This past winter, I braved the windy weather and visited Lea Beg near Boora, Co Offaly, alongside farmer Brian Dooley and agricultural consultant Michael Martyn. Despite sporadic sightings of a small flock of lapwings joined by a handful of golden plover above in the wind-swept sky, our expedition had a different purpose. We were in pursuit of a glimpse of the elusive native grey partridge, now considered a rarity in these parts.
Our search led us to one of Dooley’s maize fields which is part of a massive 100-acre tract of land he purchased back in 1989 from Bord na Móna. Interestingly, the land used to belong to his family until the semi-State authority forcibly acquired it for industrial peat mining during the 1950s. The land, differing in agricultural viability, was bought for £15 an acre for the fertile areas and 10 shillings for each bogland acre.
Presently, Dooley predominantly utilises this land for grass cultivation to feed his cattle herd. However, over the last decade and a half, he has developed a special affinity for the grey partridge. This bird species, with its final surviving wild haven located right here in Co Offaly, seems to have found a sympathiser in Dooley.
Interestingly, grey partridges have a similar attachment to farming, albeit not the current rigorous model. Instead, they are more inclined towards a kind of diversified farming reminiscent of 1960s Ireland, where entire lands were not assigned for production and the use of synthetic fertilisers and chemicals was a rarity. In those times, grain crops were planted in miniature fields and untouched regions on the edges of these fields, sometimes referred to as “hare’s corners”, offered refuge.
The partridges scavenge for grains post-harvest and seek cover in overgrown patches, helping them evade predators especially during breeding season. They nest on the ground, making them susceptible to dangers from foxes and the American mink.
In 1991, the initial survey of the grey partridge was conducted, revealing existence of the wild bird species in Wexford and Offaly. However, by 2006, only twenty couples were left leading to apprehensions of extinction. In response, the National Parks & Wildlife Service employed public funds to acquire 600 acres of cutaway bog in Co Offaly. Ever since, in tandem with the Irish Grey Partridge Conservation Trust and local agriculturists like Dooley, efforts are being made to recover the grey partridge population.
Around 15 years in the past, a public initiative known as Glas, led by the Department of Agriculture, inspired Dooley to dedicate a 12-metre boundary around his farmland to partridges. A third of this terrain was seeded with a variety of grasses, providing a secure shield for partridges to nest and take shelter. The remaining nine metres was utilised to cultivate a “brood-rearing” mix of frost-resistant Caledonian kale, lucerne (also known as alfalfa), chicory radish, and linseed.
As our group ventured along this boundary, Michael Martyn highlighted the critical role these blooming plants play in maintaining the partridge population. The chicks rely heavily on a protein-rich insect diet for growth. Without an adequate amount of insects, chicks rapidly grow weak and perish. Martyn pointed out the necessity for farmers to refrain from applying any form of herbicides and insecticides on the fields.
The Green Low-Carbon Agri-Environment Scheme (Glas) for the grey partridge was to some extent an endeavour to revive certain traditional farming practices before monoculture and extensive farming prevailed.
Leading the way, Dooley carefully surveyed the cropped fields for any sign of birds. Partridges became a common sight for him over time. During his routine cattle feeds atop his tractor, he frequently had to decelerate upon spotting a partridge pair accompanied by a cluster of chicks—they breed up to 20 eggs and usually have about 18 offspring— forming a procession on the road. Partridge flocks, consisting of parents and chicks, as well as occasional cousins, are often referred to as a “covey”.
The Glas initiative concluded in 2022. Public funds were utilised to support a fresh initiative— Acres (Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme). However, the specific actions aimed at the grey partridge were dismissed. The latest scheme provides farmers with approximately a third less payment for activities like providing winter feed for birds. Dooley used to receive an annual payment of €7,000 under Glas, but under the new arrangement, this figure has reduced by a third.
Unsurprisingly, a good number of farmers from Offaly have chosen to pull out from the scheme, deciding to farm for food instead as it yields more profit. The withdrawal of these farmers from this program has also led to a considerable loss in their expertise and passion dedicated towards this species. As per the data of 2019, roughly 900 birds of a specific species were observed. Martyn, a relentless and passionate advocate of partridges, believes that these numbers will tumble.
Towards the conclusion of our walk, a flock of eight partridges hastily took off from the residue into the air, offering a brief display of their grey and reddish- brown feathers. The cluster of birds flew across the field in a diagonal line, staying close to the ground before settling around 40m away.
Compared to the aerial display of the lapwing overhead, this group of grey partridge swiftly disappeared, merging immaculately into the wild habitat that Dooley had cultivated for them at the edge of the field.
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