Partridge in caithness?

[buggyracer]

Are they common in the county? ive only ever seen some about 10 years ago near stempster, and only noticed them as they were shown up against the snow lying on the feild.

[Kenn]

Have seen a few over the years in and around Westerdale but don't think they are common.

[Kevin Milkins]

Are they common in the county? ive only ever seen some about 10 years ago near stempster, and only noticed them as they were shown up against the snow lying on the feild.

I would have thought they are about as rare as pear trees in Caithness;)

[buggyracer]

i beleive they were more common years ago, but perhaps there natural habitat has changed due to modern farming?

[the_count]

They tend to be arable land birds like pheasant and due to the very nature of the landscape (bogs and rocky outcrops) fields tend to be left to grass for grazing rather than being put under the plough. But anywhere the fields are planted with cereal crops you always get something coming along to take a share of the spoils lol:lol:

[Torvaig]

Yes there are partridge in Caithness and very tasty they are too, although it is a long while since I have tasted them. I believe local farmers who are interested in the biodiversity of Caithness are helping to build up the numbers so maybe you will see some around if you look carefully. They are very good at hiding......;)

[Torvaig]

Did some googling and came up with this:

http://www.caithness.org/fpb/january2006/dannymillerbiodiversityaward.htm

[Kevin Milkins]

When I used to drive a combine harvester many years ago we used to see the French red tailed partridge in abundence at hatching time.
They used to have a big clutch of a dozen or more chicks and were always facinating to watch.
The biggest loss to them was if we had very heavy rain when the chicks are small many would dround in the long grass.

[Kevin Milkins]

I saw a Partridge this morning for the first time in Caithness.
I was driving down the rough track to Reiss beech and it was walking down the lane in front of me.
At first I thought it was a young pheasant that could not fly, bit the wife got out to shoo it on and it flew away over the wall.
When in flight it was no doubt a Partridge.

[buggyracer]

I saw a Partridge this morning for the first time in Caithness.
I was driving down the rough track to Reiss beech and it was walking down the lane in front of me.
At first I thought it was a young pheasant that could not fly, bit the wife got out to shoo it on and it flew away over the wall.
When in flight it was no doubt a Partridge.

good stuff kevin, always nice to hear of sights of them, i was told by someone a few days ago they used to be everywhere as they favoured croft style farming where there were lots of little feilds with different crops etc and now the modern way of farming isnt to there likeing?

[JamesMcVean]

You sometimes see them with french hens and turtledoves in pear trees...lol