THE CALIFORNIA QUAIL
They are very fast flying birds that also have an alert and wary disposition. This makes them a challenging species to hunt. They have even earned themselves the nickname of 'pocket rockets'.
My favourite time of the year to watch, observe and photograph California quail is late spring and summer when the chicks have just hatched. The young birds leave the nest as soon as they dry out and are extremely active within a few hours of being born. At birth they are about the size of a large bumblebee and I'd have to say they are some of the cutest little birds you will ever see.
Over the course of several kahawai fishing excursions to the Wairau Bar in Marlborough, I had noticed a couple of family groups of California quail.
