Category Archives: Empty Nest

Bird of the Week: Gambel’s Quail

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Bird of the Week: CLXVI
Gambel’s quail (Callipepla gambelii)

A male and female Gambel’s quail that I photographed in our backyard. Every day I enjoy watching quail because they have gregarious personalities. There’s something about their topnots bobbing up and down that not only make them stand out, but add to their silly look.


“Gambel’s quail have a chunky round body with a feather plume on their head. Males have a dark and thick plume, a black face, neck and also a black patch on the breast. Females have more dull and thin feather plumes and lack the black markings. Mature males have much more striking plumage than females.” —Arizona Sonora Desert Museum.

Gambel’s quail can be found throughout the southwest United States. Mature birds average eleven inches long and weigh from 5.1 to 6.5 ounces (160 to 200 grams.)

Here’s a link to Gambel’s Quail songs and calls from All About Birds.

We have a quail’s nest with 12 eggs in a planter of a succulents called elephant’s food. Unfortunately, the quail picked a busy place next to where our trash bins are stored. I moved our recycling into the garage, but our coming and going into the garbage storage area scared away the mom and dad. This is the second time this has happened to us. The other time, they picked a planter of elephant’s food next to the garage while we were on vacation. When we returned home with the car, those eggs were abandoned, too.

I was so excited a few days ago, to have baby quail visit our backyard with their mom and pop. I put out a birdseed block so the babies can get plenty of food. At this time, they aren’t able to fly up to our bird feeder. I have several families visiting in the morning and evenings.

Fun Quail Facts

A group of quail is called a “covey.”

A male quail will act as a sentinel standing guard over his covey from an elevated location. If he senses danger, he will call out loudly in warning.

Males and females pair for life.

The male has a top knot plume that is actually 6 feathers together, and is used to intimidate other males.

Their food of preference is wild bird seed, followed by uncooked rice or sunflower seeds.

Nests are mostly in pots or window boxes, and are made by hollowing out the nest in dirt.

There can be a total of seven to 28 eggs per nest, with the female laying one to two per day.  It is common for two females to share a nest, which is called “egg dumping,” and the female only sits on the nest after all the eggs are laid.

Eggs are speckled brown and arranged in a neat oval called a “clutch.”

Incubation is 25 days at a temperature of 100 degrees, and eggs are turned often.

Before hatching the babies peep inside the egg.

They are born with a full coat of feathers, eyes wide open, and are able to feed themselves.

They all hatch on the same day and leave the nest immediately, usually in late May or June.

Chicks are able to leave the nest within hours of hatching, foraging with their parents, and are capable of flying short distances within a week

Quail couples can cohabitate and share the nest with a second couple.

What a surprise!

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The quail family with Momma, Papa and seven babies were right outside my window. But I didn’t see them. I was too busy taking pictures of Red. He was flitting from the cactus statue to the fire stick plant. His bright color captured my attention.

My husband sat down next to me and I said referring to Red, “Look out the window!”

“Itty bitties,” he said.

I thought he was referring to the handful of house sparrows darting to and from the birdbath.

He repeated himself and I finally looked and saw the quail babies! Our first family this Spring. I was thrilled!

I watched as a few daring babies wandered out of the group looking for food. Most stayed clumped together following mom and dad. I took a ton of photos, but they moved so fast only a few photos turned out. I love their cute little mohawks that someday will become topknots.

I checked our dozen eggs in a planter and they remain unhatched. I’m afraid the parents abandoned the nest after being frightened away.

A dozen quail eggs remain in a planter of elephant feed. I don’t have the heart to throw them out, in the slight chance the parents return.

In the meantime, I was so excited to have my first quail babies in our backyard. They waddled away and jumped through the fence into the wash behind our house. I hope the family returns and I get to practice taking photos of the itty bitty ones.

Have a wonderful weekend. What exciting plans do you have?

Bird of the Week

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Bird of the Week: CLXV

My bird of the week is the Northern Cardinal with the scientific name Cardinalis cardinalis. We have a cardinal couple who have visited daily for more than a year. I’ve named the male “Red” and the female “Mrs.”

