Quail

[Johnboy]

Just at present I have Quail calling through the entire night.
I never see any but only hear them. Last night there was one very close to me and very loud just the other side of the hedge and then another down the field and then another and then on the other side of the house then across the road.
In all I think I identified the location of 15 different males.
They are said to call day and night but in all the years they have been coming to this area I have never heard one call during the day. I have also not knowingly heard a female call.
JB.

[Nature's Babe]

Hi Johnboy, I thought quail were tame birds, but yours sound like they were wild, easy prey for a fox I imagine. We get pheasants around here, I have seen an albino hen pheasant in the last two years, but no quail.

[Johnboy]

Hi NB,
The Quail are wild and migrate here most years to this area having spent the winter in Spain and Corsica and Sardinia and the northern part of Africa. These are about half the size of a Red Legged Partridge and I have seen them in flight, about 30 in one hit, but I have never seen one on the ground as they are exceedingly secretive.
JB.

[Nature's Babe]

Perhaps that is why I have seen none, do they have a distinctive call?
We have wild boar here, they are shy and keep out of sight but can be dangerous if disturbed, usually we just see their wallows and prints.

[Johnboy]

Hi NB,
I am actually quite excited as I have just come back from the local village and as I drove home I had stop to allow five Quail to cross the road!
I have seen these Quail in North Africa but never in their Summer habitat (here) before.
JB.

[Nature's Babe]

Wow, that's great Johnboy, I would have been excited too, did you have not have your camera handy?