an odd roost finding

[mccuha]

I was just thinking back to my texas quail hunt and something strange that I found. The first thing was I saw tons of roosts due to the high no. of birds but I found one area that had 25-30 roosts in a 50yd radius. The strange thing I found was one roost was about the size of a large dinner plate and the droppings were about 2-3" deep. The second thing was we found 2 quail dead on the roost and were not eaten but you could tell something had caught and killed them. Any ideas about these 2 things

 

[Preston1]

First observation, large droppings. With a mild winter here in Texas (some areas with no hard freeze) the winter moisture is producing healthy nutritious green vegetation and some insects are still alive. Thus large healthy droppings.

This is a very good sign for producing a healthy bunch of eggs. Both hen quail and pheasants need to gain weight and have a fat uterus to produce a healthy bunch of eggs. Each hen has close to one hundred egg follicles. If moisture and nutrients (green vegetation and insects) continue all summer the hens will attempt second or third hatch.

That is why last summer and this spring El Nino is so important for west and southwest quail and pheasants. Lets hope the El Nino moisture continues.

Second observation, two dead quail. A healthy well fed domestic house cat will hunt for fun not for food, just the thrill of the chase. The fat house cat will hunt and kill a quail with no desire to eat it.

 

[mccuha]

that makes cents with the big droppings but that one roost in particular looked like the cove was roosting on the same roost for a while. I've never seen that but possibly? all the other roosts in the area looked like a normal roost. The 2 dead quail. I told a friend and he said he wondered if a weasel could have done that?

 

[akp]

Same couple of coveys probably making those. They'll stay pretty close to the same area most times. I've seen roosts that size on numerous occassions. No telling about the dead bird....