Partridge Chicks

[MrNoo]

I've got a big Grey Partridge restoration project going here. PM me or have a look at the GWCT website for more info. I think Tufnells near Calmsden would be a good local place to look at.

I have a very good friend who does a lot for GWCT, he does all my stalking on the farm, so think I will put him to work, I have been on a few farm walks but never actually got off my arse and done anything about it but feel I should now and main mortgage is paid off now so can afford to not crop some acres.

 

[herman]

I've hatched a few English under broody bantams the last few years . Had a bit of success adopting them to barren pairs , currently got about 75 or so under 4 hens at 5 days old .

 

[Brisel]

Red leg partridge and pheasants are non native, introduced, species.

Somewhere between 50 and 60 million are released every year.

So many that the pheasant is the most numerous bird in the UK. A non native, introduced species is the most numerous bird in the UK. A bizarre and ridiculous state of affairs.

What impact does that have on the availability of naturally occurring food for native species of bird, and the eco system generally?

If there wasn’t any game shooting there wouldn’t be as much conservation work done which benefits plenty of other species. I’ve always found it hard to convince people who don’t quote understand this. They also seem the think that we shoot 100% of what we release.

I’ve been reading the GWCT annual research review that has been surveying the % losses of pheasants that are reared. Less than 1/6 of birds reared survive beyond the shooting season, with an average of 1/3 shot and the same mostly predated. It doesn’t say much about the survivial rates for red legs.

 

[spin cycle]

bloody french are vermin.....not only that but the released buggers are hybrids so even stronger.....had 4 pairs english last year then aug came and farm was swamped with released french

if i had my way shoots would only be allowed to release english

 

[pycoed]

If there wasn’t any game shooting there wouldn’t be as much conservation work done which benefits plenty of other species. I’ve always found it hard to convince people who don’t quote understand this. They also seem the think that we shoot 100% of what we release.

I’ve been reading the GWCT annual research review that has been surveying the % losses of pheasants that are reared. Less than 1/6 of birds reared survive beyond the shooting season, with an average of 1/3 shot and the same mostly predated. It doesn’t say much about the survivial rates for red legs.

'Tis a good read - I liked the Avon valley fox research project too..
Membership of the GWCT should be a must for anyone interested in proper research (as opposed to the RSPB propaganda) not least to counter clowns like people who reckon the pheasant is Britain's commonest bird

 

[Brisel]

bloody french are vermin.....not only that but the released buggers are hybrids so even stronger.....had 4 pairs english last year then aug came and farm was swamped with released french

if i had my way shoots would only be allowed to release english

Releasing English is one of the worst things you can do - it introduces disease into the wild ones and you create birds that cannot successfully rear their own chicks. The feeding of chicks is not innate and must be passed on by wild hens who were taught by their parents before them. By all means release them - some may make it successfully..

 

[yellowbelly]

I’ve not seen any English partridge chicks for many years; you’re v lucky.

Before the M180 was built, right through the middle of that little farm that I was mowing for yesterday, it was probably the best natural English partridge drive for miles around. The present incumbent's grandfather farmed it for years 'the old fashioned way' with sheep and spring barley.

He always had overwintered stubbles and Roundup hadn't been invented so there was always a fair bit of twitch in them. It held covey after covey of, IMHO, the best sporting bird we have in England. They flew low towards the guns and due to the lie of the land 'burst out' over tall thorn hedges making them high targets for the guns in the valley below.

We shot a fair few but there was always plenty of 'seed' left for next year. Totally wild, unkeepered and no feed other than what nature provided - there would be just as many the next year as long as there were no big thunderstorms in the week of the Lincolnshire Show (the time they traditionally hatch round here).

Happy days

 

[spin cycle]

Releasing English is one of the worst things you can do - it introduces disease into the wild ones and you create birds that cannot successfully rear their own chicks. The feeding of chicks is not innate and must be passed on by wild hens who were taught by their parents before them. By all means release them - some may make it successfully..

using that that theory shouldn't the french partridge be extinct?

 

[Pond digger]

Before the M180 was built, right through the middle of that little farm that I was mowing for yesterday, it was probably the best natural English partridge drive for miles around. The present incumbent's grandfather farmed it for years 'the old fashioned way' with sheep and spring barley.

He always had overwintered stubbles and Roundup hadn't been invented so there was always a fair bit of twitch in them. It held covey after covey of, IMHO, the best sporting bird we have in England. They flew low towards the guns and due to the lie of the land 'burst out' over tall thorn hedges making them high targets for the guns in the valley below.

We shot a fair few but there was always plenty of 'seed' left for next year. Totally wild, unkeepered and no feed other than what nature provided - there would be just as many the next year as long as there were no big thunderstorms in the week of the Lincolnshire Show (the time they traditionally hatch round here).

Happy days

It must be 40-50 years since it was worth organising a Partridge shoot here. We were very much mixed farming at that time.

 

[Brisel]

Before the M180 was built, right through the middle of that little farm that I was mowing for yesterday, it was probably the best natural English partridge drive for miles around. The present incumbent's grandfather farmed it for years 'the old fashioned way' with sheep and spring barley.

He always had overwintered stubbles and Roundup hadn't been invented so there was always a fair bit of twitch in them. It held covey after covey of, IMHO, the best sporting bird we have in England. They flew low towards the guns and due to the lie of the land 'burst out' over tall thorn hedges making them high targets for the guns in the valley below.

