FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] Sloughs Saturday & Help with Quail ID

[Charles Crawford <cr4d@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

8/18/07

6AM 65º clear with nice easterly breeze warming to 80º by 11 (Great  
change for birding.)
I visited in order: Shorebird Unit, 268 slough, 1574 slough, Grassy  
Pond/Powell's Lake Unit, Gentle Pond, Pond Creek Marsh, and Hardy  
Slough.
Conditions:

Shorebird Unit has dried up and field has been leveled? by a bulldozer.
268 slough is still dry
1574 slough has about 15 feet by 5 feet of water: only Killdeer
GP/PL water is still dropping very few birds: Great Blues, Spotted  
Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper
Gentle Pond water has receded 15 feet from the banks.
Pond Creek Marsh seems stable at a low level, trapping set-up is now  
gone. Highlight: first Moorhen seen since early spring and 2 Coots.
Hardy Slough has dried up.


Very few birds. Although there have been some very widely scattered  
showers, everything is dry and birds are scarce.
This is the first outing since Spring in which I have not seen any  
Great Egrets.
Only 1 warbler seen, a Prothonotary.


Now for the ID help. On 268 near some of the grain silos I saw a  
covey of quail. A mix of Bobwhites and some other quail.
At first I assumed they were Bobwhite Juvs. But they did not look  
like any juv. or other quail in the various guides.
There were about equal numbers of Bobwhites and unknowns; maybe 17 to  
20 total.
The unknowns were very dark rusty with feathers that seemed to tipped  
in black and LOW on the throat was a white patch.
I have been unable to find any quail like this on the web or field  
guides. I'm afraid everyone is going to say they're juvs.
But they just don't look like it.

Charlie
Henderson Co.


================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBERS=============
The BIRDKY Mailing List requires you to sign
your messages with first & last name, city, &
state abbreviation.
--------------------------------------------------
To post to this mailing list, send e-mail to:
birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
--------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, send e-mail to:
birdky-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject line.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Visit the Kentucky Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos.htm
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
BIRDKY List Manager: Gary Ritchison, Richmond, KY
E-mail: gary.ritchison@xxxxxxx