the spring when they are establishing their nesting territory and also in the late summer when fledged young are calling for food. This book is for anyone that loves nature, birds, exploring, and preserving what is illustrious and precious within our surroundings. I really enjoyed Aldred's last book, 'The Man Who Climbs Trees', so I jumped at the chance to read his second. Interestingly, Aldred's prose didn't stand out to me all that much the last time around, whereas I found it astounding and assured in 'Goshawk Summer'. To be able to get a glimpse into the workings and existence of this fabulous and fascinating predictor was just breathtaking. This is a secretive bird that is harder to visualize and study just by its own behavior, habitat, and nature. I loved being able to take a glimpse into this complex and beautiful bird.Goshawk Summer: a New Forest season unlike any other by James aldred is published by Elliot and Thompson. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book, the wonderful writing makes it easy to read and so much knowledge has been shared, my daughter is going to read this next….the selling point was the peeing in a tree haha. The cover? I’m not keen on the greenish hue and the design doesn’t do much for me – I’d give it 5/10.

The Wainwright Prize - Waterstones The Wainwright Prize - Waterstones

He got to know which birds frequented each tree and what their alarm calls were. “You can work out what they are telling other birds in the wood. And if you can break that code, then they can actually inform you when there’s a predator around.” There definitely should be far more emphasis on fighting goshawk persecution, and why are those same people constantly bemoaning how many corvids we have not waving the flag for the goshawk’s return? If there was any imbalance in corvid numbers I think it infinitely more likely goshawk would correct it properly rather than someone in tweed with a gun arbitrarily deciding that six jays, thirteen magpies and eight crows need to die…or more likely that they all do. There are many lovely dates set in his amazing diary inside this book that James tells readers all what he see, and all the exploring, watching and filming that he did. The book moves softly, and silently, through the months of summer from April, until the end of June 2020, and does so in diary entries which record just what James observed in the woods, his relationship with nature, and more importantly what he learned about, and from the goshawks, as they live out their challenging, but majestic lives. Sharply observed, every nuance of the woodland area is investigated and brought to life, and the narrative is so finely placed it feels cinematic in quality just as though you are cocooned high above the canopy of the New Forest watching as the ancient woodland unfolds deep below you to share its innermost secrets.Their reputation for taking gamebirds has led them to be the victim of widespread persecution (Petty 2002, Marquiss et al. 2003). This killing prevents the establishment of breeding birds in areas managed for gamebirds, but also such persistent removal of potential recruits restricts population spread into suitable habitats elsewhere in Scotland (Francis & Cook 2011). I believe the actual goshawk population is only at about 6% of what it should be. Is there any other bird of prey where the national population at least is as badly suppressed as the goshawk’s is? I don’t believe that magpies or crows are responsible for songbird losses, but at the same time their prime predator is largely absent and I’m not really comfortable with that or the numbers of wood pigeon and grey squirrels we have. I really enjoyed this book. James's style is relaxed, informative and often humorous. As a weekly visitor to the New Forest I have seen many Goshawk nests, but I have never gained the insights to their behaviour that James was privileged to see. Through this book he allows us to share his experiences and to understand what it is like to be a wildlife camera operator on a mission. But the stars are the Goshawks, dominating the dense woods in which they live, in a National Park that receives 15 million visitors each year." For most, the tangled web of a forest canopy is a dangerous, impenetrable barrier. Even a peregrine wouldn’t enter it at speed. Yet – as we have come to see – goshawks aren’t like other birds. Despite the envy, the author has written an excellent book. All the effort from himself and all those that assisted him in his endeavours should be applauded. The other emotion I mentioned at the beginning was that of joy. Because it was a joy to read such a well-written and well-documented account of one of Britain's rarest predators.

Goshawk Summer | James Aldred | 9781783966127 | NetGalley Goshawk Summer | James Aldred | 9781783966127 | NetGalley

I don’t see many Goshawks, and so I was interested to read about film cameraman James Aldred’s experiences filming this species for much of the spring and summer of 2020. Spending so much time with this bird would make it ‘a season unlike any other’ for most of us but it was also a season of covid for our world, although the Goshawks would have been oblivious to that. In nature there has to be a place for all to enjoy. Those who do, hikers, runners, mountain bikers, artists, drivers, dog walkers, and all, must play their part as well. Supposedly their population is increasing, the one thing that suggests their situation isn’t as dire as the hen harrier’s, but I really wonder about that. A pole trap set in dense woodland is probably even harder to spot than one on a moor and would be devastating for goshawks. I can imagine them gravitating towards the same places they shoot pheasants at anyway, all those poults would be an additional attraction – some lost to goshawk grudged whereas beak to tail roadkill is acceptable. Goshawk do need more attention. Amidst the fragility and the fear, there was silver moonlight, tumbling fox cubs, a calling curlew, and of course, the soaring Goshawks – shining like fire through one of our darkest times. A Goshawk summer unlike any other. We learn a lot about Goshawks from this book and I wonder how many fewer Grey Squirrels we would have in our woods if we had a few more Goshawks.Goshawk Summer A New Forest Season Unlike Any Other is a new book by James Aldred, who is the author of The Man Who Climbed Trees. James Aldred filmed a family of goshawks in the New Forest over the course of the summer in the middle of a global pandemic. The book, as you might expect, has a pretty single-minded focus. Yet there are plenty of asides into other topics like the history of the New Forest, or the population fluxes of different bird species, which I found myself relishing and appreciating. Aldred teaches the reader by stealth, and the science he slips in is never overwhelming. The narrative flows effortlessly.