article thumbnail

California Quail, The California State Bird: Now Forming Coveys

10,000 Birds

All New World Quail are highly gregarious, typically found in coveys or flocks except during breeding season. These could be the beginning of the formation of coveys, post breeding season flocks that form when the chicks become independent at about three months old. The birds scatter, sometimes in different directions.

article thumbnail

Leaping Foxes

10,000 Birds

No “gophers” etc. And finally, there will be Marsh Harriers everywhere breeding in grain fields instead of reeds. I can’t think of many sights more entertaining than a red fox scouting a meadow in search of mice – or gophers, voles, gerbils – well, mice in a German sense. Gotta be mouse gradation.

Fox 166
article thumbnail

Swainson’s Hawk Splendor

10,000 Birds

I quickly discovered they are vocal creatures, perhaps because it was summer time and the breeding season was just finishing up. I imagine this is the last thing many gophers in Klamath see. The first time I spent any quality time with them was in Klamath Basin on the border of California and Oregon. This is a lovely dark morph.

Gophers 182