nature study

While I was in the kitchen this afternoon I heard a bird hit the front window. I don't know that I've ever been aware of a bird hitting the front windows (other than those silly bushtits a few postings back!). Sometimes they hit the kitchen window, but even that's rare (most of the windows have those lines through them, I don't know the official word but it's like the window is divided into squares, so the birds generally seem to steer clear). Anyway, I ran out front and was shocked to find a female California Quail. How strange! Oh sure, I see them around, but it's definitely not what I was expecting (scrub jay, robin, etc). Poor thing must have broken her neck, and she died in my hands. :-( Such a pretty bird. I took some photographs of her feather patterns before I buried her in the garden.