The Partridge Family.

Red-legged Partridge.

Grey Partridge.

Red-legged Partridge.

Grey Partridge.

I was delighted to find a pair of Grey Partridge wandering through the garden mid-afternoon today, 26th Feb.I crept quietly towards were they were feeding and managed to take full opportunity of the glorious sunshine that shone over the surrounding countryside by getting plenty of photos.They stayed for over an hour before wandering off across the fields.

I first saw a pair at the end of 2006 as they crossed a nearby field but were soon off over the horizon and out of sight, since then i haven't seen any in the area until today.We are lucky enough to have both Grey and Red-legged Partridge in the area but the Red-legged vastly out numbers the Grey.The Grey is not a rare species but are becoming harder to see and are on the Red list meaning that there has been a rapid decline in the UK breeding population in the last 25 years.The Grey Partridge has a grey/brown mottled plumage, it's back is streaked and flecked with a grey breast and rusty orange face.They prefer cereal and pasture fields with hedges and wide field margins, hopefully the environmental stewardship offered to farmers will help stop the decline of the "English Partridge" by giving them back some of their natural habitat.Their favored diet is leaves, shoots, buds, insects and other vegetable matter and can be found feeding in stubble fields during winter.

The Red-legged Partridge on the other hand is a commoner species and originally introduced from Europe.It has a striking black and white face with red bill, plain brown back,barred flanks with a spotted neck and is larger than the Grey Partridge.It also favours farmland and feeds on seeds, roots and shoots.Can often be seen in large groups or "Coveys" crossing open fields.