Report from Chris Smith
Goshawk killed at Kiltarlity
Around 1970
I have just read about you in to-days Sunday Post and thought of an incident which may be valuable to you even though it happenened quite a few years ago.
It must have been in about 1970. Friends of mine who lived at Kiltarlity near Beauly in Invernessshire had a son who was a budding falconer. He had at the time a Goshawk which he kept on a perch under a spruce tree just outside his house.
I have had no contact with them for a long time. The reason I am contacting you is that one night something large and powerful attacked, killed and ate the goshawk, leaving only the jesses and leash which were tied to the perch.
There was really no sign of a struggle and no feathers lying about. The other clue was the huge scratch marks in the trunk of the tree. It was just as though someone had taken a joiners gouge and stabbed into the trunk and then dragged it down leaving long gaping gashes oozing resin. I dont know if the family actually reported the incident to the local police at the time.
Maybe they did as I see from your distribution map several dots in that area. I wish you every success in your hunt for the truth. I have always believed the Bigger cats were at large.
Sincerely yours.
Around 1970
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