It is a lucky keeper whose shoot is watered by springs and brooks which
never fail in time of drought, for a continuous supply of water means
much to the success of game-breeding. But streams have their dangers:
birds will be attracted to the banks at nesting-time, and if heavy
rains follow, their nests may be destroyed by the floods. A greater
danger lies in the streams which are winter water-courses only and dry
up in the spring. Herbage will grow luxuriantly at the stream-side, and
birds will be enticed to nest in places where, after a heavy rainfall,
there will rush a raging torrent, to carry away birds, nests, eggs
and all. Some say that nesting birds can foretell the weather, and
choose their nesting-places accordingly--building on the banks and
higher ground if the season will be wet, but in the hollows if dry. No
doubt their choice is influenced only by prevailing weather, and the
position of suitable cover. In a cold, late spring, grass-fields offer
poor shelter, and so the birds choose the hedges and dikes, where the
wild, weedy growth finds moisture for its roots and protection for its
top-growth. When birds are sitting, the less they have to do with water
the better for their hopes.
Perhaps it is better for birds to be drowned than to suffer from
drought. A long spell of hot weather is not in itself harmful to the
broods, for sunshine is the essence of life in their early days; but
while drought does not cause suffering through lack of water, it means
lack of juicy food, and that is fatal. Succulent weed-seeds and grubs
and insects are not to be found; the milkiness is dried out of the
seeds, and grubs and worms go deeply into the soil, beyond scratching
distance. But food enough of sorts could be found during the severest
drought if a little water were also available. Ponds are useful only to
a small proportion of the broods, and become waterless when drought is
long enough to threaten serious loss. Heavy thunder-rain after drought
completes the work of destruction. If it comes within a fortnight of
Midsummer Day, it means calamity to hosts of young partridges, who may
be overwhelmed before they can reach their parents, or, gaining that
shelter, are drowned when the ground is swamped.
Many keepers never give their young pheasants water until they have
been removed from the rearing-field to covert--but their food is made
dry or moist according to the weather. This plan answers well enough
until there comes a hot, dry spell which ends suddenly in rain, and
then the chicks drink immoderately, and suffer the penalty. That chicks
take the first chance to drink the raindrops from the herbage shows
that water is good for them; and the best plan is to provide them with
a continuous supply of clean water from the beginning, so that they
never become thirsty and drink themselves to death.
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