I have added some beautiful colored pots to my shade garden, containing only hibiscus, Chaparral sage, and chiltepin, all of which I’m pretty sure will live here. Outside the garden, life continues with the quails.
This was a very good year for them—many families are working on their second brood. Some of the large families are nearly intact, with near-adult chicks now. It’s quite amazing to see so many huge birds in such a small space.
A couple of days ago a largish family of high-school age chicks (6 or 8) was feeding, when another similar family approached from the west. Most of the first family cleared out except for two chicks who continued feeding, perhaps hoping no one would notice. Father #2 did notice, and chased those little chicks, one at a time, all over the garden until they were able to escape through the chain-link fence.
I can’t help but smile when I see quails, here or out on my walks. I love those little guys!
