Our Flock of Quail

    One of the wonderful things about living on our property is the quail. 

    Our flock of quail lives high up on the hill in a bramble patch of wild-currants. Wild currants are covered in thorns and the bramble patch is deep and wide, wedged between four huge boulders. 

    In this hiding place, the flock is safe from coyotes, bobcats, domestic cats, and foxes. This patch of safety is why our quail easily grow fat and multiply. In the spring we sometimes see a mother quail wandering about proudly with a string of baby quail walking single file behind her. 

    Occasionally, the flock will come out of hiding in the quiet cool morning and wander down close to our house to hunt for seeds. They especially love to come seed-hunting after we have weed-whacked or mowed an area. The weed and wildflower seeds fall loose and the quail can easily find them on the ground.  

    A few mornings ago, I noticed a flock of about a dozen quail wandering around my house. I could only photograph them by staying in the house and shooting the pictures through the window. While I photographed the quail from my window, I thought about how God used quail to provide for the Israelites in Exodus Chapter 16. 

    There are many miracles in Exodus, but this might be my favorite.  If you've ever been around a flock of quail, you know how impossible it would be to simply walk up and catch one.  Shooting pictures through a window is not a great way to photograph anything, but I knew that the instant the plump birds heard my back door open, the flock would erupt into flight and my opportunity would be gone.     

When a flock flies away in fear, their wings move so fast and loud that it sounds as if a helicopter has taken off.

    

   To have recurring flocks of quail docile enough to walk up to and grab really would take a miracle from God. I doubt it has ever happened since. It certainly doesn't happen in my yard. 

Male Quail 

Female Quail 

    I always feel blessed when these little birds wander about near my house and on our property. I hope we always keep at least one bramble patch for the sake of these little birds. They do us no harm, and do not even try to eat from the garden or the orchards, but only collect the little seeds our mowing leaves behind. 

Do you have special birds near your home?