Grey Partridge in the Scottish Borders

The partridge or grey partridge as people call it have been a success story in the Scottish Borders over the past five years. They were quite scarce around our countryside until the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust organized a conservation effort with a number of farmers, landowners, farm managers, farm contractors and gamekeepers, their aim, to increase the populations of wild grey partridge on the Scottish Borders. I work the Borders region on a regular basis photographing its wildlife and I can see the evidence for myself. I see covey’s of gray partridge regularly these days, very different s few years ago when it was quite an event seeing these iconic little birds.

The Trust has been working in partnership with Borders Regional Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group and Scottish Agricultural College, has been providing free seed to establish key partridge friendly habitats across the open arable landscape in the Borders. There’s even a trophy for the best conservationist called “The Scottish Borders Grey Partridge Trophy”

Well done to all concerned!!

I was out this morning at first light looking for brown hares when I came across a small covey of grey partridge near the Stichill area which is near Kelso, and managed to get reasonably close and get these images in the strong early morning sunlight. Proof that their conservation measures really are working.

Isle of Mull Wildlife Photography Workshop in June, see the details here:

http://www.wildlife-photography.uk.com/blog/?page_id=6191

Brand:	Canon
Camera:	Canon EOS-1D Mark IV
Lens:	EF500mm f/4L IS USM
Recording media:	RAW (digital)
Date Taken:	19 Feb 2012 - 9:41 AM
Focal Length:	500mm
Lens Max Aperture:	f/4.0
Aperture:	f/6.3
Shutter Speed:	1/1600sec
Exposure Comp:	-1/3
ISO:	640
Exposure Mode:	Aperture-priority AE
Metering Mode:	Spot
Flash:	No Flash

Title:	Grey Partridge in the Scottish Borders
Username:	rmccombe
Uploaded:	19 Feb 2012 - 9:52 PM
Tags:	Grey partridge, Perdix perdix, Scottish borders, Wildlife / nature
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Votes:	11