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Partridges - GR (25th Mar 2006 - 16:10:02) Just wondering if any body has had a couple of partridges visiting there gardens. This morning there was pair in our garden , we are used to maggpies , robins , gold finches , starlings , blue tits , green finches , siskins etc but partridges now theres a first. I will have to let Chris Packham know I sure he would be happy.

Re: Partridges - Eneida (27th Mar 2006 - 08:19:47) I've had partridges in the garden from time to time too. They're sweet and I don't mind them at all. But the other day I had a very nasty experience at about 6am (no comments please, Mr. Grimes!). Just as I openned the kitchen blinds a bird of prey (I think it was either a kestrel or a buzzard) flew down with a live collared dove and dismembered it on my lawn....very grisly...feathers everywhere!! I've lived in far more rural spots than where I am now, but have never seen this before and don't particularly want to again! Eneida

Re: Partridges - liz (27th Mar 2006 - 09:50:32) Yes we have had partridges in the garden in tha last week. They visited last year as well but only for a couple of days. I have also seen some near Hollycombe House so presume there are a few in the area.

Re: Partridges - Allan (27th Mar 2006 - 15:14:10) Hi All, Partridges are now commonly reared by local country estates along with now long established pheasant flocks for the shooting season. The shooting season for partridge commences 1st Sept. finishing 1st Feb. So, assuming that they no longer get fed by the keepers, they go wandering looking for sustenance. From a culinary point of view, they are best roasted slightly underdone. Port wine sauce makes an excellent accompaniment. It is generally agreed that the French red legged variety are superior to the indigenous British grey legged ones, being plumper of breast and thigh. Cheers.

Re: Partridges - rob (27th Mar 2006 - 21:36:07) Eneida We had exactly the same experience one afternoon last year, with a buzzard. They drop the pigeons out of the sky, I believe. It tore it apart for about 20 minutes under a big tree (just a bit up the Headley Road from you, I think) before something scared it off. Fabulous. I wonder if it was the same one - which on the face of it seems unlikely - or just a coincidence. rob.

Re: Partridges - rob (27th Mar 2006 - 21:41:10) allan Got very confused, starting with the last sentence of your last post. Thought my browser had made some awful mistake! Reminds me of the (doubtless apochryphal) story of Mary Whitouse phoning the BBC to complain that she'd turned on her radio to hear Jack de Manio (ah, dates you that!) use the phrase "tits like coconuts". Took the then DG to persuade her it was part of an ornithological story that included a segment which ran "finches like seeds, tits ....". Rob.

Re: Partridges - Allan (28th Mar 2006 - 00:44:52) Rob, Thanks for that, ain't laughed so much for ages. By the way, do you think the local garden centres are being inundated with orders for pear trees ?

Re: Partridges - liz (29th Mar 2006 - 09:22:57) Allan I understood that the 'French' red legged partridge (which is what we have seen locally) is now more common than the 'indigenous' variety.

Re: Partridges - Allan (29th Mar 2006 - 16:21:43) Liz, Could be so. Red legs were introduced to Britain in the 18th century (presumably because they were held in higher estime than Greys as a table delicacy).And it is a fact that grey partridges are declining in nos. in the U.K. I wonder if there is a corresponding decline in the number of pear trees! Cheers, Allan

Re: Partridges - Tracey H (31st Mar 2006 - 22:32:42) Can we start a little competition here? We had no less than thirteen partridges in the garden (I lost count at that) a couple of weeks ago. They just walked up the drive and into the garden, pecked around for a good half hour and then walked back down again. Beautiful birds and quite a sight on a frosty morning.

Re: Partridges - Allan (1st Apr 2006 - 00:44:59) GET A PEAR TREE, They would still be there!

Re: Partridges - Eneida (1st Apr 2006 - 08:43:28) Hi Tracey, I think a competition would be a splendid idea! I know Gary started this thread about partridges, but I don't suppose he'd mind if we widen it to include 'unusual' birds? I think my 1 buzzard is worth 10 partridges at least, which would mean that you're winning by 3...just my opinion, of course :) Eneida

Re: Partridges - Andrew Ellis (3rd Apr 2006 - 19:53:18) i just had one for tea does that count

Re: Partridges - Mike Grimes (4th Apr 2006 - 00:25:05) andrew (sic) whatever died yo tak abolt?

Re: Partridges - Eneida (4th Apr 2006 - 07:47:55) Had one for tea!! How interesting...did you serve the buzzard with a port wine sauce as per Allan's instructions? Eneida

Re: Partridges - Freddie Dawkins (4th Apr 2006 - 23:40:24) How about two Mandarin ducks on my pond early one morning. Pheasants most of the time wander in and out. Herons every day that either sit in the trees, eyeing my fish, or swoop down silently and try and steal fish. Green woodpeckers are definitely thriving in the area. In the past 12 years, I've noticed how the local population has increased a fair bit. Jays are still fairly rare but I see one, on average, about once a month. House sparrows have all but disappeared in last few years - as have ladybirds. Robins are doing well though and magpies show no signs of decline. Weasels - I've seen three in 12 years - one of them in Devil's Lane in broad daylight, flashing across the lane from one hedgerow to another. There's a very large house pond on the Wheatsheaf Enclosure, very close to the golf course and a public right of way, which has the most amazing collection of exotic waterfowl. I guess they occassionally fly off and visit neighbours. Lots of young rabbits these last 2-3 weeks..Popping up on the verges all along from the village to Rake. Must have been a good breeding season for them. And hot air balloons - they seem to be breeding in the skies around us!! Freddie

Re: Partridges - Finchie (5th Apr 2006 - 10:33:43) Freddie - Wot no Finches ! Cheers, Finchie

Re: Partridges - liz (5th Apr 2006 - 10:44:26) Pleased to say I have seen plenty of house sparrows which seem to be making a comeback, also plenty of jays in the lanes. Also saw a cormorant flying over Liphook last week. Apparently there are quite a few of those about too - much to the annoyance of local anglers!

Re: Partridges - Freddie Dawkins (5th Apr 2006 - 23:07:49) Pardon me, Finchie, How could I have forgotten those sparky little birds that zip around! I once saw a red kite up above Iron Hill - would have been about 3 years ago. Only the one sighting. Tremendous bird, soaring off the top of the pine trees. Slightly further afield, the most glorious sight, I think, of Spring, is the golden Sussex hares, popping up in fields when they hear you approaching and then bounding away. Hares really are the most amazingly graceful animals and the good news is that they are well-protected on the Cowdray Estate lands - which run to about 17,000 acres. The population's thriving. And one final sighting - a nesting pair of Little Owls. I'll not say where for fear of them being disturbed but they've been around for at least 2 years now and though I've not seen any offspring, I'm sure they are breeding successfully. rgds to all Freddie

Re: Partridges - katy (6th Apr 2006 - 07:51:19) Hi I live in the Sainsburys estate and in the last 5 years bird population has definately increased - loads of sparrows round here oddly enough, plenty of Chaffinch (for Finchie), also pied wagtail, collared dove, Song and mistle thrush, blue tits, robins, great tits, blackbirds galore, and probably more I've forgotten . Also spotted a large Heron on the roof of the house opposite me yesterday morning and three dead bats squashed on the road outside Hiscocks pet shop yesterday morning! How bizzare?

Re: Partridges - Andrew Ellis (10th Apr 2006 - 12:03:37) looks like a feast out there for me

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