In addition, there are some other factors that contribute to the habitat loss/disturbance at Greenbury Point.  There is a major composting operation as well as a newly constructed recreational facility for the Naval Academy, which was completed in 2008, though I'm not sure how long the composting facility has been there, since my memory is foggy of my first visits to the preserve.  Both of these facilities are just a couple hundred meters down the road from the nature center and directly adjacent to some of the prime bob-white habitat where I used to hear them calling back in 2007.  
But the third factor is the recent deer culling and habitat restoration that's been going on at GB since winter/spring 2009.  A lot of the underbrush, which was unfortunately mostly exotic and invasive shrub species, has been cleared and removed as part of a habitat restoration program.  The deer are being culled, which is a good thing for native vegetation ultimately, but the brush-clearing has led to some pretty significant disturbance on the entire point.  Most of the cover is now gone for bob-whites where they used to hang out.
Ross

--- On Tue, 3/23/10, Dan Haas <> wrote:

From: Dan Haas <>
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Bobwhite quail and bluebirds
To: 
Date: Tuesday, March 23, 2010, 8:43 AM

In Anne Arundel, several pair of Bobwhite bred on Greenbury Point in
Annapolis up until two summers ago. Last summer I heard one bird do
it's trademark song. And about a week prior to my observation, one
quail (more than likely the same bird) was photographed there by a
friend of mine.

One could suppose that the reason for their swift and sudden decline
was the habitat change (overpopulation of deer grazing), the foxes and
other predators, or even the free-running dogs that people bring to
the property daily for their exercise.

Dan Haas
Annapolis, MD


On Tue, Mar 23, 2010 at 8:26 AM, Rick Sussman <> wrote:
> Hi Gail, and all,
>  On July 30, 2005, I heard two Bobwhites and saw one flying, at Blue Mash.  Prior to that I heard one there in June the same year.
>
> Rick Sussman
> Woodbine,MD
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Gail Mackiernan <>
> To: 
> Sent: Tue, Mar 23, 2010 7:45 am
> Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Bobwhite quail and bluebirds
>
>
> Bobwhite also took a major hit in the terrible winter of 1976-77 (when the
> ay froze over). We lost our own "home covey" during this time period. Prior
> o this my mother and I had enjoyed seeing the little creatures flocking on
> ur driveway and in our back field where it bordered the woods.
> However, Bobwhite did make it through in other areas and I had them in NW
> ranch Park in two blocks and also, at the Trolley Museum in Silver Spring
> uring the 1980s Breeding Bird Atlas. Then they faded away -- as did the
> heasant during the same time period. We had neither species in the recent
> BA, doing the exact same blocks --
> I should add that I lived (in the 70s) on 2 acres adjacent to Sligo Creek
> ark and right on University Blvd. in Silver Spring, not exactly what we
> hink of as "quail habitat." However the quail did fine for years and I
> till have a tail feather from a cock pheasant who used to march across the
> ack field as well.
> Cannot recall the last time I have heard a Bobwhite in Maryland...
> Gail Mackiernan
> ilver Spring, MD
>