A post for Derek!

In the last post I was excited about the comings and goings of a couple of Hobbies and a kestrel. As an after-thought I put in a picture of a Grey Partridge. Regulars at Sandwich are lucky, in that these birds are often prominent along the Ancient Highway, and using a car as a hide, they often come very close as the feed in the meadows.

Derek Faulkner commented that it was the Grey Partridges that impressed him most as they are now an uncommon sight on Sheppey (home of Derek and the prison). I thought I'd put few more pictures up of this delightful species. Not a member of the gaudy brigade but subtly very beautiful. The chestnut horseshoe mark on the belly is often hidden as the bird keeps low in long grass.

This one was showing off to what I though was another pair, but it may have been two females, since they both squatted down at this territorial display.

Fences are a big problem, in that they are rather intrusive in the picture. Even if you manage to focus between two wires, there is often another one in the background.

It was good to get one close enough to see the eye colour clearly. The bill is mainly used for collecting plant material, although occasionally insects are taken, especially by the female when feeding young.

The barring of the coverts and scapulars was worth a close up. as can be seen in the second photo, the long scapulars can be fluffed out when displaying.