quail

today, a big flock of quail landed in my yard.

well, it was a covey, since they were quail.

25 or 30 of the fattest quail i have ever seen.

i'm accustomed to seeing quail, but maybe 5 or 6 at a time.

today, there were dozens.

like a flock of chubby little chickens, all over the backyard.

they worked their way across my yard from south to north,

jumped the fence into my neighbor's yard,

came back a bit later, working north to south this time,

and then moved on.

{click on the images to enlarge them}

i always tend to consider what message animals carry.

you know, like animal totems.

as in, are they trying to tell me something?

and since today is new year's day,

i wondered if there was any significance

to their massive presence in my backyard on this day.

like, maybe a symbol for my year ahead.

the quail were so fat, almost spherical,

and they were feasting on something in the snowy grass,

so that had me thinking about nourishment.

and there were just so many of them,

that it made me think of family and community.

low and behold,

when i searched online for their meaning,

this is what i found:

group nourishment and protection

safety in numbers

in addition to:

quickness, camouflage

awareness of danger

{source} {source} {source}

it's a shame that this adorable couple will never see this photo.

i'm imagining it framed on the wall of their cozy nest.

in any case, a covey of quail was a fun surprise

for the first day of the year.

and i'm all for nourishment and community.

♥

p.s.
are you choosing a word for the new year?
you know, to set your intention?
like: breathe, stretch, balance, or sparkle?
how about an animal totem?
resolutions?
mine might be to get to bed on time.
night, now : )