Yesterday, I had a close encounter with Red. I slept in and was late filling the bird feeder. As I sat drinking coffee by a window, Red flew a few inches from the window and stared at me. He flapped his wings hovering in place. I got the message. He sat above me on a tree branch as I filled the feeder and was the first bird to hit the feeder.

If Red wants food, he isn’t shy. Usually he sings loudly at me. But approaching the window for my attention was a first.

Cardinals are song birds and they have distinctive songs and calls. Here’s a LINK to their sounds from All About Birds.

Mrs. doesn’t have the bright red coloring of the males. Female cardinals are tan with olive tones and highlights of red-orange on their crest, tail and wings. Their bill is a bright coral. Males are typically brilliant red with a black mask. There is a rare genetic mutation that causes cardinals to be bright yellow. There’s only been a few sightings in the wild of yellow cardinals.

Cardinals are located in North America from the southwest, parts of Mexico across the US to the entire east coast. Their size, according to All About Birds, is length: 8.3–9.1 inches (21–23 cm) weight: 1.5–1.7 oz (42–48 g) and wingspan: 9.8–12.2 inches (25–31 cm).

Fun facts about Cardinals:

Male and female cardinals mate for life.

They are-non migratory and are year-round residents — even in the snow.

Cardinals are territorial and will chase other male cardinals away.

Early settlers in North America from Europe named the cardinals after Catholic cardinals because their bright red plumage reminded them of red robes worn by clergy.

Many people believe that cardinals represent a visit from a loved one who has passed away.

I’m thrilled to have Red and Mrs. take up residency in our backyard. I hope to see fledglings someday. But in the meantime, they are my favorite subjects to photograph.

Thanks to fellow blogger from Down Under Bushboy for suggesting I join the Bird of the Week challenge.

What facts about Cardinals were new to you? Do you have any to add?

Red and Mrs. Among Friends

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Red and Mrs. are my Northern Cardinal couple who live in a cholla cactus in the wash beyond our backyard fence. They have been arriving daily, but separately. Perhaps there are babies on the way and someone has to be in the nest at all times?

Red arrived and sat on his favorite pink flamingo. I watched him nibble and bite at the flamingo’s head. Maybe seeds blew down from the tree onto the flamingo?

Mrs. watched quail, a mourning dove and house sparrow devour a seed block.

I saw a strange sight. Two female cardinals together on our patio. They flew away before I could get a photo. One was larger than the other. I googled how or why two females would be together. First, I learned that it could be due to an abundance of birds in the area — which we have. Second, it could be mother and fledgling.

Mother cardinals are dedicated caregivers, often seen feeding and guiding their fledglings, which are brown-grey with dark beaks and sparse feathers. Fledglings leave the nest within 10-12 days but rely on parents to feed them for several more weeks while learning to fly. Parents, including the mother, frequently feed young on the ground or in low shrubs. –Allaboutbirds.org

Red got tired of being ignored by the flamingo, so he moved on.

The papa quail and mourning dove were more sociable to Red than the stuffy flamingo.

Mrs. told a quail couple about her visit with the other female cardinal.

Mrs. found a perch on the cactus statue to watch over the backyard actors.

Red gave the flamingo one more chance to chat.

Which is your favorite photo and why?

Fully in Bloom

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I was out for my walk yesterday when I saw the neighbor’s Argentine Giant Cactus was blooming. So, of course I turned around to get my camera from home and set out again. In our little park was another one in bloom. I took photos all around the neighborhood, enjoying the sights of Spring cactus blossoms.

There were lots of bees. I was lucky enough to capture this guy on a cactus bud.

Here’s a close up of the beautiful Argentine Giant blossom taken with my 105 mm lens. In fact, all the photos on this page are taken with that lens.

I love the color of this blossom.

This was at the neighbor’s house. We have one Argentine Giant Cactus and it was one lone blossom in bloom yesterday, gone today.

At the park.

