As spring arrives, the moors and moorland fringe become home for a number of LBJs.
“Little brown jobs” is the rather endearing term the birdwatching community gives to all those small, brown, nondescript birds that come here to breed or live here for the whole year. The moors are not the place to find the highest density of LBJs but we have our share, and some are quite lovely.
One such is the stonechat, a bird about the size of a small robin but perhaps slightly slimmer. I’m not an expert on local vocabulary but I have never heard the word “chat” used in the manner I did when I lived in Angus. It was the term used when you knocked two cricket ball-sized stones together, which is exactly the sound the stonechat makes as it bobs up and down on the heather. Given the obvious connection, I presume that is the origin of the bird’s name as I can think of no other. The bobbing action is a distinctive feature of the bird’s activity as it makes its way around the area where it has set up home.
Denne historien er fra November 8 2017-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra November 8 2017-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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United we stand
Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
They're not always as easy as they seem
While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make
A step too far?
Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work
Two bucks before breakfast
A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside