I’ve seen lots more partridges near the Roque de Los Muchachos than last year. They mostly seem to live in the higher reaches of the pine forest, where they wander out onto the road sometimes. Earlier in the summer, I often saw families which all disappeared into the bushes before I could get my camera out. That makes it all the nicer to have caught this family before they flew off (with a characteristic whirring noise). But I do hope it isn’t one of the families that started out with about eight chicks, because they definitely only had one chick with them yesterday.
I hope so too! They look like such proud parents!
Driving up into the mountains here in Tenerife a couple of weeks ago, we had to stop the car on a bend, and wait until Mama Partridge ushered her two chicks across the road – a contrast to Mama Rabbit on the return journey, who froze for a second in our headlights and then abandoned her baby in the middle of the road! Of course we waited until it was safe……just hoping that some idiot didn’t come hurtling around the bend before he hopped away!