Year: 2018

Today Jennifer and I got another early start to do some covey call counts and hopefully hear the coveys that our resident bird expert Joe heard a couple of days ago.  It was another clear and chilly morning and this time I was a little more prepared by bringing a fold up camp chair.  I found out that standing still in the middle of a field in 20 degree weather can be hard on your back! With a head lamp, chair, and a thermos of hot tea, we walked back to the same location where Joe was situated on our previous visit.  We still thought it would be a good idea to split up and go on opposite sides of the tree line, hoping we could better locate the direction in which the covey calls were coming from.  I kept looking at my cell phone to be prepared for when 7:14am approached so I could be extra focused.  7:14am came and went, then 7:29am.  Next thing I know, the sun is up.  Maybe Joe didn’t hear them…or maybe it’s just me?  When Jennifer and I met back at the tree line where we separated she excitedly said “did you hear them!?”  Nope.  Well…I guess it is me.  Next time we go to Lewis Township I’m sitting right where Jennifer and Joe were located so I can get in on the action too!  Good news is, Jennifer was pretty sure it was a covey call so we’re one step closer to confirming we have some quail populations.  And once again, as you can see in the picture, it was another beautiful early morning – a great way to start the day.

During our time discussing quail habitat with our local Ohio Department of Wildlife agents we became curious if we could already have some quail populations at Greenacres Lewis Township.  Although the habitat is not perfect for quail currently, the property does have some good things going for it.  For instance, there are already “soft edges” around one of the large fields that we will be transitioning to NWSG pasture.  Soft edges means that the transition from open field to woods is gradual and not abrupt.  In other words, there are successional plant species between the field and the trees.  These plants species, such as briars and other woody shrubs are needed for cover for bobwhite populations to succeed.  Another promising fact is that Brown County (where the Lewis Township property is located) is one of the few counties in Ohio where Bobwhite quail populations have been surveyed recently.

One way to determine if we have quail currently is to do covey call counts.  This time of year the birds form coveys (small groups of 10-12) and about 45 minutes before sunrise they begin their “covey calls” to re-assemble from the previous night (click here for an audio clip).  To do call counts we need to be in the area of interest approximately an hour prior to sunrise.  From that location will not only count the calls when heard but also try to locate from what direction the calls are originating.  The next step would be to “flush” the coveys and count the birds as they fly up to escape.  This can either be done with trained bird dogs or we can try to locate and flush the coveys ourselves.

As part of our on-going initiative to develop habitat for Northern Bobwhite quail at both of our properties, the research team and livestock production manager met with folks from Ohio Department of Wildlife (ODW) and Pheasants Forever, as well as an USDA State Biologist who runs the Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) program for Northern Bobwhites in the State of Ohio.  The purpose of the meeting was to walk the areas where native warm season grasses (NWSG) will be established to discuss complimentary quail habitat.  As mentioned in an earlier post, bobwhites are known as an edge species.  Shrubby thickets should comprise 20-30% of the bobwhite’s habitat and should be no more than “a good softball throw” apart.  These areas provide protection from predators and extreme weather, offer traveling lanes and resting areas, and provide food.  The team of wildlife biologists showed us existing areas that looked promising for quail and also discussed how to manipulate areas to provide even better habitat.  The idea is to have some edge habitat approximately every 100 feet around our NWSG stand.

How can we tell if an area is good for quail?  We need to get a bird’s eye view.  You want to look about 12 inches off of the ground in shrubby areas.  If it looks like a quail can maneuver easily through the thicket while still having overhead protection about 12 inches up then you likely have some good quail habitat.  The picture below shows a bramble patch with a dense canopy yet plenty of open spaces underneath for a quail to maneuver through (but not large enough areas for a fox or coyote!).  Alternatively the thick sod-forming fescue (grass) in between the field and the thickets as seen in the same picture would cause an issue for the birds.  The softball size birds need open spaces to quickly out-maneuver predators.  These spaces are available in the clump forming NWSGs and the shrubby thickets, however the 10 foot wide strip of fescue between the two habitats slows them down, leaving them exposed to predators, both on the ground and in the air.  It was recommended to get rid of the fescue through a tillage strip, which will also open up the seedbank for ragweed, a quail friendly plant and important food source during winter months due to its seeds which provide energy and are an excellent source of protein for quail.