[Birdnet] Scaled Quail - San Juan County

[Dennis Shirley]

Hi All,
  By now the word is out about the SCALED QUAIL in San
Juan County. I knew it wouldn't take long. They were
found in Montezuma Creek Canyon on saturday afternoon
by my son Justin[J]. I went down on monday and tuesday
morning at 9 am we found them again. There is only
three birds, but I think there's a good chance to find
them in the same place, hopefully for a while to come.
  The area can be accessed two ways, but probably the
easiest is through Blanding.
  Directions:
      Take highway 191 from Monticello to Blanding. Go
through Blanding and on the south end of town [maybe
about a mile or so] there's a Amerigas Outlet on the
left side and a Blue Mountain RV sign on the right.
Turn left onto the paved road. It's between MP 50 and
49. This is the lane that's just north of Dr Redds'
place, Cinco Cedros. Keep your eyes peeled because
scaled quail have been seen in this area in the past.
In fact there's a report they were seen here last
summer again.  About 1.1 miles turn right at the
intersection onto a good gravel road. It is about 18
miles to the Montezuma Creek Canyon junction from 191.
You will cross Recapture Wash in about 4 miles. Keep
going! At 8.5 miles you come to a "Y" in the road.
Veer left. You will be on State Road 206. Keep going!
In about another 10 miles you will come to an oil
facility and the MCC junction. Turn left onto SR 146.
Go about 3[2.8] miles. A small dirt road goes to the
left into a side canyon. Just past the road to the
right are five tan colored oil storage tanks. You have
gone too far if you get to these. Turn up the road and
either park here or go to the end of the road which is
only 400-500 yards. As you enter the side canyon/draw 
you will notice a cliff line running arond the north
and west side of the canyon. Straight ahead on the
west cliff face you will notice a whitish rock layer
running maybe 30-50 yards along the base of the cliff
above the boulder and brushy slope. The white is water
marks and there is a small seep here. Both times the
quail were seen in the sparse basin bottom then ran
onto the slope below the seep and hid in the brush.
>From the end of the road the spot is maybe 200 yards
to the southwest.I think if you see the birds it would
be best not to chase them too far or they are apt to
leave the area and would be tough to refind. This is
hopefully their territory and the seep will keep them
here. 
  When J and I jumped them and they ran into the rocks
we didn't go after them, but I pulled out my new toy
[I still believe in Santa Clause], an Ipod setup and
played the scaled quail song and call, and all three
birds jumped up on a boulder and called and displayed.
It was awesome.
  The alternative route would be to turn left off 191
at 4.9 miles south of Monticello, between MP 67 and
66, go east across the flatland, drop into the head of
Montezuma Creek and travel down the canyon to the five
oil tanks. They are 4.2 miles south of the BLM
Historic, "Three Kiva Pueblo." The distance going this
way is 30.3 miles on a good gravel road.
  Just for your information the quail may be a little
more common than we think. A DWR Wildlife Biologist
saw five last summer on a Breeding Bird Survey along
191 south of Blanding, and a DWR Officer jumped a
small covey in South Cottonwood Wash a few years. 
Again,the first records were around Dr Redds' ranch
and they are still apparently occasionally seen there.

  If you find the quail and have time to spare there
is a good population of WOOD DUCKS wintering along the
San Juan River from Bluff to Montezuma Creek. J and I
think they may number up to 200 or more! Will need to
check next summer to see if they might nest there.
  Good Luck and keep posting your results. The boys of
the family are going to Arizona for a week, you
guessed it, our annual quail hunt. When we get back
I'm sure we could take a group down to see the birds
if you haven't already got them.
  Dennis Shirley
 


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