I kept walking along the path to the north and eventually came to a corner, with a field in the distance and as I turned, a bird flushed, and it was unmistakable. A football shaped, chunky quail like bird flew across the path and into the high vegitation. I could clearly see the black mask across the eye, but it was gone before I could even think of taking a photo. Still it was the Chukar, and a new bird for the ABA Life List: 624 and new for the year: 502.
I went back today and finally got a photo of a pair of them in a storm retention pond. The pond is at the bottom of an embankment at about a 20 degree slope, which is exaclty the environment Chukars like to be in. Perhaps there are females around and the birds will breed in the area, giving the new neighborhood a fine exotic bird to see as people walk the path. Or, as many people fond of game birds are wont to do, maybe just good eats.
I went back today and finally got a photo of a pair of them in a storm retention pond. The pond is at the bottom of an embankment at about a 20 degree slope, which is exaclty the environment Chukars like to be in. Perhaps there are females around and the birds will breed in the area, giving the new neighborhood a fine exotic bird to see as people walk the path. Or, as many people fond of game birds are wont to do, maybe just good eats.