We shot a fair few but there was always plenty of 'seed' left for next year. Totally wild, unkeepered and no feed other than what nature provided - there would be just as many the next year as long as there were no big thunderstorms in the week of the Lincolnshire Show (the time they traditionally hatch round here).

Happy days

Some legendary grey partridge shoots around you. Joe Nickerson wrote a few books on the subject

 

[Brisel]

using that that theory shouldn't the french partridge be extinct?

I was talking about greys. The Frenchmen adapt much better to artificial husbandry. The greys are endangered partly because of this, but it's similar to the red vs grey squirrels. A more aggressive species is able to outcompete them & the local environment is less friendly to them since herbicide use became more widespread. Pheasants lay their eggs in grey partridge nests & the chicks hatch sooner so the dumb greys raise them as their own, to the detriment of their own kind.

 

[uztrac]

I've got a big Grey Partridge restoration project going here. PM me or have a look at the GWCT website for more info. I think Tufnells near Calmsden would be a good local place to look at.

We have a similar GWCT programme going here in Norfolk. Sandringham have been very successful with their Greys driving through the estate you can see them around.This season ( so far ) should be of great benefit to their population.

 

[Jon]

Seen some English chicks around here, but so many birds of prey they stand no chance I fear.

 

[Fallowfield]

If there wasn’t any game shooting there wouldn’t be as much conservation work done which benefits plenty of other species. I’ve always found it hard to convince people who don’t quote understand this. They also seem the think that we shoot 100% of what we release.

I’ve been reading the GWCT annual research review that has been surveying the % losses of pheasants that are reared. Less than 1/6 of birds reared survive beyond the shooting season, with an average of 1/3 shot and the same mostly predated. It doesn’t say much about the survivial rates for red legs.

Yes I am aware that landowners can hold us all to ransom.

That's why statutory controls are necessary

The point I made though is that releasing 50 million non native birds every year must inevitably adversely affect the available food supply available to native species.

 

[yellow belly]

Yes I am aware that landowners can hold us all to ransom.

That's why statutory controls are necessary

The point I made though is that releasing 50 million non native birds every year must inevitably adversely affect the available food supply available to native species.

It does as there is plenty of food for the predators
Well keepered land has more wildlife
Grouse Moors with hen Harriers and lapwings without keeper the predators take out the hen harriers rspb moor lost all it wildlife when they stopped controlling virmin
Same goes for lowland keepered land where magpie fox and squirrel control benefits many species

Grain feeders used for pheasants always well frequented by small birds during the late winter months

My chickory game plots have flocks of seed eating small birds in their hundreds during the winter

 

[Brisel]

Yes I am aware that landowners can hold us all to ransom.

That's why statutory controls are necessary

The point I made though is that releasing 50 million non native birds every year must inevitably adversely affect the available food supply available to native species.

I'm with you on the 50 million birds released effect Natural England do what they can to aim their stewardship options away from shooting. It would have been good for the GWCT to use a control area nearby that isn't shot or managed for conservation to see how the diversity make up is there.

 

[benny6910]

Sorry for the poor picture quality, I was just checking on some wheat and saw these

 

[Try to succeed]

It’s nice to see a thread relating to grey partridges on the forum! We have a voluntary conservation project primarily for our greys. I have feeders spread throughout all my territories so that the birds get in peak condition for laying. Trap a lot of carrions and magpies on ours and neighbours which makes a big difference. Week or two ago I had a pair with 20 chicks, and yesterday reversed away from a cock bird with 8 chicks but the hen was in the margin and prob had more with her. Really annoys me that I’m the only one around our area that is actively working to achieve a higher concentration of greys yet everyone wants to shoot them at any opportunity. We have a full ban on shooting them.
Sparrow hawks are the one thing I can’t control and can be devistating. I do however have wild flower margins and bird seed plots to give them cover from the b*stards and plenty of grub

 

[Try to succeed]

I've hatched a few English under broody bantams the last few years . Had a bit of success adopting them to barren pairs , currently got about 75 or so under 4 hens at 5 days old .

Have you had any success with your previous years’ released birds breeding?

 

[brigadoon]

Red leg partridge and pheasants are non native, introduced, species.

Somewhere between 50 and 60 million are released every year.

So many that the pheasant is the most numerous bird in the UK. A non native, introduced species is the most numerous bird in the UK. A bizarre and ridiculous state of affairs.

What impact does that have on the availability of naturally occurring food for native species of bird, and the eco system generally?

It provides quite a fillip to both food availability in the form of artificial feed which is raided by suitably sized wild birds and /or the remnants picked over by the songbird sized.

Its effect on naturally occurring food is just about zero

It also greatly aids the eco system generally by conserving suitable habitat for both species which as a side benefit is also suitable for many wild species. It artificially boosts predator numbers by providing plentiful daft young uns for them.

In similar fashion the avoidance of disturbance of habitat and legal depression of predator numbers also assist in diversity maintenance in terms of both numbers and species.

Pheasants and partidge have been with us since Norman if not Roman times, their natural breeding success is severely depressed by modern grass preservation - if you want to see wild partridge then look in the nearest silage pit, they will be lying next to the corncrakes.