[EBB Sightings] Gambel's Quail-Mines Road, Santa Clara County

Report by Gary Fregien, Sacramento Audubon, while accompanying the Mt. 
Diablo Audubon Society on their annual Mines Road trip.

At approximately 3:45 PM this day, Saturday, May 7, 2005 along Mines 
Road in Santa Clara County, while driving north, I observed an adult 
male Gambel's Quail in plain sight at a distance of about 12 feet.  The 
specific location is Mines Road at 19.5 miles south of the Del Valle 
Road junction.  This is within 1/10 mile south of Post Mile 24 SCC 
(seen from the northbound lane).  A white newspaper box, with the 
numbers 51705 is on the west side of the road just south of the mile 
marker.  There is also a ranch road leading west at the paper box, with 
a metal gate covered with plastic yellow sunflowers.  Also from the 
northbound lane, but within 1/10 mile south of the paper box, there is 
a paddle marker numbered 0955, immediately before a sharp turn to the 
left.  The bird was seen on the west side of the road, about 25-30 feet 
south of the paper box.  It was perched on a dead and down shrub with 
bare branches, which is immediately off the road shoulder.

As I am unfamiliar with Internet listing protocol in this area, I would 
appreciate assistance in getting this message posted at the appropriate 
websites.  Of course, I would also appreciate word of any subsequent 
sightings of this bird.  I am very curious about other sightings of 
this bird this far north.  Are there any Santa Clara County records for 
Gambel's Quail?  I will not be returning to the Sacramento area until 
Monday AM, but I will check email during the day tomorrow (Sunday).  My 
email address is:

gfreg at infionline.net

or I can respond to phone messages on Monday at (916) 451-2767.

Thanks for your help.