We have a lovely pheasant visiting the garden this year. He's coming on a regular daily basis. Morning, early afternoon and evening. He doesn't have a mate with him, so would not know if he has one or not. He spends a lot of time pecking away, and seems in no hurry to return home at any given time.

I was surprised to read that they only live about 2-3 yrs max. in the wild, if they don't get shot and 35% of chicks die before they reach 6-10 weeks old.

We had a courting couple about 2 or 3 yrs ago, and I wonder if this is the same chap returned . I will never know. That couple used to do a circular tour, from across the main road ,up the side street and through one garden to access the back of mine, then they would slowly meander down with him always leading the way. His girlfriend followed submissively, as we do ! I'm not sure if this chap uses the same route coming, but he does tempt fate as his route home takes him across the main road from a different starting point, slowly walking across between the traffic.

I can't watch any more !

Where are the pic's Granny? How nice it must be to watch.

You must be looking after them well Granny. A nice addition to the garden.

Picture of the pheasant just going out of sight. On his way home.
I'll try to do better.

It is lovely Salmon. He just leisurely struts around creeping under bushes, secretly watching.
There's a load of bird food out, plus fruit and from what is online, it would seem they eat just about anything. Worms ,insects, leaves, scraps and definitely peanuts. He loves those. I just throw a handful out for him when he arrives, otherwise the squirrels would gobble them all first.
Just one drawback is not being able to get stuck into the garden when he's around. Daft or what ?

He reminds me of that Grouse advert , remember ?

Yes , the Famous Grouse, many really good adverts. I imagine they could be pretty fierce in certain situations. Not to be messed with.

Nice one Granny..the colours are fantastic and IMO not an accident of random evolutionary chance but rather the paint pallet of a great designer.
My friend not too far away from you had a pair coming into the garden. The male had a damaged beak but could still just about eat. They got that used to food being put out he would come and knock on the patio doors with his beak.

If per chance yours doesnt make it safely across the road one day they are excellent roasted in a peanut butter and honey marinade. Lets hope it doesn't come to that...will be extra vigilante passing yours in the morning...

Hey Fish, that's interesting because I wonder if this one has a damaged beak. He seems to have it open a lot (although they do when it's hot) but the top of it looked a little bit 'chewed ' (for want of a better word)to my mind. When did they visit your friend ?

Yes, the beautiful colours are just magnificent and incredible patterning.It's hard to grasp that what must be thousands of feathers, all different shapes and sizes and colours make up such perfection . Which is copied onto the next generation and the next, ad infinitum.

"Freddie" the pheasant was visiting my friends last year .They have not see him since although they do have another pheasant this year wandering into their garden from the fields behind them

Had to swerve to avoid one in Landican Lane this afternoon..he changed his mind at the last minute and decided to run in front of the car instead of legging it into field.

Oh no ! I hope it wasn't my friend that you scared, Fish ! He hasn't been today

I reckon he must be Freddie, if Freddie had a chewed or twisted beak or something wrong with it anyway. I wonder why he didn't go back there ? Maybe they have Freddie Jnr now.

These creatures really do play havoc with the mind.

Son had taken this two days ago, still not the best of pics.

Freddie hasn't been here so far today either. Boo hoo ! Looks like he might have Freddied Off.

Freddie's back !

Used to see loads of pheasants when I worked at Clatterbridge Hospital, the male's are such beautiful colours and very impressive when they strutt their stuff. We used to love seeing them walking Round with their little ones following them, very cute. When I used to hear the shots coming from Clatterbridge farm which is right next door, pheasant shoots, it went through me , stay on this side of the fence pheasants and you won't be shot I'd mutter. One thing about them I don't think they're very bright Granny , always seemed to be on the roads and getting in the way, ha.

Good photo Granny... pheasant and oven !

Road kill put to good use

Is that you ?? Did you pick that pheasant up and if so where from ? Poor bird. I hate humans.

I've seen carrots like those before.

Yes, and then some so and so comes along and drives over it. Nice fat juicy pheasant hand reared from a poor old pensioners purse.

Hope they choke on the bones. Tiny little bodies they have under all the feathers.

Is your bumper ok fish?

Unwritten rule if you hit it you cant have it. Picked up from side of road...think that one was near ruthin.

