Biomass

I was watching the Red Legged Partridges out on Plex on a recent sunny evening as they dust bathed and began tuning up their truly daft “song” if that’s the right way to describe the racket.
Weird to think I had to go all the way to Norfolk to see my first one as a kid – it was a tick many moons ago alongside Pec Sand and Red Backed Shrike as I recall, while the grown-ups were hoping for heavier score.
Now Red Legs are almost as much of a traffic hazard on Plex as the lycra-clad lunatics that love the place ever since the tracks got all respectable and resurfaced.
And Greys are few and far between.
It got me thinking about numbers and biomass – all grown-up issues that Mark Avery can explain far better than most.
Do the bazillions of Red Legs have an effect on Greys? Anyone know?
I’m sure I read somewhere that Greys were more susceptible to pesticides, but that they were also the dominant species where the two meet, but I can’t remember.
Hmmmm…..

Advertisements