[EBB Sightings] Help with Quail id, please -- could it be Gambel's?

?Interesting pictures.

I should start by pointing out that I am not a quail expert, and I'm
just reasoning about what I am seeing and reading my Sibley's, but
given that ...

I am thinking that despite this seeming atypical it is probably a
California Quail.  I notice that it seems to have a light forhead, and
that the belly looks scaled rather than unmarked.  The patch is
problematic, yes, but it seems to be at the top of the belly rather
than farther down as is shown for Gamel's.  I'm really not sure about
this - but could this be a brood-patch?

Another minor point - the back of the neck seems to have white
feather-tips as is shown for California Quail.

So I would guess "weird looking California Quail".

What do other people think?

Good birding!

Robert

On Sun, May 3, 2009 at 9:12 PM, Lisa and Robb  wrote:
> Robb and I went out cycling at Arrowhead Marsh this afternoon. ?In addition to three very feisty and vocal California Clapper Rails, and many of the Usual Suspects, we saw a covey of quail.
> Now, that would be weird enough, considering how urbanized this location is.
> But when I got home, and uploaded the photos and compared them to my books, I'm left with a lot of doubt about the identification of this bird. ?(This, sadly, is not unusual for me.)
> I've posted photos of the male and one of the females, as well as a single egg that was laying on the ground on my blog (address below). ?What I'm seeing that confuses me is
> 1. the range map
> 2. the really shocking red hair-do on Mister Quail
> 3. the relatively plain belly, with the dark blotch
> Can anyone give me some clues about what we saw?
> Lisa Lazar
> Oakland
> http://howsrobb.blogspot.com/2009/05/whats-that-quail-robert.html