Partridge Family Reunion

While reading the Lancaster & District Bird Watching Society 2012 annual report recently I was dismayed to see the grim status of grey partridge. So few sightings had been made in the local recording area that it was described as "so rare... that it has become a notable occasion when they are seen."

Grey partridge

 Back in August, I was pleased to find that the pair I'd been seeing on and off around Aldcliffe had fledged 7 youngsters and I was even more delighted to come across a covey of 11 partridge today. They were quite distant but it appeared to be a mixed group of adults and 1st year birds. Hopefully their local extinction can be held off for a few years yet.
Otherwise there wasn't much to get excited about. There were no 'real' geese to be found among the mass of Canadas and greylags on the marsh and similarly the build up of mute swans has yet to drag in any passing 'wild' swans.
A single rock pipit was at Marsh Point and now that the maize has been cut there are up to 40 chaffinches feeding in the stubble. I couldn't find any tree sparrows or anything else of note among them, bar a single skylark. 
A dead razorbill, long deceased, was on the tideline.
There were very few ducks around, the ponds and pools were almost empty of birds.
A bloke out with his Harris hawk provided a brief distraction... 

Jon