Partridge Nest at Blantyre Works

Some excitement occurred at Blantyre Works Village when a Partridge nest was spotted in a field near the River Clyde on 20th February 1846.

The field belonged to Messrs Henry Monteith & Co and the discovery of 11 eggs in the nest at that date, knowing it would take 20 days or so to lay 10 or 11 eggs, meant that the nest must have been ready at the end of January. Something ornithologists at the time found quite hard to believe. Birds nesting so early still in winter.

The story appeared in the papers deliberately in March to allow time for the eggs to hatch first, showing even our Victorian Ancestors had some compassion for this beautiful bird.

From “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c) 2018

Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said,

John Dunsmore I’ve not seen them in Blantyre fields for. Many a year love the. See. Bird they can shift on flight.👍✌

Brian Duffy Would always see them down at the fields at the old brick works in the early 80s