Am I obsessed with quail, or what? I have decided that Gambel's quail are my second favorite birds, after Hummers and Mockingbirds. (Still no mockingbirds here, alas, despite my best efforts to attract them.)
Last night all nine birds were around in the yard, though I didn't stay to watch them roost. This morning while watering the garden, I saw a large group of quail--I was able to count nine, though there may have been more. And I wondered if it might include the guys who roost in my tree, so I went online and found a site that told me quail form coveys in the winter, when family groups come together. Then they split apart in the spring for mating.
What constitutes winter? I'm thinking the guys I saw this morning might already be a covey, but maybe not. And probably all the guys who roost in my citrus tree will form a covey if they haven't already. I've got to do more observing and reading. Already I know that they have fourteen separate vocalizations.
I have no more quail pictures, so am posting a picture of our rose garden from last April. I have never seen a quail in the rose garden.
yep, I guess you are obsessed. And the flowers are stunning. We went to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden last weekend, but didn't see many flowers. Must go back in the spring. The roses were in bloom, but mostly they had turned and were dropping flowers. We are in a bit of a dry spell here too.
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