Aug. 14, Pat Porterfield spotted four Northern Bobwhite quail at the corner of Maple and Cedar. They were scurrying around in the greenbelt area. Pat tidbitted, “Beautiful birds indeed.”
Do you remember the good old days when the “bob white” call was often heard? According to TPWD’s “Quail Initiative” publication, since 1980 bobwhite populations in Texas have declined at a rate of about 5.6% per year. “These numbers add up – or down to be more correct – to a 75% loss in bobwhites.” The leading cause seems to be the loss of quantity and quality of habitat.
Pat continued, “Also, we have a roadrunner that spends a large amount of his time in our yard, on the roof, on Elsie’s back (the cement cow in our front yard) and even runs along the top of our privacy fence, never hesitating to hop down into our back yard. I saw him shortly after leaving the bird bath just to lay out on our driveway under the shade of our mountain laurel. I love watching this guy!”
