Yesterday’s mystery bird was a partridge – although I’m not sure which species of partridge because my identification skills are rather dependent on plumage characteristics and call.
The cause of death was probably being shot! There are five very obvious, bright, round shots distributed through the bird’s body. In fact, look closely, and there is a sixth shot on the right hand side of the X-ray with a vertical red arrow underneath it. That’s a shot that has been deformed by its passage through the bird’s flesh and perhaps by bouncing off or crashing through some bones and gristly bits too.
These large pieces of shot would be relatively easy to find with your teeth while eating and they’d probably end up on your plate rather than in your guts – but some might get through. But look again and you can see, because the red arrows point some of them out, that there are lots and lots of very small bright spots on the image – those are lead too. As this blog has said many times before, lead fragments, and these tiny pieces spread through the flesh of the bird.
The yellow arrow points to another fragment in the partridge’s body. This is a bone fragment. It’s not that easy to see on this image, but it’s a lot easier when looking at the X-ray live (as it were) that the lead fragments shine really brightly, and the bone fragments are much duller.
OK what’s this one then?
Ironic that The Finches Arms, overlooking Rutland Water (Bird Fair venue?) serves local partridge (complete with lead particle seasoning, maybe??). Their chef has a nutritious partridge risotto recipe on Shooting UK website! Hope nobody visiting the Bird Fair this year patronised them.
What’s wrong with a pub having partridge on the menu?
Absolutely nothing, as long as customers were aware of any associated health risks if the birds were shot ones? Likewise levels of medication if they were intensively reared birds for release to guns. Any responsible hostelry would ensure their suppliers would be able to provide such information surely?
Mallard?
Just as i suspected,suicide!
The RSPB should be ashamed!!
I always remember the first time I found a just hatched family of grey partridge right by our sheep dip pens. A host of ‘bumble bees’ rushing about. No, I won’t eat partridge – or pheasant (introduced aliens) – grouse . No I’m not vegan, I’m a retired shepherd…..so not a wishy washy townie either.
Just too much environmental damage to wildlife habitat for the sake of ‘shooters fun’ for me to accept!
Quite Mark W, they were the days, I too have similar memories of our mixed farm.
Wonder if they were grey or red that were offered on their menu and what the conservation part of the Game Trust would have to say about that?