NEED HELP 😫 QUAIL MOM IN JEOPARDY

[Birdadvocate]

We just had a vicious storm in Scottsdale, AZ. Our property is home to hundreds of Gambel Quail.

One's nesting cover was just ripped off by the vicious wind. We've lived here 30 years & worst wind storm in memory.

She has 7 eggs and bravely weathered the storm to continue to incubate her 7 eggs.

She's only in first week and has 2 weeks to go before hatching.

Now she & her nest are exposed to predators and boiling hot sun and weather. We have owls, hawks & bobcats on constant look out.

If you respond "predators gotta eat to" you'll be permanently

How can we add cover w/o frightening her off her brood?

We're prepared to encubate eggs if she abandons but don't want her to abandon.

We're skilled/trained/experienced at encubate, hatch, brood & release but that's a lot of work.

Could also drop off at the Wildlife Center but we like to keep covey local.

Do Gambel in wild leave their nest during day wherein we might be able to return some of the cover?

If so how long and how far do they wander?

Ideas on adding cover w/o frightening her off will be much appreciated.

It's dark now but tomorrow I'll try to add photos of our dilemma.

 

[igorsMistress]

It’s dark now? The last I looked it’s cloudy but quite light out. I’m surprised you’re asking for information if you already have experience with this type of bird. The males and females take turns protecting the nest so maybe doing something at night as a temporary shelter would work. Be quick and keep it simple.

 

[Nabiki]

Since these are wild birds, I would contact your wildlife rescue to ask them. If that isn't an option, putting up a bit of shelter after dark would probably be your best option.

 

[Susan Skylark]

Do not put a cage/or other “protective” netting over the nest. Maybe put some potted shrubs or pile some brush/sticks around it? I was a tech on a PhD research project and someone thought it would be great to put a protective wire cage over piping plover nests. Not only was this a great big billboard advertising to curious predators but two of the incubating birds were startled off the nests and flushed into the mesh, killing themselves and dooming their nest (the other parent then abandoned the nest).

 

[Birdadvocate]

Do not put a cage/or other “protective” netting over the nest. Maybe put some potted shrubs or pile some brush/sticks around it? I was a tech on a PhD research project and someone thought it would be great to put a protective wire cage over piping plover nests. Not only was this a great big billboard advertising to curious predators but two of the incubating birds were startled off the nests and flushed into the mesh, killing themselves and dooming their nest (the other parent then abandoned the nest).

Thanks

New to BYC. Took a while to figure how to attach picture. She looks fine, but she'll never make it another two weeks.

She had laid her eggs in one of our tomato plant pots which was covered with sunshade.

No problem. I cut off the water and let her have the pot but yesterday we had our worst storm in 30 years.

She's now fully exposed to full sun (118 degrees F), owls which we have a really mean one and a beautiful hawk, snakes and bob cats that come thru every 2 weeks.

It got so hot today she sat beside her eggs rather than on them.

She left her nest (momentarily I hope) and I quickly reconstructed her original habitat. I haven't checked on her yet tonight.

I appreciate your feedback as it calmed me and agree with your remarks.

For next year I'm thinking about putting together some kind of natural protective area for the Quail and ideas such as yours are most appreciated.

Others replied but they were sarcastic and not very helpful when emotions are high for fear of losing a bird or her brood.

Again thanks and I'll let you know whether she stays w/nest. If she doesn't come back by 4am I'll have to encubate (It's 100 degrees F now) so no fear of losing eggs yet. Drops below 90 degrees at 4 am tomorrow so risk of losing eggs.

Worst case I'll collect, incubate & take eggs to Liberty Wildlife tomorrow.

Again thanks

 

[Birdadvocate]

Thanks

New to BYC. Took a while to figure how to attach picture. She looks fine, but she'll never make it another two weeks.

She had laid her eggs in one of our tomato plant pots which was covered with sunshade.

No problem. I cut off the water and let her have the pot but yesterday we had our worst storm in 30 years.

She's now fully exposed to full sun (118 degrees F), owls which we have a really mean one and a beautiful hawk, snakes and bob cats that come thru every 2 weeks.

It got so hot today she sat beside her eggs rather than on them.

She left her nest (momentarily I hope) and I quickly reconstructed her original habitat. I haven't checked on her yet tonight.

I appreciate your feedback as it calmed me and agree with your remarks.

For next year I'm thinking about putting together some kind of natural protective area for the Quail and ideas such as yours are most appreciated.

Others replied but they were sarcastic and not very helpful when emotions are high for fear of losing a bird or her brood.

