The visiting hen pheasant

I knew it wouldn't take long for us to see the hen pheasant in the back garden, following in the footsteps of its likely mate from a few days ago. It was slightly more wary than the cock but still managed to explore all relevant feeding locations. 

They must come into the garden up the very steep slope behind our big ash and sycamore trees that demarcate the bottom border with the AONB formed by the farmland on the hillsides along The Horns valley.

On the far side of this valley are small areas of very ancient woodlands  as designated by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust decades ago. By chance I discovered their published report on ancient woodlands of this part of the Cotswold hills.

A small farm now manages some of those woodlands whilst the larger Lower Lypiatt estate manage the centuries old wooded deer park beyond. They seem to stock these woods with pheasants and then when the law allows them the shotguns start ringing out on Saturday and Sunday mornings. I think these pheasants have wisely escaped and probably have a long life ahead feeding on food provided by bird lovers like me, although they aren't my intended species. I don't begrudge them their share.