Quail is a terrestrial species, often
the only indication of its presence is the distinctive
"wet-me-lips" repetitive song of the male. The name Quail is
imitative and is associated with 'quack' and derives from
the Old French word 'quaille and from the Latin 'quaquila'.
The name first brought to Britain by the Normans in the 14th
century in the form of 'quayle'. It is believed that Quail
can breed when they are only three months old (Birds in
England - Poyser) and therefore birds that arrive in S.
Gloucestershire are possibly young birds that have bred on
the continent and moved north to this traditional site in
June and July. Some historical names for Quail include; Wet
Weather, Rine, Throsher and Deadchick.
Quail is a summer visitor in
fluctuating numbers to S. Gloucestershire;
2011: (c.20)
One was heard calling from Shirehill
Lane at Marshfield in the morning on May 14th; Up to five
were heard calling at Marshfield on May 31st between Down
Track, Down Road and Shirehill Lane; Three present on June
1st at Marshfield; Two were heard calling from Down Track
off Down Road at Marshfield on June 11th with at least three
still present on June 25th; At least five calling males
around the patch at Marshfield on July 3rd with three on
Down Road and two in the Rushmead Lane area; Four noted
calling from Down Track off Down Road on July 11th; One,
possibly two were heard calling from the Tormarton Road,
c.100 metres east of the village on July 14th; One was seen
briefly from Middledown Road on July 15th; At least six on
July 16th with three from Rushmead Lane and three from
Middledown Road; Up to four were hear in the Rushmead Lane
area on July 18th; Two were heard from Northfield Lane,
Marshfield in the evening on July 27th; Several were heard
from both Down Road and Rushmead Lane on August 5th.
|
Quail bird days in S.
Glos 2011: |
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Total |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
12 |
38 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
61 |
2010: (c.17)
A male was heard calling at around
20:30 on June 2nd in the Marshfield area, north of the
Middledown Road about 400m east of the A46 at ST: 750 746;
One was heard from Down Track on June 23rd with two there on
June 24th. Another bird was heard on Down Road on June 24th;
Two to three were heard from Down Track in the evening on
June 27th; Two were heard from Down Road near Downthorns
Farm on July 3rd with at least two heard there on July 9th &
11th and four on July 16th at 21:45; Up to ten were noted in
the Down Road/ Shirehill Lane/ Tormarton Road 'triangle' on
July 18th; One was seen well at the junction of Rushmead and
Orchid Lanes near Marshfield on August 3rd; One was still
present on Down Track off Down Road at Marshfield on August
22nd; Two were flushed from Down Track off Down Road at
Marshfield on October 4th; Three were noted near Shirehill
Lane on October 18th.
|
Quail bird days in S.
Glos 2010: |
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Total |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
16 |
4 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
34 |
2009: (c.8)
At least two were noted on an Atlas
survey near Middledown Road at ST: 749 742 north and west of
Marshfield on May 25th, both were still present at the same
site on June 4th; Three were present and singing east of
Rushmead Lane between Rushmead Farm and Culverslade at
Marshfield on June 5th, 9th and 17th; One was heard from
Down Road on June 21st; One was heard singing along
Shirehill Lane on July 3rd & again on August 2nd & 9th; One
was heard calling at Dyrham on July 5th, Three calling at
Marshfield on July 9th; One in fields north of Down Track
plus two east of Rushmead Farm one of which was audible from
the road; One was flushed and watched briefly in flight near
the Airfield along Rushmead Lane at Marshfield on July 17th;
Two on July 20th at Rushmead Farm and Down Road, Marshfield;
On July 25th there were up to five birds calling, one from
Middledown Road, two in an area with no general access and
two north of Down Track from Down Road, Marshfield; One was
noted in a clover field on Down Road at Marshfield on August
5th, 9th & 21st; On August 9th one was still calling in the
Middledown Farm area.
|
Quail bird days in S.
