Noises in the Dark

Last Thursday morning was quite warm and dry, so Hunter and I walked down our lane to wait for the bus even though it is now dark in the mornings when the bus comes. When we got to the edge of the lawn where the field begins, we suddenly heard some very strange noises start up.  It took us both by surprise, but after listening for a minute, I assured Hunter it  must be some kind of bird that we startled nesting in the edge of the field, probably the turkeys we had seen off and on throughout the summer.  Of course in my mind, I knew that it was not a turkey call but it reassured him and we continued on to the road.  Then as the bus squeaked to a stop and Hunter started across this road, I suddenly had this eye-watering over-powering smell of skunk.  I thought "Great! Now there is some strange bird/creature and a startled skunk between me and my house, and I can't see either of them until I'm within a few feet of them".  Needless to say, I made it back to the house safely, but I'm pretty sure from now on we will be driving the car down to wait for the bus!

Later that day, Scott went down to get the mail and called me to come look at what was making the strange noises at us that morning.  A quail family was crossing our drive from one field to the next.  I just had to chuckle because those tiny birds sure make one big scary noise when it's dark out!!! Never did see the skunk but that was fine by me. Trust me when I say it was closer than I wanted it to be that morning.