Phasianus colchicus ( The Pheasant )

                                                                        The Pheasant.

The shooting season is well under way now with some shoots now shooting in the main blocks of woodland as well as the drives around the game cover crops and on the stubble's. The main quarry on all shoots is the Pheasant the biggest of our Game birds.
Although the Pheasant has been around for hundreds of years and most people would think is is a native species it was in fact introduced to this country by the Romans when they invaded our shores. It was brought over as a food source for the Roman Armies as was the Dormouse. According to legend the first record of an introduction into Europe relates to the story of Jason and the Argonauts who, in their search for the Golden Fleece entered into the valley of the river Phasis in the Colchis region of Georgia, east of the Black Sea coast - hence the Pheasant's name Phasianus colchicus.
The pheasant is one of our most easily recognised birds seen in the countryside, the cock pheasant in his multi-coloured plumage stands out where ever he's seen be it on a gate post or in a field of stubble he stands out for all to see. The pheasant is a ground feeding bird and roosts at night in trees. The males are polygamous and are often seen with a harem of several females during the breeding season. They nest on the ground, producing a clutch of eggs of eight to ten over a two - three week period from April through to June. It is not unknown however for nests to be found with many more eggs in than this, as the hen birds often forget where their nest is and you can find that more than one bird is using the same nest, the incubation period is about 23 - 26 days.
 Since it's introduction many new strains have been developed. This is because keepers and shoot owners try to present the guns with a sporting bird so faster, higher flying birds have been developed this of course has seen smaller and lighter strains with types like the Kansas, Michigan Blue Backs and the strain from Poland the Bazanty. Some of these bird strains have also been developed for their tendency not to stray, a big problem with some.
The Pheasants that we all know and recognise are those mentioned above but there are many other types of pheasant that are to be found and most of these you might see in Zoos and Private collections, there are others that can only be seen in the wild, here are a few photos of some of them.

The Golden Pheasant.

The Reeves Pheasant.

The Lady Amherst.

The pheasant has been responsible for the way our lowland landscape looks today, many of our woodlands were designed to accommodate this birds requirement and to make the sporting features on many big estates the success that they are. The shooting industry generates about £1.6 billion to the UK economy a year has created thousands of jobs and the pheasant makes up approx' 80% of the gamebirds shot, it offers a lean, tasty free range food source, what else can you say about this bird.

The above birds are the ones you are most likely to see when out walking in your local woodlands and hanging up at your local butcher/Gamedealer.

Trees In Our Landscape.

                                                              Trees In Our Landscape.

The importance of the trees we see around us is often overlooked.Today most of us take them for granted with little or no knowledge of their importance. Trees for thousands of years have been a major influence in our lives ever since the human race was created. They provided fuel for our fires as they do now, early man made many weapons from them, throwing sticks then spears and eventually the bow. We made crude shelters from them, then as time progressed houses made from wattle, mud and straw, we hollowed out large tree trunks to make canoes and progressed to  large sailing ships and boats, timber was put to use in many forms.

An Early Dwelling.

A Much Later House Built Using
The Same Methods.

Making A Dugout Canoe.

A Galleon.

 

 When early man started to live in small Hamlets and Villages the site chosen for them was often near to or in wooded areas so that they could harvest the timber to build their homes, to provide fuel for their fires and for fences to protect their stock and to stop them from running away. As early carpenters began to build furniture they found that different trees had different properties, so it was that some types of timber such as Oak and Elm was used to make good quality chairs and tables etc while others were used for something else.

A Selection Of Oak Made
Furniture And Other Items.

I could easily write a book on this subject but lets get back to today. We are still dependent on trees in many ways be it for building, for fuel or even for the many fruits and nuts they supply that we eat. Most importantly they absorb the pollution in our air by removing the carbon dioxide and turning it into the oxygen we need to survive a process called Photosynthesis.

 Many of us like a tree in our garden or to be able to see them nearby, we love to go a walk in the woods, we take pleasure in their beauty. So the next time you see a tree take time to remember where would we be without them! Do as some people do and hug a tree.

Tree Hugging.

Trees.