One of these things is not like the others....

[noodleroo]

See her on the bottom left? This little wild quail has chosen to live with us in the backyard. She comes and goes as she pleases. We know that some day, she won't come back, but for now she's happy. Silly little quail...

 

[Domestic_goddess]

Quote:
How fun, I bet it's fun to watch! Cool!

 

[Arcnadius]

Oh, be careful letting wild birds mingle with your domestic ones. A friend of mine has a flock that may need to be put down because it picked up something from a wild turkey. I don't know if wild quail can do the same thing, though.

I am surprised the quail let you get close enough to photograph it. Our wild ones skitter away at the sound of the front door.

 

[teach1rusl]

Awww...how cute. Seems like it enjoys the company

 

[noodleroo]

It is not a good idea to let wild birds mix with domestic chickesn; that is absolutely true. This little quail was injured and DH caught her and brought her home to recoupe. She got out of the pen one day and just decided that 'here' isn't so bad...food, water, crazy woman talking baby talk to her.

She leaves the yard and comes back on her own. We are pretty sure that she must have been pen raised because she is so docile. A nearby hunting club had a hunt a while back where they released quail; she must have been an escapee...

 

[Arcnadius]

She knows a good thing when she sees it! Good job on the rescue.

 

[mommto3kiddos]

How cute - she was lonely

 

[noodleroo]

I think she was lonely. She was hanging out with the cattle and limping badly. First time DH saw her, she was running around and inbetween the cows' legs! I can't believe they didn't squish her...

 

[noodleroo]

I was afraid she was gone today. The neighbors behind us were having a birthday party for one of the kids with a rented bouncing arena and lots of happy, loud children. I didn't see the quail all afternoon and right before dark she was back. She got some food and water and hopped up on the fence rail to hide and sleep in the bamboo... She just amazes me...

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
Yeah, she knows when she's got it good!

When I was trying - for 3 days - to capture one of my pullets who somehow got over the six foot chain link fence from this property into the vacant lot, I noticed a pair of ducks enjoying the pond which used to be the vacant lot. They were there all 3 days, and are still there. Because I had to rehome four call ducks I hatched, I fantasized these were two of them who flew allllll the way back here to visit me. They look like a small Mallard pair, drake and hen, and just like two of my former four.

They came to the fence line while Daughter2 was pacing back and forth along it, looking into the yard. This has been the most wet that vacant lot has been since I moved here in October 2007. It has never been a pond before.