Forest Fauna

You've noticed, haven't you that in
the summer months the forest holds its
secrets tight, reveals none of the drama
inherent in its habitat for those creatures
who relentlessly hunt as carnivores and
those destined to be their prey themselves
content with browsing, whether on land
in the air or in the waterways coursing
through the forest precincts. The skills
it takes to note the presence of clues
like scattered feathers, an owl's discarded
pellet, the partial pelt of a small furred
animal to interpret the life-and-death
theatre of existence in the forest are not
those of an oblivious visitor. During the
winter months when the forest floor is
steeped deep in snow the threat to life
and limb of small creatures deterred in
their desperate flight from violent carnage
wreaked upon them by fleet-footed
omnivores can be read and deciphered
with far more ease; delicate versus robust
paw prints, the final frantic effort of 
outspread wings leaving their impression
then flown off with up and away, the
tell-tale bright red splotch on pristine white
all relate the silent messages of forest fauna.