Is that you Don Quail?

About a week ago I saw a strange looking bird meandering in my patio. It was my first time to see this kind of bird and I have wondered what it was. Then I suddenly remember to run upstairs to get my camera. I took aim and just then my battery ran out. Grrr...&@$#& I got back upstairs to get my spare battery and ran downstairs again. This time, however, the bird has wandered between the exterior wall of my house and a big pot of cactus plant. It was not a good shot. A few seconds later it took off in the backyard up the slope among the bushes.

Three days later, I heard a strange sound in the patio again. I walked to the sliding glass door to see what it was and there it is the strange looking bird. I startled it and it took off, but came back in a few minutes. I aimed carefully this time, hiding behind the wall so as not to scare it. I got a good shot of it.

It turned out that this is The California Valley Quail. It is the State Bird. More about the bird here.

The California Valley Quail
Click image to enlarge.

Here it is at the back door, looking inside. It's been lurking in the back most of the time. It is now a familiar sight in my backyard. My husband said it is our mascot. LOL

I don't have a clue as to its gender. I wonder if that thing on its head means its a male or a female. If it's a male, I'll call it Don, Don Quail. (Not to be confused with Dan Quayle. ) If it's a female I'll call it Donna. However, I prefer it to be a male.

Don has been looking inside the house for some 30 minutes or so. He could be watching me while I was watching TV. Or he could be looking at his image on the glass, thinking it's another quail. Or he could reading my blog. Yes, that's what he was doing. He's lurking, and when I'm not looking, he's reading my blog. LOL

Oh, well, I ramble and talk nonsense at times, if not all the time.