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Recent records of Golden/Lady Amherst's pheasant in the UK? (1 Viewer)

Mergus1

Mergus1

the Bavarian Birder
Hi guys,

I´m visting England and Wales for 2 weeks over the easter holidays. Two of my target species would be those two pheasant species. Still I haven´t found any recent sightings of both on the web. Does anyone know of their current status (already extinct?!) or some good place for having the chance to still see one?

Any help appreciated :t:
Marcel
 
There was some discussion on Lady Amherst's last year, specifically in Bedfordshire, but with a couple of references as to status.
https://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=3683576
https://www.bubo.org/Forum/22-britain-ireland-and-isle-of-man/592-lady-amherst-s-pheasant.html
which references prior Birdforum threads.
I used to live very close to the Bedfordshire site, but have heard nothing of a sighting for ages.


Golden Pheasants - still part of a reintroduction scheme I think, but no-one seems to discuss the sites.. RSPB has a broad range showing
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/golden-pheasant/

H
 
Nutcracker said:
Nope, it's illegal to release further Golden Pheasants into the wild in Britain now.

Think there's still some surviving in Thetford Forest?
Click to expand...

Well, I am pleased you said that, as that was my understanding, but I paraphrased the RSPB...

Quote from the species page - Golden pheasants are confined to areas on introduction in England, Scotland and Wales. They are found in forestry plantations and dense woodland.

So I may have misinterpreted, or over interpreted, but it sounded like there'd been introductions, rather thaan residual populations.

Cheers
H
 
hwinbermuda said:
Well, I am pleased you said that, as that was my understanding, but I paraphrased the RSPB...

Quote from the species page - Golden pheasants are confined to areas on introduction in England, Scotland and Wales. They are found in forestry plantations and dense woodland.

So I may have misinterpreted, or over interpreted, but it sounded like there'd been introductions, rather thaan residual populations.

Cheers
H
Click to expand...

Yes they were originally introduced as they are not native.
 
Lady Amherst's Pheasant: Gone since May 2016.

Golden Pheasant: Last sighting at Wolferton, Norfolk in April 2017 so likely gone from there. One site in Suffolk still has a very few birds, but there are few hybrids around from what I have heard so probably not that tickable.
 
So the Wolferton triangle is still a possibility for Golden pheasant, though difficult unless you get there early morning. I have seen 2 males once in about 20 attempts.
But then again, I was only there once early morning.
 
This year one person on Bubo has claimed Golden Pheasant at Wolferton but the single male left there is reckoned to be not a pure bird by many anyway. Although does that matter with introduced/escaped species with a long avicultural history?

There is a site in Suffolk somewhere south of Brandon where decent numbers of Golden Pheasants are still reported. It must be well known to some birders but I don't know exactly where it is. Try looking on Birdtrack or eBird perhaps. It is not named on Bubo, at least for this year.

Steve
 
I understand that whereas the Wolferton triangle birds are of a genuine self-sustaining breeding population (and not subject to external augmentation) albeit originally introduced in the Victorian era; the birds of Brownsea Island in contrast, would not reasonably be "tickable" for a birder in that these ones are as mentioned above, mere captive-bred collection birds no doubt having their population artificially maintained by augmentation by the powers that be in that particular vicinity.
Nonetheless this is a most fascinating topic, and any further comments available by person or persons more knowledgeable (than myself) would be appreciated.
 
Farnboro John said:
They always will, because when the population dips more are installed. They are collection birds.

John
Click to expand...
Can they, though? It is illegal to release new Golden Pheasants in UK now, so any there must by law be caged, or surviving wild-raised broods from before the law was changed. If otherwise, they risk prosecution :brains:
 
As a matter of interest, why is it legal to release common pheasants and red-leg partridge ?These are introduced alien species which I thought it was illegal to release ?? I’m guessing that there’s some dodgy get out clause for the shooting fraternity ?
 
cheshirebirder said:
As a matter of interest, why is it legal to release common pheasants and red-leg partridge ?These are introduced alien species which I thought it was illegal to release ?? I’m guessing that there’s some dodgy get out clause for the shooting fraternity ?
Click to expand...

I wondered the exact same thing, especially as Common Pheasant is one of the biggest predators of our native Adders.
 
If English ones are like GPs in China, the best way is to be sure you are the first car coming at daybreak.
 
jurek said:
If English ones are like GPs in China, the best way is to be sure you are the first car coming at daybreak.
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter what time you get there if there are none left....

It was always a ritual, driving around the Wolferton triangle on the way to Norfolk. I think we scored twice in what must have been hundreds of tries but it was always just a single or double loop without leaving the car and if you were lucky, a bird would be on the roadside or crossing the road.
 
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