Glos 2009: |
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Total |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
12 |
16 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
36 |
2008: (c.22)
One was heard very briefly at around
09:30 on May 18th 200 metres south of Rushmead Farm near
Marshfield in loosely sown Charlock east of the Tormarton
Road; At least one was heard in the same area on May 19th
with at least three early afternoon on May 20th, two on May
21st at the same site; One was heard calling at Northfield
Lane Marshfield on May 21st; One was heard singing on June
8th around 16:00 between Plough Farm and Shirehill Farm near
Marshfield at ST: 792 763; One was heard singing on June
10th in fields 200 metres north of Rushmead Farm at
Marshfield east of the Tormarton Road; One was heard singing
in fields opposite the east end of Rushmead Lane at
Marshfield on June 20th early morning and presumed same bird
calling from Rushmead Flash field at 16:40 on June 21 at ST:
785 753 on the corner of Rushmead Lane and Tormarton Road;
At least two were heard singing in fields to the west of
Down Road at Marshfield on June 28th and again on July 3rd;
Two calling from the fields east of the Tormarton Road 200
metre south of Rushmead Farm audible from the road on July
2nd and 4th; Three were present at Marshfield on July 12th;
one heard in fields north of Down Track off Down Road and
two in fields opposite Newhouse Farm two hundred metres
north of Rushmead Farm; One heard in the top fields east of
Shirehill Farm on July 13th;Three heard in fields north of
Down Track off Down Road at Marshfield on July 13th, 15th
and 22nd with one present on the 16th July; One was heard a
calling briefly at Marshfield at ST: 784 763 on August 10th;
One was flushed from Down Track off Down Road at Marshfield
on October 1st; October 4th four were flushed from fields
north of Down Track off Down Road at Marshfield at around
09:00; One was flushed from fields to the north of Down
Track off Down Road at 14:00 on October 10th; Two were
flushed from fields to the north of Down Track off Down Road
on October 21st; One was flushed from fields to the north of
Down Track off Down Road on October 26th; Two were flushed
from fields in the Down Road area at Marshfield on December
11th.
|
Quail bird days in S.
Glos 2008: |
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Total |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
6 |
22 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
2 |
48 |
2007: (8)
Three were hear calling on June 22nd
at Marshfield; On July 11th two were heard calling near
Marshfield off Down Road at ST: 792 744 with at least one
still present on July 12th; One was heard calling near
Marshfield between 14:00 and 15:00 on July 19th in weedy
fields on the east side of Tormarton Road at ST: 786 749; On
August 5th two were reported to the east of Tormarton Road,
one just north of Rushmead Farm, one just to the south.
2006:(8)
Up to six calling males were hear
near Marshfield on the evening of the 30th June at ST: 781
749; A bird was flushed at Orchard Pools near Severn Beach
in the morning on 16th July and is the first Severnside
record for this species; One was heard in the 'Marshfield'
area on August 7th.
2004: (c.30)
Most reports come from the
'Marshfield Triangle' of calling males. One at Tormarton on
the 1st June; One on the 5th July at West Littleton Down;
One on the 6th July at Marshfield; Four on the 23rd July at
Marshfield; Two on the 28th July at Marshfield; One on the
29th July at West Littleton Down; Fourteen on the 31st July
at Marshfield; Three on the 3rd August at Marshfield; Four
on the 5th August at Marshfield; Three on the 6th August at
Marshfield; Three on the 12th August at Marshfield.
2003: (2)
Two were heard calling from cereal
fields near Horton on the 13th June.
2002: (5)
Three were noted on the 8th June in
the Marshfield area with a further two on the 20th June on
of which was still present on the 25th June.
2001: (5)
One male was heard calling near
Marshfield on the 13th June; One was heard calling on the
23rd June at West Littleton Down; Two were heard calling on
the 25th June and one on the 30th July at West Littleton
Down.
2000: (c.5)
One was flushed from a field at West
Littleton Down on the 15th May; Two were heard on the 19th
and 20th June and three were noted on the 25th June at
Bodkin Hazel Wood near Horton.
1999:
In the Marshfield and West Littleton
area a calling male were first noted on the 30th May; One
was reported in the same area on the 16th June and another
on the 23rd June; Two males were heard calling at the same
site on the 7th and 8th July.
