California classic

  

California Quail (Callipepla californica) photographed back in November.

Bigfoot sighting?

  

Juvenile California Quail (Callipepla californica), photographed 11 June 2021.  I was impressed with the size of its feet!

P.S.  Happy Summer Solstice!
 

Said the quail

 

  

"Ahhh...dust baths in soil dug up by a badger are the best!" said the California Quail (Callipepla californica).

 

California's state bird

 

California's state bird, the California Quail (Callipepla californica), is a common resident on Bodega Head, especially in grassland and dune areas with shrub cover.

Note the bold black and white facial markings of the adult male (above), along with the comma-shaped topknot (although it appears to be a single feather, it's actually a set of 6 feathers).

The female is browner/grayer, with a shorter topknot.

 

The most familiar call of the California Quail is probably the "Assembly Call" or "Rally Call."  It's sometimes written as "chi-CA-go" or "cu-CA-cow".  Both male and female quail give this call when an individual is separated from a group or mate, or before/during movement of a covey.  

Visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's web site to hear this sound (and others!).

Crossroads

Open sand in the dunes is wonderful for revealing animal tracks.

Here two animals crossed paths — a small mammal with sets of four small circular depressions (probably a mouse) and a bird (probably California Quail).  Did the mouse pass by at night, and the quail during the day?

And here's a typical rabbit track — the two larger hind feet are in front placed side-by-side (upper left), and the two smaller front feet are in back, one in front of the other (lower right).