Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Was walking on the Elliott's ranch one morning and was startled by a bird that I startled. He flew in fear of being stepped on. It looked to be a quail, but we had just had a conversation about how quail numbers in Texas were low, due to fire ants. So after my stomach descended from my throat, I looked closer from whence the bird had come, to find a cache of eggs. No bigger than the tip of my pinky. I was expecting to immediately hear the call of the Killdeer, which is loud and very noticeable, but I didn't hear that, nor did I see the familiar dance of the Killdeer, as the parent tries to lure the intruder away from the nest by feigning injury,...an when you are near to them and away from the nest, they suddenly take flight. None of that circus happened, so I thought how ironic that it should be a quail after our conversation of how the menacing fire ants,....which I stepped in about five minute after this photo was taken,....had dropped the numbers. Maybe this quail found the right place,...it was on a rocky patch,..so maybe this quail took to heart the message of Jesus about where to build your house.

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