Re: “Rising above the canopy cacophony” [May 26, Opinion]:
Alex Fryer’s column offers a splendid reminder that the presence of our native timber enhances the splendor and vitality of our native communities. I might recommend some further effective factors to its content material relating to the emphasis on the black merlin that retains us firm and offers moments of splendor and sweetness for inquiring eyes.
This species has all the time been current in our area because it was first described within the mid-Nineteenth century. I’ve lived right here for greater than 60 years and would often spot them on tree tops scanning for passing songbirds. Their numbers, nonetheless, have elevated considerably in proportion to the yard hen feeders that help and contribute to their prey base, from hummingbirds to accommodate finches. Crows and forest hawks have additionally elevated and supply nesting places for merlins, which is able to occupy their vacated nests.
Such is simply a small a part of the complexity of hen life that our standing older timber present together with their typically neglected companies of securing our hillsides from erosion and floor water runoff; sequestering carbon; producing oxygen; offering a cooling impact; and decreasing noise air pollution, to call a number of.
Hurrah for our forest stands!
Tony Angell, Seattle, naturalist/artist
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