This morning Kaia and I were returning from out daily walk to the park at about 7:00. Kaia was walking calmly by my side on the leash in spite of the springer that had emerged from the OFH in front of us and was rudely barking. Perhaps about fifteen feet from the OFH door Kaia plunged toward the foundation plantings. What did she see or smell? A bit of investigation revealed a northern bob white quail (see picture below).
During my Iowa years while hunting pheasants we'd occasionally flush coveys of quail. But, in the heart of St. Paul, Minnesota, and all alone, it seemed seriously out of place. Puzzled I told the story of seeing it at the OFH Veteran's coffee this morning. Nic explained that sometime ago, perhaps a year, a neighbor had released number of the birds in the neighborhood. While walking Nic had heard the quail calling to each other. At least one has survived.
The OFH lies below a bluff the crest of which holds woods that run for a significant distance, perhaps a mile. A few blocks down from the OFH is the Mississippi River the banks of which are heavily forested. With such cover deer coyotes, fox and turkeys are commonly seen.
Takk for alt,
Al
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