George Anderson wrote, “We have not had any [California] Quail chicks in our backyard hedgerow for about five years. This year, a bonanza! The picture shows the young ones nestling and preening after a dust bath. How many can you count? 20 seems to be the consensus answer, but it’s challenging with such great protective coloration.”

It's hard to tell exactly how many little ones are in there! Siegfried Matull took one of my favorite photos of a Quail family, all lined up and easily counted.

There are fourteen little chicks in Siegfried's photo, with the father on the right and the mother on the left.

Thanks to George and Siegfried for allowing me to share their photos with you here.