Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Gamekeeper
A wild bird day is an experience like no other, and when hares and grey partridges break cover, all the hard work becomes worth it
TAlan Edwards is conservation manager at Bywell, a Purdey Gold Award estate in Northumberland he unmistakable shape and flight of a barn owl greeted me as I began my rounds. I paused briefly to observe the owl, a juvenile, quartering a large grass ride near a deer tower in recently planted woodland. A sense of pride swept over me. The tower was my chosen site for an owl box positioned a couple of years ago. This season, youngsters were enjoying a nearperfect habitat. What a wonderful scene.
A buzzard appeared moments later, I suspect from a lookout branch high in mature woodland that fringes the grass ride. Diving at full speed, it intercepted the passing owl and they both collapsed to the ground. I could barely believe what I had just witnessed; the juvenile owl stood no chance. The buzzard made a rapid exit as I approached, and there lay the most tender and fragile of birds. Hardly a meal of note for the buzzard. Had the killing been made for food or some other reason?
My mind immediately skipped to conversations I’ve been involved in throughout my career with various government agencies and charities. All too often when having difficult discussions around the subject of common raptors, my enquiries would be met with statements such as: “It’s anecdotal and not backed up by science.” Surely we can find a way to express the views and observations of men and women who have years of experience? Why are we made to feel that what we witness is unimportant, easily dismissed without care or understanding about our passion, knowledge and lifetime of study?
Quality sport
Some wild bird shoots have tentatively begun. It’s always difficult with wild birds to be confident of success — by their nature wild birds are secretive, so an air of tension usually hangs over the day until a drive or two is completed.
The atmosphere on any such shoot is electric, though, especially a wild grey partridge day. I’ve been lucky enough to attend a couple of grey days this season, and Guns, beaters and keepers were treated to a quality of sport seldom seen with reared birds.
Putting a finger on what makes the heart beat that bit stronger on a wild shoot is difficult to define, but when my recent days have got under way, it’s been clear that birds this year are plentiful. Big, strong coveys have burst over hedges, showing impressive aerial acrobatics. Every now and again, hares — one of the happy byproducts of managing land for wild birds — have broken the line and small birds have cascaded into the air. It makes all the hard work worth it.
Conversations between drives on wild days are celebrations of experiences, and at the end of the day, you’re left with an overwhelming feeling of being involved in something deeply special.
On our first grey partridge day at Bywell, the beating team assembled early and the chatter was full of expectation and joy. I stood and took in the atmosphere. The day was unusually mild for the time of year, and winds were light but favourable — the conditions were ideal.
A crackle on the radio signalled the beating line had set off. Had I thought of everything? It was too late now. The Guns were set, the flanks were out and the pickers-up had vanished into the cover. I always experience great satisfaction when seeing the initial grey partridge break cover, and moments later the first covey twisted and turned as they burst over the waiting Guns. This year, that opening covey was more welcome than ever. I do wish more shoots would get on board.