Subject: RED QUAIL !!!
Date: Apr 14 19:39:21 2003
From: Mike Denny - m.denny at charter.net


Hello All,
Just returned home from viewing a completely brick red Bobwhite Quail here in south College Place. The story starts last September 2002 in the south end of Walla Walla just beyond the Walla Walla Country Club. I received a phone call from a land owner that he had video taped the oddest looking quail. He stated that it had a perfect square pure white patch on the upper chest and that the rest of the bird was completely brick red. I went to his home and saw the video tape of the trulely strangest looking Bobwhite I have ever seen. This bird hung around with about 75 California Quail and was last seen on 18 Sept.2002.
Then yesterday a lady called from s.e. College Place stating she was looking at a red quail with a square white patch on the upper chest. Did I know what it was? I really could not believe it! So this evening the phone rings again and it is a very good birder this time and he states he is watching a all brick red quail with a pure white square patch on its upper chest. He is only 5 blocks east of our home so off I go with camera in tow. upon arriving at his home I see the red bobwhite in with 10 or so California Quail. It then moves into the setting light of the sun and it looked as though it was a flame with a perfect square patch of white on the upper chest. WOW! So I took photos until it left to roost with several Cal.Quail in a thick spruce. What a sight! This is a case, a very rare case of erythrism where red dominates the plumage. Hope this bird sticks around and is able to survive the thousands of house cats that mill around this town uncontrolled.
Later Mike

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Mike & MerryLynn Denny
323 Scenic View Drive
College Place, WA 99324
509.529.0080 (h)

IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN BIRDING, YOU HAVEN'T LIVED!
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