Home grown corn , carrots onions and runners..

Bumpers fine DD I didn't hit it..

Did you pick it up and eat it, Fish ? Vege look nice ...

Freddie spent all day here today, hiding under a bush when the children played out. We all feel like hiding under a bush when the children are here. Strange that isn't it ?

Freddie has just about taken up residence now. Bed, breakfast and evening meal, with a lunchtime snack. He's settled under the bushes next to the dining room tonight. I had been wondering, but he was spotted by the spy squad, tip toeing under the shrubs.

Now it's getting to be a bother to even open the door. He'll have us housebound soon. When you start saying,, 'shhhh '! to the dog, for fear of upsetting Freddie , it's getting ridiculous but we will carry ,no doubt.

.

You've got him spoilt granny...

He's a fine looking fella

He's a real pleasant pheasant

Yes Dilly, and if hes being looked after by granny, lady of the manor, then hes a real pleasant peasant pheasant

Best watch out for the pleasant pheasant plucker

Hopefully Freddie will have more lucker with his tucker and stay safe

He's a very pleasant pheasant, and a plucker for his tucker.


The Pheasant Plucking Song

Me husband is a keeper, he's a very busy man,
I try to understand him and I help him all I can,
But sometimes of an evening I feel a trifle dim,
All alone and plucking pheasants when I'd rather pluck with him.

I'm not the pheasant plucker,
I'm the pheasant plucker's mate
And I'm only plucking pheasants
Cos the pheasant plucker's late.

I'm not good at plucking pheasants, pheasant plucking I get stuck,
Though some peasants find it pleasant I'd much rather pluck a duck,
Oh, but plucking geese is gorgeous, I can pluck a goose with ease
But plucking pheasants is sheer torture, for they haven't any grease.

I'm not the pheasant plucker,
He has gone out on the tiles,
He only plucked one pheasant
And I'm sitting here with piles.

You have to pluck them fresh, if they're fresh it's not unpleasant,
I knew a man in Dunstable, could pluck a frozen pheasant.
They say the village constable has pheasant plucking sessions
With the vicar of a Sunday 'twixt the first and second lessons.

I'm not the pheasant plucker,
I'm the pheasant plucker's son,
And I'm only plucking pheasants
Till the pheasant plucker's come.

My good friend Godfrey's most adept, he's really got the knack,
He likes to have a pheasant plucked before he hits the sack.
I try and lend a helping hand, I gather up the feathers,
It's really all this pheasant plucking keeps us here together.

I'm not the pheasant plucker,
I'm the pheasant plucker's friend,
And I'm only plucking pheasants
As a means unto an end.

Me husband's in the woods all day, a-banging with his gun,
If he could hear me heartfelt cries, then surely he would run,
For I've fluff in all me crannies and there's feathers up me nose,
And I'm itchin' in the kitchin' from me head down to me toes.

I'm not the pheasant plucker,
I'm the pheasant plucker's wife,
And when we pluck together
It's a pheasant plucking life!

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMNET ;

It grieves me to inform you that, 'Freddie' is no more

Has he flown the nest Granny?

You could say that. Found , flat as a pancake on the road .

Oh dear, what happened Granny? Fish didn't sneak round and nab him did he?

Not guilty your honour.

Sorry to hear about poor old pheasant.

Sad, sorry to hear that Granny.

Oh sorry Granny just saw your post about what happened to Freddie, poor thing.

Poor chap. The only part that wasn't flattened was his little head. So, I scraped him up off the road, and put him in the garden. Found a lot of his tail feathers all over the grass verge, so collected those and I've made a little arrangement from them.
The habit of looking for him feeding has been happening all day, and it's just so lonely not to see him.

First thoughts were directed at Fish, (I must be honest) but then realised Fish wouldn't have benefitted from that.

Thank you all for commiserations. How attached we can become to something wild, is really quite remarkable and I'm beginning to feel like the archangel of doom. Everything I care for gets snuffed ! Lions, pheasant and at the moment following the live rescue of a Temple elephant in India. 70 yrs old and in a pretty bad way with sores and ulcers etc. He's in the process of travelling for 5 days to a rescue centre. Let's hope he gets there !