Brown Quail (top right of photo)

Yesterday was my wife’s birthday.

To celebrate we went out to lunch with friends, and then drove south to Wellington on the River Murray. After crossing the river on the ferry we drove the short distance to the Pangarinda Botanic Gardens (formerly known as the Pangarinda Arboretum). My wife enjoys exploring places where native Australian plants are the feature. You can check out her site about Australian plants here.

We found a shady spot in the middle of the gardens, complete with a table and seats. The garden all around us was alive with birds, especially dozens of New Holland Honeyeaters. We also saw White-browed Babblers, Red Wattlebirds and Little Wattlebirds, along with dozens of Tree Martins soaring on the breeze hawking for insects (photos to come in a few days’ time).

As we were having a cuppa and some delicious birthday cake, we heard an interesting call nearby. It wasn’t long before we spotted a quail-like bird skulking through the garden about 50 metres away. I checked my bird app on my phone and immediately recognised the call of the Brown Quail. I knew that I didn’t have a photo of this species, so I set off in pursuit. I actually managed only two photos which I have cropped and shown here today. They are not brilliant photos, but they are the best I have.

This is the first time I have seen this species, even though they are relatively widespread in the region where I live. They can be quite shy birds, hiding in grasses and bushy areas. I guess that they have found these gardens to their liking and are getting used to people being around quite often. I was amused when my friend Keith started imitating the call – and both birds answered him from nearby. They also answered the call from the app on my phone. Neither Keith’s call, nor that from my phone made them come closer to investigate. At one point one of them did fly low over the table where we were sitting, but it went straight into a bushy area and out of sight.

As far as I can tell from my memory and records, this sighting is a “lifer“, that is, it is the first time in my life I have seen this species.

Further reading (click on the title):

• Mallee Native Plants – my wife’s site about Australian plants
• Pangarinda Arboretum – some flower photos are featured in this post
• Birds and plants of Pangarinda Arboretum – more photos of the beautiful plants in these gardens
• Spotted Nightjar at Pangarinda
• Red-capped Robin at Pangarinda – featuring possibly my favourite photos of any bird

Below I have included several flower photos taken yesterday.

Brown Quail (middle of the photo – behind a tuft of grass)

Banksia flowers at Pangarinda

Eucalypt flowers at Pangarinda