I pulled the proverbial trigger. Jones time.

[Jock Scot]

http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news...rnethy.html#cr

Jock, considering as there are now something like 2,000 or less Capercaillie in all of Scotland, for you to have four breeding pairs on your land is a real treasure.

We don't see them very often, certainly not just outside our window, but they pop up from time to time.

Yes I have heard the squirrel and the tree story too and I have no reason to doubt it. The death knell off the last of the remainder of our "Old" woodland were the two world wars where timber was cut down out of simple necessity for the war effort. Most of the dense green forestry blocks seen today were planted by the returning servicemen and remaining German and Italian prisoners.Until about the 1990's there were serious tax advantages to encourage forestry.The trees(soft woods) planted in the late 1940's are now being harvested.

The deer fence is a ten foot wire mesh fence that surrounds nearly every thing! If I wanted to grow a cabbage I would have to fence it to keep the deer out! There must be tens of thousands of miles of the stuff surrounding our "new" plantations, it is the only way.

[ali8780]

Congrats Alan! Can't wait to see it.

[seanachie]

I've been watching the prices on the Capercaillie medium-weight tartan drop at Scotweb over the last week and a half. They finally fell to the point where I had said I would wait...I wouldn't let myself buy the tartan until the total cost (no counting shipping or VAT) was <$200. Well.... that happened this morning. If I opt for their economy shipping, there's actually no charge to France, so the total including shipping is just $203. That's still a LOT of cash for a frugal sort like me. This is my last kilt for a LONG time, and I've wanted this tartan for almost four years..

It's ordered.

It's on it's way to Lady Chrystel.

Initiate Jones.

Alan: I ordered my Capercaillie kilt yesterday, alas not from Lady Chrystel but from John Hart of Keltoi. Please be sure to update this thread with pics as you receive them. I know Robert occassionally posts "work in progress" photos. I have a few months of Jonesing but will enjoy seeing how yours turns out in the interim. I re read your thread last night after my order was placed. I am not a naturalist or environmentalist but found common chords in your comments on choosing this tartan. Also, not being Scottish I don't have a clan tartan and like to stick with the non clan tartans such as my Isle of Skye.