The Black Grouse
The Black Grouse
hardback
Published:
9 August, 2012
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Description
This is the first book to be written on this fascinating, severely declining species, the Black Grouse. Author Patrick Laurie's lively natural history is interwoven with his account of his on-going battle to reintroduce them on his farm in the Scottish Borders. His beautiful illustrations convey his passion for these vulnerable birds, so full of character, from their aggressive lekking behaviour to their desperate struggle to survive against nearly-impossible odds in modern Britain.
* Black Grouse range in Britain has shrunk by 95% in the past 100 years, with 25% of that decline since the 1990.
* Mature black grouse consistently fly higher and faster than almost any other gamebird, making them fantastic, testing quarry for sportsmen.
* If we allow raptor predation to increase, we risk losing this iconic bird species in Britain altogether.
* During the frozen winter of 2009/10 almost half the population of black grouse being monitored by the Game and Wildlife
Conservancy Trust in the more treeless North Pennines were killed off by heavy snows and frost.
* The author explains why he believes it is still possible to stage a major black grouse renaissance in moorland shooting.
More Details
| Type | Book |
|---|---|
| ISBN13 | 9781906122430 |
| ISBN10 | 1906122431 |
| Number Of Pages | 224 |
| Item Weight | 967 g |
| Publisher / Reseller | Merlin Unwin Books |
| Format | hardback |
Media Reviews
Accompanied by beautiful watercolour illustrations from Laurie, his informative book conveys his passion for this vulnerable species, and their continual struggle for survival.
* Landscape Magazine *Beautifully illustrated book …. with insightful accounts of Patrick’s own efforts to restore numbers on his farm. It is a must-read for those considering restoring them into former haunts or for those with a general interest in natural history.
* Gamewise *Laurie has produced a ‘labour of love... Good luck to him and his gallant enterprise.
* The Spectator *Author's Bio
Patrick Laurie was born and brought up in Dumfries and Galloway, where he developed a love for birds and country sports from an early age. Educated at Shrewsbury School and the University of Glasgow, he obtained a degree in Scottish Language and Literature before embarking on a career as a freelance journalist. Over the past four years, Patrick has written for a number of magazines and journals on the subject of Scottish history, wildlife and country sports. Since 2009, he has written a monthly column for the Shooting Gazette and now contributes regularly to the work of the Heather Trust. Patrick lives in the Galloway hills with four ferrets and Scoop, an over-indulged black labrador puppy.