Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area has settled into its summer mode and, as a result, bird observations are limited and fairly predictable; the spring spectacles have moved on to the north. Indeed, this morning, mammals (deer and cottontails) seemed to be more common than birds in some parts of the refuge.
Nevertheless, I still visit the floodplain for the fresh air, tranquility and natural scenery. Besides, as all naturalists come to realize, one never knows what might turn up.
This morning's surprise encounter was with a northern bobwhite that sauntered across the road in front of my Beetle. More often heard than seen, these quail are more likely to be observed during the cooler months of the year, when the vegetation is less dense. Beyond the sighting itself, I was taken back to my childhood in Cincinnati, where these birds were common in fields near my home (see A Nostalgic Sound).
