[EBB Sightings] California Quail and a mystery falcon

I know that quail are declining or absent across the BA, but just wanted to mention that they seem to be doing pretty well at that charmed circle of habitat called Huckleberry Preserve, lots of nice thick vegetation to creep about in. I heard them chuckling in the brush just the other afternoon...

And on a predatory note, last night as I sat in my Oakland garden as dusk fell, a large falcon flew overhead, heading from the hills towards the Bay...despite having my binocs at hand, it was an awkward moment, since I was on the phone with a friend...I make quick excuses, hung up, grabbed my binocs and glassed the bird, now completely black in the failing light...no field marks visible, but did note a grotesquely bulging crop in its flight profile. Dinner, apparently, had just been served. Whether prairie or peregrine will forever go unanswered, tho...

Debbie Viess
Sheffield Village, Oakland

--- On Sat, 4/25/09, Jaan Lepson  wrote:

> From: Jaan Lepson 
> Subject: [EBB Sightings] California Quail, 15 years on
> To: sightings at diabloaudubon.com
> Date: Saturday, April 25, 2009, 5:19 AM
> Last Saturday, April 18, there was a California Quail on the
> neighbors'
> roof, which was a big surprise as we are not close to any
> good habitat. 
> This was not my first, however, as I had one in the very
> same part of the
> same roof shortly after moving here.  This evening I looked
> up the
> sighting, and it was on April 10, 1995, or 15 years almost
> to the day.
> 
> Spooky.
> 
> 
> Jaan Lepson
> Livermore
> 
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