rich1985 Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 Whilst out doing larsen and tunnel trap round yesterday I saw my first wild brood pheasants for this year, not sure how many she had but they were about a week old. Nice to see, lovely lot of game left after the last season so hoping for good weather this summer to help them. Got 12 pairs English partridges on the farm this year which is up 3 pairs on last year so must be doing something right. Any one else seen any wild game yet? All the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 Good luck with your English partridge. Such a special bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aga man Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) Good luck with your English partridge. Such a special bird. +1 Not seen any young Gamebirds yet but saw a couple of Lapwing chicks today which was also nice to see. Edited May 16, 2015 by aga man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 not yet but cereals are well forward to offer protection, so fingers crossed still seeing some cocks/hens out in the open which is strange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted May 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 not yet but cereals are well forward to offer protection, so fingers crossed still seeing some cocks/hens out in the open which is strange. Could just be your hens that have come off the nest for some food and or drink or there nest has been perdated but there is still plenty of time for them to lay another clutch and try again. Cocks wander about all the time so not to unusual to be seeing them. When I took the shoot on 10 years ago we had no English partridge I realeased a small number (10) birds for a few years just to get a few about but now they are doing well and breeding success has been ok with a very good year last summer. The farm is not your run of the mill farm, there's areas left fallow, hedges that are not cut that often therefor have good thick bottom for nesting and some lovely wild flower areas. The farmer asks for my input as what to do to help and improve the farm for wild birds and insects etc. just keep hammering the vermin 24/7 and just hope the weather is kind to you this time of year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Hi Rich, Very good to know that trickle releasing of Greys works over a period of years. This subject is of great interest as I may take on such a project. Once you have a resident breeding population of about the right density would you say vermin control is the biggest issue (after weather)? Which vermin take the biggest toll, foxes, corvids, mustelids, rats, hedgehogs? Very interested to hear more about what you have achieved if you have time to post details. Milo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted May 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Hi milo, I am happy to help you as much as I can if your taking on a grey partridge project, I'm not going to say I know it all because I do not at all, I will say what I have done and what has worked for me. Firstly if the land you want to do your project on is like a sterile environment as in no rough areas, no hedges massive block cropping etc you will find it hard I won't lie to you but I am in no way trying to put you off. When you release some will die, some will leave your place but some will stay, on your second year you may have a Barron pair ( pair with no brood) this will work massively in your favour, put a small pen in there territory with your bought poults in the Barron pair will foster these so when you release they will be looked after by these. Vermin is your biggest threat after the weather, trap, snare and shoot what you can and keep hammering it 24/7. I find corvids and badgers are the biggest problem, but hammer all legal vermin 24/7. When you get some wild broods they will of course need food and places to dry out after rain, thick cropped land is useless for this, rough fallow areas and wild bird and flower field margins are perfect, plenty of insect and gaps in the crop. This is only very brief as you can see but hope this helps a little, of course I will always help who I can. Please pm me if you would like. All the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Hi Rich, Very kind of you to share your thoughts and experience. Much appreciated. Currently the land, in North Yorkshire, is mixed. Parts are farmed reasonably intensively but not prairie style. Other parts are already relatively wild. All round there is considerable scope for improvement as a potential habitat for Greys. Job one is to acquire further border acreage which is currently in progress. Depending on the outcome, we will have to come up with an appropriate plan. We're not looking to be the next Joe Nickerson, just to create and preserve a viable population of these wonderful birds. My biggest concern is vermin control. We already shoot a crazy number of foxes; 20 in two nights last year, and there is a large population of badgers. Thank you for your kind offer to discuss further. I will keep you posted on progress. Best wishes, Milo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted May 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Hi Rich, Very kind of you to share your thoughts and experience. Much appreciated. Currently the land, in North Yorkshire, is mixed. Parts are farmed reasonably intensively but not prairie style. Other parts are already relatively wild. All round there is considerable scope for improvement as a potential habitat for Greys. Job one is to acquire further border acreage which is currently in progress. Depending on