The Rotherfield Demonstration Project
Well-managed spring feeding forms an important
part of the full grey partridge recovery management package at Rotherfield. © Carlos Sánchez/GWCT
KEY FINDINGS
In 2016, the number of grey partridge spring pairs on the Trust’s demonstration area was 19 pairs, three less than in 2015. On the Trust’s area, grey partridge autumn stock was 69, 22 more than in 2015. Farmland songbirds of conser- vation concern have increased 66% across the whole estate since 2010, 77% on the area managed by the Trust.
Francis Buner Malcolm Brockless Nicholas Aebischer
The Rotherfield demonstration project in Hampshire began in 2010 when the Trust’s gamekeeper was installed on c. 700ha (Trust side) and the estate’s gamekeeper on an adjacent c. 700ha (Estate side). In 2011, the estate signed a 10-year Higher Level Agri-environment Scheme contract, which allowed for significant partridge habitats to be established (mainly wild bird seed mixes, uncultivated uncropped margins, beetle banks and over-wintered and extended stubbles). Because a wild-bird keeper is essential to recover grey partridges from zero, the project also demonstrates how shooting interests can be met during the recovery phase when partridges cannot be shot. To achieve this, we release 600 tagged cock pheasants annually and hold seven cock-only shoot days, four walked-up days and four spaniel trials per season. Despite the highest amount of rainfall ever recorded in the project area in June 2016
(145.2mm), the crucial hatching period for grey partridge broods, the partridges on the Trust side fared better than the national average. We counted 69 wild grey partridges (15 males, 18 females and 36 young from 10 broods, all but one from replacement clutches). The spring count was 19 wild pairs (see Figure 1). On the Estate side, only three spring pairs were counted of which none produced a brood. Although we fell short of our best autumn stock to date of just below 100 birds, we are encouraged by this year’s count on the Trust side (see Table 1). The number of wild pheasant young on the Trust side was 271, the second highest
number since 2010. On the Estate side, we found 122 young just below its average of 128.8 young since 2011. The red-legged partridges had a poor breeding season, with six broods producing only 15 young on the Trust side, resulting in an autumn stock of 76 compared with 116 in 2015. On the Estate side, only one brood was recorded, producing six young (see Table 1). Gamebird hens can suffer high mortality during the breeding season, mainly caused
by predation on their nest. On the Trust side, between 2011-2016, grey partridge hen loss averaged 40.8%, while hen pheasant loss was 50.0% (see Table 2). On the Estate side, grey partridge hen loss averaged 57.2%, pheasant hen loss 58.4%. The percent-
Figure 1
Number of grey partridges on the Trust side
Young Old
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
Provision of high quality habitat is key for any wild grey partridge recovery. © Francis Buner/GWCT
32 | GAME & WILDLIFE REVIEW 2016 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
www.gwct.org.uk
Individuals
Spring Autumn Spring Autumn Spring Autumn Spring Autumn Spring Autumn Spring Autumn Spring Autumn
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