North Hempstead, NY – The Town of North Hempstead has raised Northern Bob White Quail the past two years to help several of the Town’s parks combat ticks without the use of pesticides. In the past, after the quail were hatched and raised for several weeks inside a brooder at the “Yes We Can” Community Center, the chicks had to then be transferred many miles away to Caleb Smith Park in Smithtown for 6 to 8 weeks so that they could mature and learn to fly.

But thanks to local Boy Scout Daniel Reilly of Troop 423 from Plainview-Old Bethpage, who is working towards his Eagle Scout Rank, the Town is now the recipient of a quail flight pen, built by Daniel and his team of volunteers. Eagle Scout projects often involve community improvement projects and fundraising, and Daniel worked hard raising funds and signing up volunteers to help construct the pen.

“We are so excited about the Town finally having its own flight pen for our fledgling quail right here in our own backyard,” said Supervisor Judi Bosworth. “It will be a wonderful educational experience for visitors who come to Clark Botanic Garden.”

The 8x12 feet flight pen was constructed at Clark Botanic Garden, near the greenhouse and will hold up to 100 fledgling quail. The quail pen will also function as an educational tool for visitors to the garden. Informational signs will explain to the public what the quail project is all about, as well as illustrate the life cycle of the Northern Bob White Quail.

The North Hempstead quail program is led by Ranger Eric Powers of the Center for Environmental Education & Discovery (CEED) and host of the Town’s nature program “Off the Trail.” Mr. Powers also works with dozens of schools across Long Island who set up incubators in their classrooms and raise the quail as part of their animal life cycle studies that teaches science, environmental studies and responsible stewardship. To join the spring-time Quail vs Ticks Study visit Ranger Eric’s website at www.YC2N.com.

For more information call the Town’s 311 Call Center. Have you tuned into North Hempstead TV lately? View all of our great programming on Channels 18 or 63 on Cablevision or Channel 46 on Verizon, or visit www.myNHTV.com or www.youtube.com/townofnorthhempstead.

From left, Boy Scout Daniel Reilly, Biologist Eric Powers and North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth place the baby quail in their new pen where they will live and mature over the next 8 weeks. Daniel made the pen as his Eagle Scout project.



From left, Park Commissioner Jill Weber; Patrick Reilly, Daniel’s father; Lisbeth Reilly, Daniel’s mother; Town Horticulturist Bonnie Klein; Town Council Member Lee Seeman; Supervisor Judi Bosworth; Boy Scout Daniel Reilly, Biologist Eric Powers; Town Clerk Wayne Wink; Town Council Member Peter Zuckerman; Deputy Town Parks Commissioner John Darcy and Gangsta in front row.