Dear Reader,
A few years ago, my mom found A Quail in the Family by William J. Plummer stuffed at the back of a “free books” shelf. It’s a thin, unassuming paperback published in 1974. (It’s available as an ebook now!) She loved the book so much, she passed it on to me.
This sweet story follows the life of Peep-Sight, a Gambel’s quail who unexpectedly became part of the Plummer family while they lived in suburban Las Vegas in the early 1970s. Readers will be immediately drawn into this captivating memoir. Plummer’s first words upon seeing the hours-old chick in his son’s cupped hands?
“Why, that’s not a bird, it’s a quail!”
The admirably conscientious Plummer family is pained by their role in keeping a wild creature away from the life it was intended for. But time after time, circumstances thwart the family’s attempts to set their quail free. The family’s ongoing dedication to Peep-Sight is heart-warming.
And Peep-Sight is the star of this book in every way. Until I read this book, I maintained a vague concept of quail being desert birds, unfamiliar to me except when I saw them on the pages of watercolor prints at yard sales. Reading about Peep-Sight’s life instilled in me an appreciation for these unique birds.
And when I finally shelved the book (among my favorites, not in the free pile!), I assumed that this Pacific Northwest girl’s up-close experience with quail was ending. Imagine my surprise when, on a spring walk through my neighborhood, my dog paused to note a rustling in the brush on the side of a quiet road.
A family—an entire family!—of quail scurried out from under the brush and across the road in front of us.
One by one, they hopped to the top rail of a fence and sat there, peeping quietly to each other in the language I recognized as Peep-Sight’s.
At home, I pulled out my bird books and learned that while the Gambel’s quail inhabits desert areas, the California valley quail can be found on our Pacific Northwest coastline. Since that first sighting, I often see a quail couple or family on my morning walks. They’re fun to watch and listen to.
Reader, have you ever loved a bird? They’re so different from us, aren’t they? But what a lot of personality gets packed into that little bit of fluff! I’ll bet you have some good bird stories. I’d love to hear them.
Here with you,
Laura
