Quail Report - Freedom Day

Above, the last pictures of the quail in captivity. "The huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

When the cage wall was removed, several immediately flew over the fence and disappeared. But these two stayed on the wall, trying to decide, "Should I go, or should I stay?" One looks like he's ready to fly off into the sunset.

This one stayed on top of the cage. Glad to be "out," but not sure if she wanted to leave her home.

This one roosted in the aspen right above the cage.

And this one flew to the other end of the yard and roosted in a big pine tree. We will see if they return to the cage area for their food and water.

Deer in "back yard"

I spotted these two deer in the field beyond our yard this afternoon as I finished "shooting" the quail. They are about 150 yards from our back deck. (Be sure to click on the photo to see them "up close.")

Quail Report - 7 Weeks

One day this week, we saw this covey of about 20 quail cavorting all over the neighbor's yard. The more the merrier!

Our own quail are now 13 weeks old. Still 9 left out of 11. They're getting bigger, and more nervous. We've about decided to give them their freedom this week. We hope they will still remember our yard as their "headquarters," even if they merge with the neighborhood covey. The big test will be if one or more pairs lays their eggs in our backyard next spring. That's our hope.

Quail Report - 6 Weeks

Age 12 weeks. Adult coloring is a little more advanced. They seem more nervous, perhaps anxious to be set free. I can only count nine now. I don't know is no. 10 is hiding inside the box, or has perhaps died in there. Time will tell.

Quail Report - 5 weeks

The quail are now about 11 weeks old. They are getting bigger and more colorful each week. More and more blue around the shoulders on the males, and much more color on the bellies. Enjoy!

Quail Report - Newcomers!

As I arrived home from work this evening, a family of quail walked onto our front lawn from the neighbor's yard - a dad, a mom, and 6 little quail chicks! I stopped and called Suzanne to come out of the house and watch. We watched them run across our yard, cross the street and hide in another neighbor's trees. Then the dad & mom flew up on the neighbor's house. They didn't seem to like the dog in that yard. After supper, I went back outside with my camera to see if I could find them. I circled the house and ended up in the back yard, approaching the back corner where our own quail are in their cage. I heard a lot of activity back there, so I peaked carefully through the bushes, and found this new family perched on the cage and scratching in the dirt around the cage. The dad took off running across our back lawn - to draw me away from his family. I took a few shots of him. Then shot these other pictures through the bushes - the mom perched on our cage, and some of the babies, just before they flew up onto the fence, and then into the back neighbor's yard to hid in their bushes. Our own birds seemed to enjoy the company - they didn't run and hide, but kept jumping onto their box and their perch. Isn't this fun?!

Quail Report - 4 Weeks

The quail are about 10 weeks old now - we've had them 4 weeks. They like to roost on their bar. There are no dramatic changes in their growth since last week. The males have a little more blue around shoulders and top of breast, and their bellies are starting to get more yellowish and reddish color. The females may be a little bit bigger.

We had one casualty overnight. This morning, I found one of them dead in a narrow space between their box and the wire cage. It looks like the magpies had been picking at her through the wire mesh. I don't know if she just died, or was killed by a predator. They all seemed to be healthy last evening when Bailey and I checked on them.

On a lighter note, Emily and Adam reported rescuing a whole family of baby quail at their house in Sandy this morning. Emily heard bird noises outside her front door. She opened the door and saw the mother quail on the front lawn, and lots of little babies scrambling around in the rose bushes. Then the babies began falling into the window well - following each other like leamings, I guess. Emily called Adam, her big strong knight in shining armor, to climb down into the window well and lift out the little babies. They soon disappeared around the corner with their mother. Good job, Emily & Adam!

Quail Report - 3 weeks

The quail are about 9 weeks old now. They are becoming more vocal. They "cheep, cheep" a lot, and sometimes now I here them making the "Chi-ca-go" sound, but in a soft clucking voice, rather than the loud calling voice. They like to scrape out a hollow depression in the ground, and fluff around in it all covered with dust. I understand that is how they nest, so maybe they're already practicing for when they are adults. They like the roosting bar - both for resting and for strutting (see photo). The males are starting to have blue feathers on their breast. They seem to like to empty the feeder and scatter the feed all over the ground. Then they peck it off the ground to eat it. All 11 of the young chicks still seem healthy.