RPQRF e-Quail Newsletter (October 2021 V13N10)

Strong Finish to 2021 Nesting Season

RPQRF observed September hatches on all 3 sites where we are monitoring radio-marked hens this summer. September hatches are not too common in the Rolling Plains and, if they occur at all, typically happen early in the month. A nest on RPQRR hatched on September 13th this year, making it the latest recorded hatch since we began monitoring in 2008. Erath County, a bobwhite translocation project, recorded a September 16th hatch and Kent County, a scaled quail translocation site, recorded a September 6th hatch. In Kent County, we observed a scaled quail that initiated 3 nests in a single season and one that pulled off a double brood. This phenomenon is rarer in scaled quail compared to bobwhites as scaled quail tend to have lower annual production, but higher survival. Our observations on nesting ecology are likely indicative of range-wide trends because they were consistent across 3 sites. Although late season nesting efforts are not likely to affect a large change in annual production, every little bit helps!
more:
RPQRR Roadside Surveys
Will Late-Hatches Buoy Quail Forecasts?

https://mailchi.mp/dcffa46830e0/rpqrf-e-quail-newsletter-october-2021-v13n10?e=bf9645b366

Sounds like good news!

I’ve seen late hatches get wiped out due to an early wet cold front in October.
Fingers crossed.

Thanks a bunch for posting. I found this forum while looking got the quail report.

I've read late hatches are less successful because the grasshoppers are too big for the chicks to eat plus the weather is more likely to get them.