Chukar

On our way home from the Franklin Parker Preserve and Shrike viewing, Patty yells out, "Bobwhite Quail!". *

She had spotted two birds along the side of the road. And while quail made the most sense they were not Bobwhite Quail. Rather they were Chukars.

Quick as I could I turned around and we returned to the spot. By then one had wandered off in to the woods. While Patty looked for the camera I snapped a couple of shots with my iPhone.

By the time the camera out of the daypack the second bird had too moved off into the woods. It is in the middle of the image above, at the base of the center background tree.

I got out of the car and quietly maneuvered to get a better angle.

Fortunately, the bird 'hid' and remained still while I fired away.

As this bird is usually found only at high elevations out west in the US, having been introduced from Asia (it is the national bird of Pakistan and Iraq), it is extremely likely these are released birds. Given that the South Park Semi-Wild area is just a bit down the road from where we say them I'd say it is pretty much certain these birds did not get here under their own power. Still, they were cool to see.

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* Earlier on the same ride home Patty had cried out, "That's Terry!", although it was not our friend Terry of recent notoriety in this blog. It was our other friend Terry. This Terry was out looking for Red Crossbills. It seems another friend and birder extraordinaire, Tom, had seem these birds his way home from Franklin Parker Preserve, last Sunday, after we, Patty, Terry, Tom, and yours truly, had been viewing the same Northern Shrike. Tom had spotted the Crossbills in a puddle on the the side of the road. 

The moral of the story is keep your eyes on the side of the road. And not on your phone.

Good birding.