1998:
In the Marshfield and West Littleton
area calling males were first noted on the 8th June just
north of Marshfield, subsequently reported on seven dates up
to August 7th with a maximum of three birds on five
different occasions; A single bird was flushed on the 16th
June and one heard on the 25th June at Beek's Lane near
Marshfield; Two were seen in flight on the 3rd July and
three ere heard calling on the 10th August near West
Littleton; Five were heard calling from a wheat field near
Horton on the 15th June.
1997:
In the Marshfield and West Littleton
area calling males were first noted on the 30th May with six
territories from West Littleton and seven from Marshfield.
In the Marshfield area at least five birds were seen in a
recently cut field on the evening of the 20th August and
four were still calling from an uncut field on the 22nd
August; A male was heard calling at Rockhampton on the 30th
May; Two males were heard calling near the A46 at Horton.
1996:
One was heard at West Littleton Down
on the 8th May; Two were calling from Grickstone Farm near
Little Sodbury during the summer.
1995:
Males were heard calling in the
Marshfield area on the 23rd and 31st May; In the West
Littleton and Marshfield area there were up to twelve male
holding territory during Jun and July; At West Littleton
Farm a reported sixteen birds were present, including a pair
with three young on August 7th and nine were flushed at the
same site on September the 8th during harvesting; At
Grickstone Farm near Horton five males were heard calling on
the 19th June and three male and a female were heard at the
same site on the 28th June.
1994:
A male was heard calling in the
Marshfield area on the 19th and 20th May; A probable migrant
was near Pucklechurch on the 20th May; There were up to ten
males holding territory in the West Littleton and Marshfield
areas during June and July; A male was heard calling near
the A46 at Horton on the 29th June.
1993:
One was heard calling on the 17th
July at West Littleton; One was heard calling on the 16th
and 28th July in the Marshfield area.
1992:
Two were heard calling at West
Littleton Down on the 18th May and the 2nd August; Two were
noted at Horton on the 25th May; One was noted at Hawksbury
Upton on the 12th June; Up to three males were heard calling
in the Marshfield area between the 21st June and the 28th
July.
1991:
One was flushed from the edge of a
Barley field on the 29th June near Old Sodbury; A male was
heard calling in the Marshfield area on the 22nd July.
1990:
Around eleven males were heard
calling in the area from Marshfield to West Littleton from
June the 15th until July 22nd.; A calling male was heard
near Horton on the 13th June; And a calling male was heard
at Hawksbury on the 18th July.
1989:
Up to twenty-five males were heard
calling in the Marshfield area between the 27th May and the
4th August with at least ten sightings.
1988:
Several males were heard calling in
the Marshfield area on the 11th and 17th July.
1987:
One was heard calling at West
Littleton Down on the 24th May; Several were heard calling
near Marshfield on the 22nd and 28th June; Eight were heard
calling in the Marshfield area on the 3rd and 10th July with
seven on the 13th July. It was considered that the July
totals represented twelve to fourteen territories.
1986:
Single birds were heard calling in
the Tormarton area on the 12th and 20th July.
1983:
Two or three males were heard calling
on four occasions between the 22nd June and the 21st July in
the Marshfield area.
1980:
Up to seven were calling in the
Marshfield area sometime in August.
1979:
Up to eleven birds were heard and one
was seen in the Marshfield area sometime in July.
1977:
Breeding season reports of several
birds calling in the Marshfield area.
1976:
Up to five males were heard calling
at Marshfield between the 14th - 22nd July.
1975:
One was heard near Tormarton and up
to eight were heard near Marshfield during the breeding
season.
1974:
One or two were heard calling in the
Marshfield area on the 3rd June.
1973:
A single male was heard calling on
the 4th July in the Marshfield area.
1972:
Several heard in the Marshfield/
Tormarton area in June and July.
