2023-03 Great Bustards
Great Bustards Visit, March 2023
Towards the end of March, twelve of us visited the Great Bustard
Release site near Upavon. We met at Enford, boarded three landrovers
and were driven up to the edge of the Salisbury Plain Military Training
area. Fortunately, the rain had stopped and, from a distance, we were
able to watch a flock of at least 20 birds including several splendid males
feeding in a crop. The males were expected to be displaying soon.
The reintroduction of Great Bustards, first from Russia, later from Spain,
began in 2004 and a self sustaining population has now been
established so that no more need to be imported. The population on the
Plain is now over 100 with many nests and young fledging into the wild.
We were told that last year, with the cooperation of the local farmer, five
nests in just one field of lucerne produced young.
We were then taken to the main reserve area where some Bustards also
nest and where eggs taken from disturbed nests are still raised. After an
opportunity to learn more about the birds and buy souvenirs, we
returned via Compton, flushing Grey Partridges en route.