Date: 4/13/24 6:40 pm From: Geoffrey Hill <hillgee...> Subject: [ALbirds] Bobwhite on Dauphin Island
Hi AL birders,
I’ve been coming to Dauphin Island since 1993 and I’ve never detected a Northern Bobwhite on the island. This morning, my grad students and I were up before sunrise at the Sealab, getting ready to load our students into vans for their coastal field trip, and there was bobwhite on the deck railing of the house. Amazing. But it was very tame, and another bobwhite was calling across the lawn. Not normal. Then we pulled into the parking lot at the beach by the pier and other bobwhite was calling. Later, we got to the airport and another bobwhite was calling. Given that California Quail have been reported for the last few weeks, I’m suspecting that someone is releasing quail on the island including bobwhite. Anyone know anything about this?
Maybe it is all in my head, but bobwhite all over Dauphin Island doesn’t seem natural.
Geoff Hill
Auburn
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Dr. Geoffrey Hill
William P. Molette Professor
Dept. Biol. Sci.
331 Funchess Hall
Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849-5414
