And they are off! This year has seen a bumper crop of baby quail. Unfortunately, I could not get pictures when they were at their smallest, little chicklets.
 
This pic is one brood, I think (taken from my front porch). New this year is the phenomenon of the broods combining to make one massive brood, with several sets of parents along with them (75 or so babies in a "herd"). The big group has several different sized babies, reflecting different hatch times. Watching this huge group travel across the ground reminds me somewhat of large schools of fish, or large flocks of birds. The entire group seems to have a single controlling intelligence.
 

That is so cool!

Can you post a video of them in sychronized motion?

Neat! Thanks for that, Henry.

Use to have tons of little quail on our property in CA this time of year. As they got bigger and bigger and their numbers decreased, the bob cats got bigger and bigger

We've certainly had a good hatch this year, including a small clutch of eight chicks in our backyard that my wife played "mother hen" for about two weeks, to prevent them from falling into our swimming pool. Eight survived to follow their parents over the wall and out into the dangerous world beyond. Fun to watch and very cute, especially when the newborns huddled under Mom's spread wings to nap during the hottest time of the day.

Yep, I have been seeing quite a few of this year's batch on my morning walks. None in my backyard, as I had a family of bobcats (mom and two little ones) for a few weeks. They are gone now, out into the real World.

I love those birds, I wish we had them here. I've been tempted to hatch them.

It is strange. We’ve had tons over the years and it seems to be more and more, and I’m seeing lots of adults this year but not really seeing any chicks. Same with the turkeys. Probably 75-100 wild turkeys seem to be calling the place home these days, but this year I only saw one hen with chicks, and only one time. Dunno if they have had a lot better cover and have just been less visible as a result after the rains, if hatch numbers are down, if coyotes are just getting fat, or ?

Been many years since I have heard the "bob white" quail wild call.... which we could duplicate their whistle and get them to respond in kind ............................................ drill sgt.

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:
It is strange. We’ve had tons over the years and it seems to be more and more, and I’m seeing lots of adults this year but not really seeing any chicks. Same with the turkeys. Probably 75-100 wild turkeys seem to be calling the place home these days, but this year I only saw one hen with chicks, and only one time. Dunno if they have had a lot better cover and have just been less visible as a result after the rains, if hatch numbers are down, if coyotes are just getting fat, or ?

Better cover would lead to both fewer sightings and better survival.

I haven't seen or heard a quail in over 40 years around here. We used to have quite a few on my property back then.
Too many things like to eat them and they said the Fire Ants hurt them here too years ago.

Very cool. I would love to see a wild covey wander around the yard. That's not going to happen here though. Predators abound; fox, feral cats and such.

Did just hatch a bunch of Jumbo Egyptian Coturnix back on 6/10. Roos haven't started crowing yet so its still pretty quiet. That won't be the case in a week or so.

One of the things I miss about living in AZ.
Thanks for sharing

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bendable,

Great to see them. For a few years now I hadn’t been seeing many, and wondered if they are cyclical like eastern ruffed grouse. Seeing a few more this year. Anytime game birds are higher in abundance I am happy I don’t hunt anymore, but hope that opportunity is there for future generations. Also a few years ago my ever reliable hunting partner ( yellow lab) crossed the rainbow bridge and don’t see a point in hunting without him

I know in the scheme of things it won’t matter, but I’m providing a little help.

I’ve been doing some varmint & scavenger control.