I live at 5,250' elevation here in rural SW Montana and Hungarian Partridge often come through my yard/property.
But this afternoon was a special visit.
What looked like a mother Hungarian Partridge came walking across my lawn followed by a huge brood of chicks.
They were on a path towards the area underneath my hanging bird feeder - that is filled with seeds about year round.
The feeder is just 4 feet from my keyboard and the brood got within 9 or 10 feet from me.
Anyway I could not believe how many chicks were coming through the grass behind her and I was trying to count them but was having a tough time.
Then they all came to my cement walkway that leads from my front porch to our private drive.
Just as they all were on the cement my neighbor comes along the drive peddling his mountain bike.
He was about 30 yards from the birds but mother Partridge chirped and laid down and eventually (in several seconds) all 14 (fourteen!) tiny chicks also laid down on the cement until "danger' had passed - then they diverted from the path to the bird feeder and headed off toward my small rhubarb patch and some shrubbery.
I have my Nikon on standby and hopefully when I see them again I will get a photo.
I had NO idea the Hungarian Partridge could birth (hatch) that many chicks.
Some good news for the Hungarian family is that the "first cutting" of hay and alfalfa all around my place just occurred and has more than likely thinned out the feral cat numbers that plague the game birds and song birds in my area.
Way to go Mother Nature.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
