The silent song of the Bobwhite!

Growing up I used to love to watch “bobwhite” on my grandfather’s farm.  It was nothing to see a covey or two on the backside of his place as I took my daily jaunts.  Seemed there was always a bird calling somewhere during the summer months.  I’ve watched them feed along under my treestand and flushed many a bird up while taking a walk through the woods.  Several family members plant food and keep cover for the chestnut colored birds.  Today, I couldn’t tell you the last time I saw or even heard a quail here in Virginia.  They have slowly disappeared like Donnie Johnston writes about.  It sure would be nice to take an evening stroll and hear the call of the bobwhite again!  For now, I’ll hold on to my memories.

“On the way to the mailbox one morning in late May, I heard a bobwhite quail calling. Three decades ago, that would have been no big deal, but these days partridges are all but extinct in my part of the world.”