Reader's Digest Singapore Sampler 2022

READER’S DIGEST downstairs flat where he gazed at himself in the window’s reflection. We soon realised that it was not vanity which had prompted this behaviour. Instead, he was searching for his mate. Some days earlier there had been a collection of feathers around the lower deck. We had been pestered by a neighbour’s cat, which had stalked our two chickens for weeks as well as other flightless birds on the property. We surmised that the cat had caught the female quail and carried her off. Quails mate for life, and the male probably could not forget his mate, nor adjust to the loss of his lifelong partner. We had to clean quail excrement endlessly off the mat, but we were too soft-hearted to shoo him away. We had to hope that he would eventually find another partner to share his life, not just a reflection. In winter, quails form into covies of 200 to 400 birds, and in spring they break into smaller groups, mate and produce chicks. We are hoping our pining quail will do likewise. Sometimes the most humble of species can teach us a lesson on faithfulness. Reflections On Life ROBIN KEOWN We inherited more in the way of ‘wildlife’ than we ever expected after buying a retirement property in dense bush in New Zealand seven years ago. All manner of native and introduced birds serenade us all day long, along with ground-dwelling birds, such as weka, pukeko and quail. Quail in New Zealand were originally introduced from California. They were intended as game birds as they are quite plump and tasty, and people eat the eggs. Recently we noticed a male quail tiptoeing down the path, in inimitable quail style, to our SMART ANIMALS ILLUSTRATIONS: GETTY IMAGES Pets and wildlife provide us with many fascinating moments 2 June 2022