RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE

On our drive back from the Bluebell Wood, mentioned below, I noticed two Red-Legged Partridges (or "Frenchmen") in a field, right next to our very slow moving car, (we were dawdling up a single-track lane, looking for another entrance to get a better view of the flowers).

I could have got a wonderful picture of these two birds from the car, if we stopped, but at that very moment, we had to pull away to make room for an oncoming vehicle. Bugger!

I leapt out of the car further up the road, but the fat Frenchmen had flown 100yards or so away into the middle of the field. Chance missed. What a shame.

I've posted a picture of the Red-Legged Partridges on this post anyway, so you can see (remember) what striking birds they are.

Red-Legged Partridges are a non-native species. They are so called because of their red legs (although, rather like the Robin's 'RED' breast, (which, lets face it, is ORANGE, not red), or even the BLUEbells, (they're PURPLE... come on!)), which also gives them their "FrenchMen" monicker. An old military term for French soldiers who wore red trousers, hence "FrenchMen" for Red-Legged Partridges....

I remember cycling for miles when I was a boy, to a hidden secret valley between two woods, to see these birds. They are not particularly rare, but unless you are involved in shooting, very difficult to see!