This purple beavertail cactus has a beautiful yellow flower. I wondered why some beavertail are green and others yellow. This is what I found out:

Beavertail cacti (Opuntia basilaris) turn purple primarily as a stress response to cold temperatures, intense sun, or drought, acting as a natural sunscreen. This purple pigment, known as anthocyanin, protects the plant’s cells from damage, making the color change most intense during winter or arid conditions.

I also learned there are purple varieties including one called Purple Desert.

Here’s to a happy Monday and week ahead. What’s on your schedule for this week?

Backyard Critters

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I’ve taken a few photos I like this week of Red and other backyard creatures including quail, bunnies and javelina. I’m posting some of them here. It’s always entertaining to be surrounded by wildlife and to be able to capture the birds and animals with my Nikon or iPhone.

A papa quail perched in a planter above his family to keep watch.

Seven or eight javelina stopped by Monday night. They were mostly younger creatures including one wee one with a couple adults. The yellow flowers on the ground are from the Palo Verde trees. We had one night of rain and then a big wind and the flowers are down.

I watched a bunny dig a hole next to our tree. Maybe he’s going for roots? Or building a den?

Look at the feet on this guy!

Red with a mourning dove.

A squirrel and quail are sharing birdseed I placed on a boulder.

Happy Wednesday! Which photos do you like best and why?

A pleasant surprise!

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photo of Mrs. DeWitt C. Owen
My great grandmother, author of cookbooks “Nellie.”

I had a welcome surprise the other day. I received an email from a stranger who was cataloguing a huge collection of antique cookbooks. He read my blog posts about my great grandmother’s cook booklets and said he ran into copies. We exchanged a few emails. He said he was impressed and they were a good representation from that era. We’re talking late 1890s to early 1900s.

I mentioned there was one booklet that I didn’t have. “16 Studies in White and Gold,” which are egg recipes. He scanned and emailed it to me. A week later he said he found an extra copy, asked for my address and mailed it to me! I was thrilled. Since he doesn’t have “Sick Room Necessities,” I scanned it for him. Also, I found several letters and photos of Nellie’s as well as her husband’s obituary, scanned those and sent them to him. (FYI, Nellie went by her married name as a cook booklet publisher extraordinaire, Mrs. De Witt C. Owen. Her real name was Ella Upton Leighton Owen.)

Nellie’s husband De Witt was first a printer and then a newspaper publisher. Eventually they left Dixon, Illinois for the “far west” moving to Anacortes, Washington where he was publisher of another newspaper. They settled in Marysville, Wash. when he took over that town’s newspaper. My namesake grandmother Elizabeth Owen was their only child. When my mom Mary Ella (named after her grandmother) grew up in Marysville, Nellie lived next door. She was in my mother’s memory a loving and kind grandmother, the most nurturing person in my mom’s life. Nellie died in 1948, so I unfortunately never met her.

Nellie was a strong woman and set the type herself for her cook booklets that she sold across the nation for 10 cents each. Her market was ladies’ church auxiliaries. The booklets were used as fundraisers, much as our kids sold gift wrap to raise money for their school. My aunt told me that at times, Nellie supported her husband and daughter with her cook book sales.

If you want to read more about Nellie and her cook booklets, I wrote about her HERE.

Here’s an except from “Sick Room Necessities:”

Have a wonderful Easter weekend! Any plans to celebrate Easter, Passover or Spring?

I found a few photos of Ella Leighton Hunter (Hunter was her maiden name, Nellie was her nickname) in an old family photo album. It includes photos of Rose Hunter and A.J. Blethen. Blethen founded The Seattle Times and the family still owns the paper generations later.

I found postcards from Rose Hunter Blethen writing that she was looking forward to seeing Ella at Christmas. Ella was adopted into the Hunter family after her parents died. Dr. Hunter, Rose’s dad, thought Ella was so cute and always thought well of her. She was adopted as a young child. I’m enjoying researching our family heritage and am impressed that as a journalism major, I’ve got lots of newspaper history in my blood!