Partridge in Pear Tree

The other day I saw a covey of about twelve partridges. They were on a ploughed field beside the Pilgrims Way. Unfortunately, in a sense, they were French or red-legged partridge and not the native grey partridge.
Whilst it is always good to see these birds, they are birds that will have been released for the shooting season. It is some years now since I last saw a grey partridge. When I lived in the welsh borders the call of the grey partridges on a summer's evening was commonly heard, but now it is a rarity.
I have never, and do not ever expect to see a partridge in a tree, pear, apple or any other sort. They are ground dwelling birds. I once caught an injured grey partridge and kept it in a pen for a few weeks. On the second day after placing it in the pen, I went to check on its progress, but could see no sign whatsoever of the bird. It was not a particularly large pen and the ground was virtually bare of cover. On entering the pen, the bird moved and I could confirm its presence. On several occasions following that initial 'loss' I was both perplexed and amazed at the camouflaging capabilities of the bird's plumage. I am pleased to be able to report that the bird fully recovered and was released back into the wild.
Today, the tranquil stream that runs through the wood is a raging torrent; the rabbit cropped lawn near the footbridge is a small lake, and the lower part of the wood is a swamp. It certainly rained yesterday.