oh quail

Our second batch of quail eggs are having a rough time. She put them in that planter with all the pink flowers masking their existence. I've had to continue watering the flowers and the little rose tree... trying my best not to flood the eggs. I think that they have been water logged a few times. She is however, a diligent mother. She sat and laid her way up to eleven eggs, with her "husband" (possibly this guy shown above) keeping a close eye on mama and the little egglings. A week or so ago, they were making a lot of noise out there in the yard. They were both up on the fence screeching and squawking their little beaks off. I was thinking... maybe we were getting close to hatching time or maybe she would be laying a few more. Wrong! Enter...the King snake. Long and black with wide white stripes. The pictures I got of it are not the best and might, perhaps, be the ideal pic's for a later post. (hee hee) Anyway, I spotted it coiled up under the flowers, presumably having an afternoon snack. Have I mentioned... I DO NOT LIKE SNAKES! My hero just happened to be right there and I'd like to insert some of his newly acquired reptile expletives, but I better not. He grabbed the garden hoe and nudged it a bit causing it to exit the planter on it's own. It did need extra coaxing to relocate it out of the yard, but again, I will leave the details for a later post.

Upon inspection, I learned that there would be three less hatching's. We then left for Colorado, leaving the watering and watch of the eggs to a competent friend. No new eggs and no new quail babies appeared while we were away. I was happy to know that I still might get to capture those little babies with my camera.

This is where I break from the egg story and share another little bit about these quail. Did you notice the position of that guy up there in the photo? How his neck is stretched and his beak is open? Can I just say right here, right now, that the cute noises I once said they make are not so cute at 4:30 a.m every morning? They sit on that brick wall outside of our bedroom window. For about two hours that guy and some of his friends welcome the sunrise every day. And yep, at 4:30 a.m, because remember Arizona does not go on daylight savings time, so morning happens really early. Early, like... when the rooster, rather, the quail calls. I still do not understand the fact that the time does not change here.

So, every day she sat on her eight eggs. And every day, I wondered if they would ever hatch. Sunday morning, I peeked in and her eight eggs were there. Sunday evening, I peeked in and there were only two. No evidence of hatching. Just six missing eggs. sigh.

She has been sitting on those two eggs ever since. She is a hopeful mother. It's amazing there are quail at all with the odds so stacked against them. Maybe she just doesn't put hers in good hiding spots.

What I do know is, they are noisy little stinkers. At 4:30 a.m.