Wild broods peak hatching time will soon be upon us. What are your predictions as to nest survival rates in your area?

The first hatches have already been washed away sadly in the rains we had last month.

Survival rates in any area not heavily keepered, where birds are released tend to be low, and 2nd year survivor pheasant hens are typically poor mothers. Surviving partridges do do better though.

If you are lucky enough to have a truly wild bird stock then things are different but not many of those types of places left in the UK now.

K

I don't think any early clutches managed to survive long enough to reach a point of hatching.
Nest were either washed out or sitting hens became so discouraged by the weather that they abandoned nests.

Augmenting your artifical put and take game bird numbers doesn't take a great deal of effort. But its seems to be more effort than many are prepared to devote. Lets just hope the antis don't get their way and have rearing and releasing banned.

Given the latest run of appauling weather and the forecast for the next few weeks I'm confident we can rule out any significant wild brood survival.

Things look very bleak up on the grouse moors. Only the late july counts will tell just how bleak.