Look out for seven swans a swimming this season

It's unlikely that you'll see a partridge in a pear tree locally or, indeed, anywhere else, except, of course, on Christmas cards.

You might be lucky enough to see partridge feeding in our fields before Twelfth Night, though they are in serious decline owing to changes in farming practices.

If you do see a small, dumpy game bird, it'll probably be in a little flock (covey) feeding on farmland or flying fast and low for the nearest cover.

Our native grey partridge has buff-grey plumage and an orangey-brown face; the introduced species, the red-legged partridge, is slightly larger with less streaky plumage and bold black stripes on its head.

It tends to run for cover, rather than fly, and does sometimes perch - though
not usually in pear trees.

Turtle doves are summer visitors, so no chance there. However, several of their close relatives are in our area.

We frequently see two or more wood pigeons in our garden, large, bulky birds, their grey feathers glossed with typical pigeon sheen of blue, green and pink. They are easily distinguished from feral pigeons by their size and the white patches on each side of the neck.

Seeing them waddling about on the lawn it's strange to remember their graceful display flight in summer, when the male climbs steeply into the sky, claps his wings over his back, and glides down with fanned tail.

Another garden visitor is the collared dove, a pretty buff-coloured bird with delicate black lines forming its broken collar.

This bird is a relative newcomer: in 1965, members of WNS were greatly excited when a pair first nested in Ilkley. Now we're in danger of taking this elegant bird for granted.

Seven swans a swimming are much easier to see: in early December at Knotford Nook, near Otley, we saw a pair with two cygnets, the latter as big as their parents but still in their grey-brown juvenile plumage.

These were mute swans, our only resident species and the largest, with their dazzling white feathers and chunky orange bills - but it's worth keeping your eyes open for winter visitors.

Whooper swans, with lighter build and bright yellow and black beak, are a thrilling sight as they fly in to land.

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