the outcome, we will have to come up with an appropriate plan. We're not looking to be the next Joe Nickerson, just to create and preserve a viable population of these wonderful birds. My biggest concern is vermin control. We already shoot a crazy number of foxes; 20 in two nights last year, and there is a large population of badgers. Thank you for your kind offer to discuss further. I will keep you posted on progress. Best wishes, Milo. No problem. I guess your 20 in 2 nights was after harvest and were mainly Cubs? Cub control NOW will help a lot, the damage is already done if the Cubs become independent kill the Cubs then the vixen has only got to feed herself, she will still kill granted but for her self not a litter of Cubs, if you get the vixen too then that's a bonus. Lots of badgers here too but it's just a case of having to live with them I'm affraid but something I have done round wild nests is but a circle of wire round the nest big enough for the partridges or pheasant to pass but not badgers, peg wire down or badgers will just push it over, more of a deterrent as badgers are strong and if they wanted to they could get to the nest. I hope you can get a little project going they need all the help they can get. Will help any time I can, please ask I will answer if I can. Rich1985 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 20 in 2 nights was last autumn and the split mature to first year foxes was about 50/50 which might sound quite surprising. We had hammered cubs as much as possible earlier in the year and a fair proportion of the land is down to grass. We encountered the first lot of cubs a couple of weeks ago and seven were dealt with but, as is the case with many people, we struggle with finding the time to get out. Thanks for the advice re badger nets. We will certainly try that when the time comes. Many thanks, Rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted May 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 (edited) Ok mate, no problem, I hope you sort something with the English partridges. It is hard to find time at times I know, I am lucky as its on my doorstep and I'm there everyday, trapping like hell at the present. All the best. Edited May 17, 2015 by rich1985 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Konnie Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 farmer saw first wild pheasant chicks on my perm today, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norfolk dumpling Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 Seen one or two pheasant broods but this morning saw red leg chicks: 20 or so tiny little bumble bees on the roadside. A very big brood so hopefully a few will make it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 On the way in to work this morning I saw some newly hatched frenchie parto's. Then later this morning we had a torrential downpour, so I hope they stayed dry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted June 6, 2015 Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 Hi milo, I am happy to help you as much as I can if your taking on a grey partridge project, I'm not going to say I know it all because I do not at all, I will say what I have done and what has worked for me. Firstly if the land you want to do your project on is like a sterile environment as in no rough areas, no hedges massive block cropping etc you will find it hard I won't lie to you but I am in no way trying to put you off. When you release some will die, some will leave your place but some will stay, on your second year you may have a Barron pair ( pair with no brood) this will work massively in your favour, put a small pen in there territory with your bought poults in the Barron pair will foster these so when you release they will be looked after by these. Vermin is your biggest threat after the weather, trap, snare and shoot what you can and keep hammering it 24/7. I find corvids and badgers are the biggest problem, but hammer all legal vermin 24/7. When you get some wild broods they will of course need food and places to dry out after rain, thick cropped land is useless for this, rough fallow areas and wild bird and flower field margins are perfect, plenty of insect and gaps in the crop. This is only very brief as you can see but hope this helps a little, of course I will always help who I can. Please pm me if you would like. All the best. Hi Rich, How are your partridge getting on? I hope the weather at least has been kind to them. Best wishes, Milo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich1985 Posted June 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Hi Rich, How are your partridge getting on? I hope the weather at least has been kind to them. Best wishes, Milo. At present seeing several single partridge which is a good sign as this hopefully means the other bird is incubating a clutch. Should hope to see a brood any time in the next few weeks. Farmer cut a field of silage grass yesterday and then saw a pair of English later in the day so just hope they haven't cut the nest up. I hate silage grass the cutting of it kills so much wild life. Vining peas and combining in the dark also kills so much stuff. Still hammering the vermin, traps been quite quiet this week tho. Shot 8 foxes for a friend on Monday night with my night vision 7 Cubs and a vixen, going again tonight to try get some more in a different location. Seen much your way? All the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Thanks for the update, Rich. Looking forward to hearing more as the time passes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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