1971:
Three or four were reported from the
Marshfield area on the 13th June and the 20th July
1970:
Twenty-seven were heard calling in
the Marshfield/ Tormarton area in June; And eight were heard
calling at Marshfield on the 16th July.
1969:
Reported from the Tormarton/
Marshfield/ Toghill area; where one or two were heard
calling from the 26th - 28th June.
1968:
Reported from the Marshfield area;
Calling males were noted on June 16th and July 25th.
1967:
Reported from the Marshfield area;
Males were heard calling on the 5th July but no numbers
available.
1966:
Reported from the Marshfield area;
One on June 28th with a further two on the 3rd July.
1965:
Reported from the Marshfield area;
One heard calling on July 14th.
1964:
Two were heard calling in the
Marshfield area on June 24th; One in the same area on July
23rd and one seen on July 24th.
1963:
One heard calling from the Marshfield
area on June 8th with at least three calling from the same
place on August 6th.
1962:
At least three calling males in the
Marshfield area on the 12th June with a further two on the
29th June.
1961:
Reported from the Marshfield area:
One was heard calling on June 15th and this, or another was
heard on June 21st.
1960:
One was heard calling in oat crop at
Hawkesbury Upton on May 22nd; In the Marshfield area: nest
and eggs were found during mowing operations in June; One
was heard and seen on June 18th; And two were seen together
flying low over corn crop, July 10th.
1959:
One was heard calling near Marshfield
on July 2nd.
1958:
Two birds were heard calling near
Marshfield on June 12th.
1956:
Single birds were seen or heard near
Marshfield on July 22nd, 25th and 31st.
1953:
One was heard, and subsequently
flushed from a grass crop at Little Stoke on June 29th; Half
a dozen or more calling birds were located on the outskirts
of Marshfield in the first three weeks of July and calling
was heard in various widely separated fields on several
occasions from the 3rd - I9th July.
1952:
Calling was heard near Dyrham on
various occasions between June 26th and July 20th, and a
bird was flushed on August 25th, but no direct evidence of
breeding; One was seen in stubble field near Aust on August
17th.
1951:
A bird was heard calling from a bean
field near Aust on August 5th.
1950:
Two were reported from the Wick area
in early August.
1949:
Heard and seen at Pucklechurch in the
last week in May; Calling was heard, and a pair put up near
Marshfield on June 19th.
1947:
Several were reported from the Dyrham
area in late July.
1945:
A bird was calling daily in a wheat
crop at Little Stoke Farm near Stoke Gifford, from May 30th
to June 5th. It was not heard subsequently.
1944:
Reported from several widely
separated localities. In S. Gloucestershire calling was
heard at Dyrham and Pucklechurch on a number of dates from
late May to the third week of July, and in the Marshfield
and Cold Ashton area on various occasions in June, while a
pair was found breeding at Stoke Gifford in August. The
presence of birds at the latter place was not detected until
the characteristic call was heard on the unusually late date
of August 14th breeding being confirmed on the 16th August
when two adults and five or six halt-fledged young were seen
in a thin oat crop. Calling continued until the 18th August
or later.
1943:
The "whit-whi-whit" call was noted on
two occasions on the north side of Marshfield in June; And a
bird being heard in a clover crop at Downthorns Farm on the
17th June.
1942:
On June 14th the characteristic
"whit-whi-whit" call (emphasis on first and last syllables)
was heard, apparently from two birds, in fields between
Patchway Common and Savage's Wood. One calling in the same
place on the 15th June was stalked and finally flushed from
long mowing grass. There was no subsequent evidence to show
that a pair remained to breed; On December 28th an
extraordinary occurrence is that of a bevy of seven,
reported as seen by two observers, at Elberton. The birds,
described as being like small sandy-brown Partridges with
similar flight, were disturbed at close quarters from the
outskirts of a recently planted cornfield, and on alighting
some seventy yards out were at once, despite the lack of
cover, quite impossible to see. 'When approached later from
two directions simultaneously, they again got up and, flying
low, disappeared over an adjoining hedgerow. The failure of
these birds to migrate may perhaps be attributed to the
abnormally mild weather from September onwards.