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September 07, 2004

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I found this little quail one night. It was with several more, all perched in a bush right outside my front door. Ever since I had trimmed the bush, all these quail have been hiding in it at night. Every time I go in or out, or pass by the bush, they tend get startled and all come out and flutter away, making an awful noise and startling the daylights out of me each time.

Well, just this Monday night I had gone outside and they did it again. Except this time, instead of following the rest out across the driveway, this one here came inside the awning. Not being able to see where it was going, it kept running into the roof and the walls. Trying to find the light, it flew towards the front door light and slammed into the wall and fell to the ground. Then it got up and flew again. This time, again trying to follow the light, towards the kitchen light and slammed into the window there. Again it fell to the ground and must have lost its senses as it stayed there this time. I slowly walked over to it, trying not to startle it any more than it already was. As I approached it I was surprised to find it didn't try to run or bite or anything and seemed fine to allow me to pick it up. Although I could feel it was breathing very fast and was certainly in a panicked state. I examined the bird to make sure that it wasn't seriously injured.

I carried it inside the house, turning the television off, as the sounds began to make it uncomfortable. I got my camera, took a few pictures and went back outside. I held the bird for a while, took a few more pictures, and it seemed to calm back down. I even noticed that it closed its eyes for a while and seemed to drift off to sleep a few times.

Realizing that the little bird had calmed down, I put it back in the bush and went back into the house. I turned the television back on and enjoyed the uncomfortable sounds.