Keith Hansen led a "Big Day Blast" at Point Reyes, November 3rd 2012, during which about 106 species were tallied. Highlights included Marin's first Field Sparrow, a male Harlequin Duck and a male Black Scoter at the PR Lighthouse. But the winning candidate for "best view" for me was the the male California Quail, standing sentinel duty at the entry to Abbott's Lagoon.
Our state bird, the California Quail (Calipepla californica) is a member New World Quail family (Odontophoridae), in the order Galliformes.The taxonomists have moved Galliformes up nearer the front of Aves, right after the Ducks, so in the new books they will precede the Loons and Grebes. This male was quiet for a while, and then began to assemble the clan with his, "Come here now" call, or as some say, "Chi-CA-go." The scaled pattern on the neck and belly is distinctive. Compare to closely related Gambel's Quail, C. gambelli.
