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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Quail! (1 Viewer)

halftwo

Wird Batcher
On the escarpment top with its just-cut field the slight breeze lifts the Kestrel and the waft of grass turning to hay, the lower land rolling away beyond. And across the lying stalks gallops a Brown Hare - over this felled forest of grass.

The mew of a Buzzard rises from the wood below. Skylarks are singing in a fresh sky and Swallows on wires sit like crotchets on the stave. A Starling a single minim. A skim of cirrus is brushed over the blue.

A high copse on the edge holds a Redstart -a young bird - flicking its orange tail loosely. It flies down to the low stone wall and watches.

Yellowhammers call and, by the ditch where yellow flag flowers stand tall a Reed bunting sings its four note ditty.

One field is thick with Lapwings, still wary of the Crows that eye their young as they search for smaller victims. On the verge where meadowsweet spill a Mole lies twisted as if surprised by the suddenness of its own death: its shovel feet paused in their dig.

Tortoiseshells fight in the nettle patch and Small skippers sun themselves on clover. A pair of Bullfinches, tubby and gorgeous, undulate to the beeches.

High up Swifts are mobbing a Sparrowhawk as it flaps and glides, searching for a thermal.

But from the cut meadow's edge, still lush with grass and weed, the whip of a Quail's "wet me lips" lashes out into the morning, and all the world seems to stop to listen.
 
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Lovely words :t: Quail is a species we get up here in Northumberland but I've still to catch up with them. I'm on a week off from this coming Sunday so got a few outings in mind and you never know, I may just stumble upon a quail o:) I don't really go looking for particular species nowadays....just enjoy the outdoors and see what turns up :king:
 
When I read that I was there. Just for a moment the office fell away and the mundane dullness of work disappeared.
It is amazing how a few words can make you feel the wind and the sunlight, hear the birds and smell the air.
I wish there were more posts like that.
Thanks.
 
Wonderful reporting halftwo, a pleasure to read. You put me on a few good birds a couple of years ago at frodsham marsh, hope your good mate.
 
Thanks, Rubia & Kits. Glad you enjoyed it.

Hi Terry. Yes I'm fine, I've got a wonderful partner here in Holmfirth. She's a Yorkshire lass, but that can't be helped.
Glad you liked it too.

I've been out looking for Hobbies again today, but nothing doing.

I'm at work the next three days so no new threads from me for a while.
 
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