MonikaC
Well-Known Member
My first trip this year to the Teton area, I heard this strange explosive hooting around sunset at my camp. I looked around, saw a large bird sitting in a tree maybe 10' from where I was parked, but it was just sitting there, not doing anything. I kept looking, and saw a chicken-sized bird on the ground with its back to me, spreading its tail feathers in an eye-catching display. I grabbed my camera & started walking towards it, but, unfortunately, my dog came with me (she usually has no interest in birds) a bit too fast & the birds (there were 2, only one on display) took off. I did a little research after I got home & learned that male sage grouse typically do their mating displays in April & May at sunrise at particular places called leks. This poor guy still hadn't found a mate in late May, was trying at the other end of the day and several miles from the closest lek.
I returned 2 weeks later and camped 2 sites away, at the top of the hill and one evening heard what sounded like an engine dieseling. I first thought it was another ATV that had stopped to watch the sunset, but realized that there wasn't one around. A sage grouse, I thought. Sure enough, he came wandering out of the trees, through my campsite and hopped up on a tree stump to do his thing. My dog was in the vehicle, so I gently closed the doors, put my 70-200mm lens on and walked towards the sage grouse, then around to the other side. He posed for a while before hopping down & wandering off, sans mate.
A little more research showed me that this is a dusky grouse and that the yellow eyebrow turns red during mating season.
I returned 2 weeks later and camped 2 sites away, at the top of the hill and one evening heard what sounded like an engine dieseling. I first thought it was another ATV that had stopped to watch the sunset, but realized that there wasn't one around. A sage grouse, I thought. Sure enough, he came wandering out of the trees, through my campsite and hopped up on a tree stump to do his thing. My dog was in the vehicle, so I gently closed the doors, put my 70-200mm lens on and walked towards the sage grouse, then around to the other side. He posed for a while before hopping down & wandering off, sans mate.
A little more research showed me that this is a dusky grouse and that the yellow eyebrow turns red during mating season.
