Wanders never cease

While you can’t stop your birds exploring their territory, there are ways you can encourage them to stay close to home, says Liam Bell

As birds mature, they start to wander. Not necessarily because there is something badly wrong with where they are, nor because they are looking for something particular that their release wood can’t provide, but more because it is part of the natural Strawing-down feed rides might seem a little old-fashioned, but it works. My old headkeeper used to swear by oat straw, because he thought that it was tougher than barley or wheat straw, but I don’t think it really makes much difference; straw is straw, and any straw is better than none. maturing process of most wild things, pheasants and partridges included.

Getting things right at the release site certainly reduces it and makes them more inclined to stay local, but nothing will stop it completely. What we can do, though, is get things right in the areas of ground between the

Small bales are easiest, though they are getting harder to come by. Larger ones are OK, more so the round ones, as long as you have something or someone to drop them off.

When we straw-down a ride, we trail feed into it as well. It gives the birds something to scratch about for and keeps 36 • SHOOTING TIMES & COUNTRY MAGAZINE release pens and the drives, and in the drives themselves. If we can make these areas more attractive in late September and October, when the wandering is at its worst, it will help slow the whole process and hopefully keep more of our birds where we want them. them amused when the initial freshness of the straw has worn off.

Straw is also an attractant. When the birds spot it, they will go across to investigate, notice a feeder or two, find a drinker and the trailed feed and hopefully decide to hang around instead of going off somewhere else.