Thread: My heart lit up when I espied...

on the road going to work this morning, Callie parents with 10 well feathered poults...I stopped the ute with, I have to admit, not the greatest of pull overs, and sat and watched them...wicked...it seems a large clutch but maybe not????

thats a pretty good effort.although clutches of 17 have been known.this is a late season clutch.in very good breeding years quail are capable of having 2 even 3 broods.the cock bird will raise the chicks himself,while the female will hook up with another male and start the new family.it's a bird thats got the situation sussed! this is also the reason why quail can bounce back after bad years. rule of thumb do not shoot birds fom coveys of less than 8 birds,if you do,
you can wipe them out from an area.

Unfortunately I took out half a dozen in my wagon a couple of weeks ago.
Mum escaped in the wrong direction and the slower of the youngins eat Nissan.
Natural selection I guess.

What sort of birds EeeBees - Quail or Pheasants

Originally Posted by time out

What sort of birds EeeBees - Quail or Pheasants

Californian Quail I'm picking

Originally Posted by time out

What sort of birds EeeBees - Quail or Pheasants

@time out, they were Californian quail...have not seen clutches of more than six or seven for about four years, I guess...

My eyes lit up on our rural block today EeeBees - seeing a lot of Quail but starting to see good numbers of Pheasants - seems to have been a safe and very productive breeding season
I was pulling out of our rural block this afternoon - down past about 5ha of grass that has just had hay cut and removed - must be seed all over the ground cause there were Quail and Pheasants all over it as well
They don’t mind me while I am in the Cruiser but as soon as I get out the Pheasant start running - so pics from my P&S camera were crap - but here is couple to give you the idea
Must have seen 20 Pheasant in one group and numerous groups of 20 or more Quail
Still seeing small chick Quail and chick Pheasants so maybe second time around - lots of the juvenile Pheasant that have scruffy coats
Looks like the best breeding season for a couple of years - got the predators under pretty good control
I am doing predator control on a community reserve near Te Puna - I have never seen Quail numbers like it - seeing groups of 20 to 30 chicks frequently - near full grown, half grown and wee chicks - no rats, no possums, no stoats or cats - Quail just love it
I get heaps of enjoyment out of seeing Quail and Pheasant

very cool pictures. must give you a lot of satisfaction.

@time out, your fotos are neat...thank you for sharing!! The predator issue is big, isn't it? The previous three years with such wet breaks over Spring and Summer certainly have not helped in this area...

Cool to see so many gamebirds surviving the onslaught from the pests. Have just set a cage trap in the back haybarn with a trout frame too catch a cat.Its mousing days are over and it is too close to the ponds.

Originally Posted by Dundee

Cool to see so many gamebirds surviving the onslaught from the pests. Have just set a cage trap in the back haybarn with a trout frame too catch a cat.Its mousing days are over and it is too close to the ponds.

sir i take it from that that said felines mortal carcasse may be recycled as a gift to edward the eeel,for ignoring mumma duck&her ducklings. good sir a decent feed of pussy is a treat no man can put aside!
also good sir ,in reference to my recent awol discussion it may well be your whole bloody family need to go awol and come down here judging by a very excited goose recce report from one of my favourite lake spots tonight.
"shit a brick im bein overrun by the bloody things."
fear not good sir a 12g barrage worthy of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomeries 8th army at El Alamein will hit the airwaves in dawns light as we repel the feathered honkin shitters . twill be goose breasts all rouns if we get our way-more than youd ever see in a bra factory,and twice as plump!!
I must bid you adeiu and gird for battle!!-burp as another beer bites the dust.:

Won't get a chance to jump on a gooses back this year mate,but it is in the pipeline

Originally Posted by Dundee

Won't get a chance to jump on a gooses back this year mate,but it is in the pipeline

its not something you,l soon forget dundee especialy if you get 2 or 3 mobs coming in at once

Part of a family group of about 20 birds picking up grit off the drive today - chicks but growing fast

"Black Sheep" in every family they say,well this headless chook has one to......lol