Topic: My Quails are back!

[Patty S]

I was minding my own business today & went to the kitchen sink to get a drink, & there was my Quail Papa, sitting on my deck rail! It was nice to see him again!  If you look carefully, you can see his topknot. It doesn't show up very well against the dark tree branches in the background.

     

The Mommy wasn't with him... maybe she's off sitting on a nest somewhere. Last year they showed up together & hung around for a couple weeks, then started coming by with about 14 cute little babies!

[Dianna]

Yummy! I mean... great looking bird, Patty, and great picture of him...

I think quail are good cooked in gravy, spread over a bed of rice. Just have to watch out for the bones, though. They are awfully little!

If I had one in my yard, he wouldn't make it to the stew pot, though, so don't get upset with me. I would rather look at him than to eat him! I have eaten lots of wild meat, but don't care for it too often. I don't like "game" meat on a regular basis...

[Jim]

Wow, and he even looks like he is posing for that photo.  Trying to give you the profile look.  I've not seem many quail around here.  They were all over my Dad's place in Tennessee.  I don't ever remember seeing any that close to a house.  Mostly just see them in the woods.

I hope you can get some pics of the whole family.  That would be neat.

[Patty S]

You had that coming Dianna, & you know it!

I like game birds, but this little guy wouldn't get a tummy very full!  Besides that, if I ate him, he couldnt make babies anymore & bring them over to stomp through my gardens!  They're soooo cute!  I hope they have a litter (or whatever birds have) again this year, cuz we sure enjoyed them... & we don't have a cat anymore!

Jim, I guess I'm going to have to read the owners manual for my camera now, cuz I didn't get very good pics of the babies last year.  They're so cute, it's worth taking the time to read the instructions!

[Dianna]

Owwwwie! Yes, I knew you'd probably knock me over the head with something...

I hope they have a litter (or whatever birds have)

I think birds have a clutch? Gotta go google! 

[Patty S]

One of my quails came & posed for me again, on the corner of the garden fence this morning. I'm learning how to hold the camera still enough to use the zoom, & I'm totally tickled that my windows are clean enough that I can get a good shot through the diningroom window!
 
     

Well, he's not really "my" quail, but he comes around with his pals several times a day, & gobbles up the bread that I leave on the deck for them.  They're really skittish & hard to get pics of.

[Patty S]

Last year there were something like 14 baby quails, & I think that the ones that made it all year, came back "home". A few quail families have been around here for amonth or so, but their babies have too quick for us to catch with the camera.... till today!

I was out for a while this morning, & when I drove into our driveway, I noticed that there were several quail perched on the handle of my succulent wheelbarrow, & others taking dust baths next to it.  The motor home is parked right next to the wheelbarrow, so I snuck in with my camera, through the front door on the other side, & got a couple shots of them through the window. They didn't even know I was there! 

     

I thought it was so cool that 2 families were there together, & that I got both Mama's & both Papa's in the same pic! I couldn't count all the babies... there were several who were taking naps under the juniper octopus shrub.

[Dianna]

That is great that they came back home, Patty. I didn't know quail would do that...

Great captures with the camera. It is nice that you shoot them that way, instead of with bullets...

[Patty S]

We don't stop being intrigued with the quails that live in our neighborhood, & I continue to take pics of them all the time. (I have no idea why!) Other than the quail, blue jays, chickadees & hummers, there aren't many other birds that hang out in the yard, so this cute little guy caught my eye.

     

I don't know a lot about birds, but I'm guessing that he's a Yellow something!