Bobwhite Quail Releases 2023

Next to hatching, this is the most exciting time of year for the Bobwhite Quail Project.  It’s time for Quail Releases.

The goal is to release these birds into their historical environments on Long Island. They’ll be graduating in July and starting their new lives in the wild. Join me, CEED Biologist, “Ranger” Eric Powers, founder of the Bobwhite Quail Project, as we release our juvenile quail back into their natural habitat. There, they will fill their ecological role of eating small, ground-dwelling bugs in our fields and forests, including a whole lot of ticks too!

Additionally, you can help by keeping house cats indoors and away from the Quail, or making a donation of time or money to help support CEED, the nature center that leads this important project. Release Dates and locations:

• Wednesday July 19, 10am: Mt Sinai Elem School at Brookhaven State Park. 75 BWQ
• Tuesday July 25, 11am: Town of North Hempstead at Hempstead Harbor Beach Trail. 50 BWQ from Clark Botanic Gardens + 100 BWQ from Smithtown Pens.
• Tuesday July 25, 4:30pm: CEED at South Trail (Dennis Puleston Preserve). 100 BWQ from Smithtown Pens.
• Thursday July 27, 1pm: Town of Brookhaven at the Longwood Estate. 100 BWQ.
• Saturday July 29, 10am: CEED Release at Caleb Smith State Park. ALL REMAINING BWQ, est 500-600 BWQ. Those of you who participated in this project and donated Quail are encouraged to bring an animal carrier to this release in order to receive a small covey of Quail to have your own private release with just you and your class or library patrons, in another part of Caleb Smith State Park.

I hope everyone can make it to at least one of the releases! I hope to see you there.

Eric Powers, CEED Site & Program Director