14/52 Bird of the week - Quentin relaxing in the garden

Quentin is here again for another week of "bird of the week" challenge.  Last week we saw him strolling in the garden, but this time, he's having a little break, enjoying the sunshine and taking the weight off his feet! : Quentin relaxing in the garden.

Yes, little Quentin Quail, sitting down amongst the flowers.  What a sweet scene.   Maybe we can all take a leaf out of Quentin's book and go and sit amongst the flowers some time this week?

And if you are concerned about Quentin possibly falling off the flowers, please don't be.  I secure him by making a silver screw. Then just a little surgery in Quentin to make the threads.  He says it's not painful at all!!!. Then he is securely threaded onto the bracelet.  A threaded cold connection is the technical term.  See  - here is him showing off that he can stay on!!!:

The links below connect you to others who joined in my bird a week challenge.  I hope you'll take the time to see what their birds are up to this week.

A sight to behold to welcome us home

We arrived back in England - to warm weather and a wonderful greeting from a covey of quails.  Yes, Quentin and his buddies were in the back garden. There were more than 20 of them running around, looking for food....or maybe they were checking on us???

 

And along with Quentin, it seemed the vineyard was welcoming us back with it's lovely show of autumn colors.  Different grape varietals go different colors in autumn, so it's a lovely time to drive around and try to guess which grape is producing the red leaves or the yellow or the.....

Here's our Merlot:

It's good to be home.

Sunday's spotlight - Quentin visits Lincoln

By guest blogger Pete.

The world renown quail, Quentin, paid a visit to his favourite UK city - namely Lincoln - this last week-end.

No sooner had he finished his first cup of coffee when an emergency call came through for him to venture once more into the Antarctic wastes of Lincoln's Boultham Park in an effort to rescue three lost walkers. A quick email to Superman to assure him that all was well, a second cup of coffee and he was off, waving goodbye as he disappeared into the white-out. It always amazes Quentin that some people - even his special friends, Ruth and John - can be so foolish as to venture forth for exercise when the snow lays "deep and crisp " and now very "even".

But our intrepid world wide traveller knows no fear and was soon wrestling his way through icy snow drifts in the dying light of a winter's afternoon, with no thought for his own safety - only for the three foolish ones he had set his mind on finding.

Led by (out of shot) Quentin, the three foolish people return safely.

No radio communication was possible in such terrible and inhospitable weather so a concerned Pete remained at base camp keeping a worried lookout for the three foolish ones and their rescuer.

After what seemed to be an eternity the courageous Quentin was seen leading the "TFOs" back into the safety of base camp. Here, seeking no other reward but a fourth mug of coffee, Quentin quietly and modestly and without any remarks concerning the behaviour of the "TFOs", accepted their thanks and settled down for a pre cocktail hour nap.

Led by Ruth, they all thank Quentin for his rescue.

One of Quentin's unpublished New Year Resolutions for 2010 is to learn to skate. So a modest ice rink was provided for his enjoyment. Numerous falls failed to put Quentin off. At one time he stood still for so long a time posing for photographs that he froze to the ice.

Quentin discovers that skating is not all that easy!

However, Quentin's travails were not over yet. A sauna was provided for his enjoyment after the ice skating episode ........

Quentin watches as his sauna is prepared

and he plunged into the deep end completely forgetting that he didn't know how to swim. Thus another New Year Resolution was made - learn how to swim.

Quentin forgets that he can't swim, even in a sauna!

But nothing deters our Quentin and on Monday afternoon he set off into the snow on yet another expedition - this time taking two novices (Ruth and John) with him. His mission was to rescue two more thoughtless ones - Matt and Peter (NOT Pete) - from their snow bound home and escort them safely back to their school.

Quentin gets a helping hand.

As I write this Matt is fifteen years old today - Happy Birthday, Matt. The snow's given him a day off school as a special present. In my day, I remember that when I was fifteen I .............................. All right. I'll shut up.

Enjoy the snow. It's all a part of global warming!

Ubiquitous Quentin

That Quentin quail seems to be everywhere. There I was in Lincoln with him and my parents (as you'll see in Sunday's blog) and then I get these photos from my nephew in Watford (look carefully on the snowman's head, near the birdland merlot logo cap!!).


You just can't keep a good quail down!

Thanks Peter for looking after him and letting him join in the snowy fun!


Don't see him on the trampoline with you...but then he is only small....


Heading down to see my nephews Matt and Peter today, and of course Mary and Fin...and whatever Quentins might be there.

New Year's Resolutions

By guest blogger Quentin Quail.

Quentin here! How are you? Hope you are all keeping well.

Happy New Year to you all! Wishing you lots of good times in 2010.

I've been thinking hard about some new year resolutions so I thought I'd write them down in the blog and then maybe I'll be more inclined to keep them! So here goes:

1. Blog more frequently
2. Travel to new places
3. Make my bed every morning
4. Redecorate my house and not worry about what the neighbors think
4. Make new friends
5. Fly over a rainbow
6. Learn to cook
7. Drink more Birdland Merlot
8. Make someone smile everyday.

Have you written yours? Do tell me what they are.....

Cozy up to Quentin

I woke up to our first frost of the season....All the grass was covered but the sun was shining. My husband went out to play golf wrapped up nice and warm..... and I was just thinking about all the little birdies who had had a chilly night outside last night, when who should come around but my friend Quentin!


He was as cozy as anything! Gone were his running shoes - and he had lovely warm boots instead. And he was donned out in a nice warm scarf and hat! Oh, he looked just right for this chilly morning.


I had to take his photo - and he quite likes that. We hung out together for a while, catching up. He told me he had been keeping an eye on the forecast and got all his winter gear out last night. What a sensible Quail!


Anyhow, he did mention that he's missed being in the limelight for the last few weeks, so I have a feeling he might call round again soon....


If you happen to have your own Quentin - do send me photos of what he's been up to lately as I'm sure we'd all love to see...