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

Robert, when I see an interesting bird photo, I try to start at the top and work my way down. Here's what I see. Other results may differ, you may or may not want to try this at home (although, there aren't a lot of other options):

Top-knot: Odd/molted/hacked off in a knife-fight. No opinion as to species.
Crown: Deep cinnamon-orange. Nod to Gambel's.
Supercilium and upper black border: No opinion to species.
Forecrown: whitish w/a chunk of something. May be another remnant of the knife-fight. Nod to California Quail.
Eye and chin: No opinion as to species.
Post-ocular vertical stripe: white and tapering narrowly at bottom and no dark border on the neck side of the stripe: Nod to Gambel's.
Neck: Gray with articulated feathers, but essentially all gray. No black and white flecking. Nod to Gambel's.
Light gray chest.... toss-up.
Upper belly: unmarked, no scales. Gambel's.
Middle-lower belly: black patch: Gambel's.
Streaks on flanks look intermediate to both species. Color of flanks looks intermediate to both species. 
Legs look like they want to boogie.

Bob Power
Oakland, CA

> From: Robert Clark 
> Subject: Re: [EBB Sightings] Help with Quail id, please -- could it be  Gambel's?
> To: "Lisa and Robb" 
> Cc: "East Bay Birds Sightings" 
> Date: Sunday, May 3, 2009, 8:39 PM
> ?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
> >
> >
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