Again thanks and I'll let you know whether she stays w/nest. If she doesn't come back by 4am I'll have to encubate (It's 100 degrees F now) so no fear of losing eggs yet. Drops below 90 degrees at 4 am tomorrow so risk of losing eggs.

Worst case I'll collect, incubate & take eggs to Liberty Wildlife tomorrow.

Again thanks

Update

Just checked at 9pm.

Good new she's on the nest

Bad news another storm brewing

These are bad storms. Made complete mess of our property. Spent whole day cleanup and be doing same tomorrow.

Anything changes let y'all know.

 

[Birdadvocate]

Update

Just checked at 9pm.

Good new she's on the nest

Bad news another storm brewing

These are bad storms. Made complete mess of our property. Spent whole day cleanup and be doing same tomorrow.

Anything changes let y'all know.

2nd Update

The new cover is holding out. Secured tent stake that was in the pot deeply into ground so wind wouldn't pull off the sunshade.

Weathered another storm. Quail doing fine. The Quail mom is the one that picked the location unfortunately storm blew it off.

Luckily caught her off nest and was able to reconstruct her home. It gets so hot out here it would literally cooked her eggs w/o shade. She wouldn't sit on them that day. Just sit beside of them.

Now she's protected from her predators the owls, hawk, bobcats (maybe), lizards and snakes (maybe).

Also, sunshade is shedding off some of the torrent rain so it won't build up in pot and chill her eggs.

Thanks goes most to Susan for her positivity and creative ideas.

What I did notice and wasn't expecting sarcasm & negativity. I wasn't expecting this from BYC social site. I got a lot of it on Twitter. Why I stopped tweeting.

If you can't say kind & supportive things to others just don't speak. Especially on a site like BYC.

This site is intended I believe to help not hurt people.

BTW the offenders were some of BYC oldest members. For now I'll just mute them but if it continues I'll leave the site.

Attached picture of quails new construction. Same as her old just lower because had to put tent pole outside pot.

Might say she lost her cathedral ceiling but at least she won't lose her or upcoming upcoming families lives.

Her hatchlings are due in 10 more days. Don't worry they'll get out of the pot. You'd be surprised how hight these little wonders can jump first day out of shell.

I'm going to start another forum discussing myths of quail based on our observations and internet falsehoods.

If I can catch a photo of chicks before they leave their nest I'll post on this thread. Sometimes they don't hang around.

Quail supposedly roam over 40 acres but not sure this is true. Something we'll discuss in the other forum.

...and thanks to BYC staff for changing this to a forum vs an article. Still getting used to posting things.

 

[Nabiki]

2nd Update

The new cover is holding out. Secured tent stake that was in the pot deeply into ground so wind wouldn't pull off the sunshade.

Weathered another storm. Quail doing fine. The Quail mom is the one that picked the location unfortunately storm blew it off.

Luckily caught her off nest and was able to reconstruct her home. It gets so hot out here it would literally cooked her eggs w/o shade. She wouldn't sit on them that day. Just sit beside of them.

Now she's protected from her predators the owls, hawk, bobcats (maybe), lizards and snakes (maybe).

Also, sunshade is shedding off some of the torrent rain so it won't build up in pot and chill her eggs.

Thanks goes most to Susan for her positivity and creative ideas.

What I did notice and wasn't expecting sarcasm & negativity. I wasn't expecting this from BYC social site. I got a lot of it on Twitter. Why I stopped tweeting.

If you can't say kind & supportive things to others just don't speak. Especially on a site like BYC.

This site is intended I believe to help not hurt people.

BTW the offenders were some of BYC oldest members. For now I'll just mute them but if it continues I'll leave the site.

Attached picture of quails new construction. Same as her old just lower because had to put tent pole outside pot.

Might say she lost her cathedral ceiling but at least she won't lose her or upcoming upcoming families lives.

Her hatchlings are due in 10 more days. Don't worry they'll get out of the pot. You'd be surprised how hight these little wonders can jump first day out of shell.

I'm going to start another forum discussing myths of quail based on our observations and internet falsehoods.

If I can catch a photo of chicks before they leave their nest I'll post on this thread. Sometimes they don't hang around.

Quail supposedly roam over 40 acres but not sure this is true. Something we'll discuss in the other forum.

...and thanks to BYC staff for changing this to a forum vs an article. Still getting used to posting things.

I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing any sarcasm or negativity in this thread. I apologize if anyone here came across that way.

 

[CliftonQuail]

I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing any sarcasm or negativity in this thread. I apologize if anyone here came across that way.

To be fair, the first person to respond was a bit sarcastic in their first couple of sentences, but offered good advice in the rest of the comment. Like you, I didn't notice any other comment that seemed sarcastic or negative.