Sharp-tailed Grouse

[popeshawnpaul]

Got a chance to see and photograph endangered WA Sharp-tailed Grouse a week ago.  Great experience.  I hope we can save these birds!

[rtspring]

Awesome pics Pope.....

[bobcat]

Great photos! Is that in Okanogan County?

[B-Nut]

Amazing photos! Thanks for sharing them. 

[popeshawnpaul]

Great photos! Is that in Okanogan County?

And Lincoln County.

[viva_che1363]

are there any of these on the west side? i saw a similar looking bird the other week with yellow orange eye combs out around sultan. i didnt get a look at its tail as it was sitting.

[bobcat]

are there any of these on the west side?

No, not the right habitat.

[popeshawnpaul]

are there any of these on the west side? i saw a similar looking bird the other week with yellow orange eye combs out around sultan. i didnt get a look at its tail as it was sitting.

Sounds like a sooty grouse.

[Boss .300 winmag]

are there any of these on the west side? i saw a similar looking bird the other week with yellow orange eye combs out around sultan. i didnt get a look at its tail as it was sitting.

Sounds like a sooty grouse.

Learn smoothing new everyday! 

Sooty Grouse

Male Sooty Grouse displaying
Scientific classification
Kingdom:   Animalia
Phylum:   Chordata
Class:   Aves
Order:   Galliformes
Family:   Phasianidae
Subfamily:   Tetraoninae
Genus:   Dendragapus
Species:   D. fuliginosus
Binomial name
Dendragapus fuliginosus
(Ridgway, 1873)
The Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus) is a species of forest-dwelling grouse native to North America's Pacific Coast Ranges.[1][2] It is closely related to the Dusky Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus), and the two were previously considered a single species, the Blue Grouse.[1][2][3]


Sooty Grouse female
Adults have a long square tail, light gray at the end. Adult males are mainly dark with a yellow throat air sac surrounded by white, and a yellow wattle over the eye during display. Adult females are mottled brown with dark brown and white marks on the underparts.[2]
Their breeding habitat is the edges of conifer and mixed forests in mountainous regions of western North America, from southeastern Alaska and Yukon south to California.[2] Their range is closely associated with that of various conifers. The nest is a scrape on the ground concealed under a shrub or log.


Sooty Grouse male and female
They are permanent residents but move short distances by foot and short flights to denser forest areas in winter, with the odd habit of moving to higher altitudes in winter.[1]
These birds forage on the ground, or in trees in winter. In winter, they mainly eat fir and douglas-fir needles, occasionally also hemlock and pine needles; in summer, other green plants (Pteridium, Salix), berries (Gaultheria, Mahonia, Rubus, Vaccinium), and insects (particularly ants, beetles, grasshoppers) are more important. Chicks are almost entirely dependent on insect food for their first ten days.[1]
Males sing with deep hoots on their territory and make short flapping flights to attract females. Females leave the male's territory after mating.

[bobcat]

The "Sooty" grouse is not new. Just a new name for an old bird: the blue grouse.

[Curly]

Really cool pics.    Thanks for sharing.

[Boss .300 winmag]

 

Really cool pics.    Thanks for sharing.

 

[viva_che1363]

thanks for in info guys. i didnt want to hijack the thread. beautiful photos. i just didn't want to go shoot a grouse and have it wind up being endangered.

[popeshawnpaul]

thanks for in info guys. i didnt want to hijack the thread. beautiful photos. i just didn't want to go shoot a grouse and have it wind up being endangered.

No problem.  I think this is the grouse you saw.  Blue grouse were split a few years ago.  Ones on the westside are sooty grouse and have yellow eyebrows and air sacks.  Dusky grouse are eastside and have red eye and air sacks.  There is some variation but these are general guidelines.

[Alchase]

Wow, that' is an awesome photo!

If you do not mind me asking what did you shoot that with?

[Becky]

Incredible shots 

[Chase 1]

Wow, I mean wow! Great pics Shawn! 

[Arrow Head]

Wow, awesome shots!

[popeshawnpaul]

Wow, that' is an awesome photo!

If you do not mind me asking what did you shoot that with?

The sharpie shots were Canon 5D3 with 600 II.  The sooty shot was probably a 7D with 500mm F4 L IS.  Thanks all!

[Alchase]

Talk about an instant heart attack. Not sure which would give me a heart attack first, the price of that 600 II or carrying it around all day, lol

Man it would be worth it!

[BiggLuke]

wow... beautiful shots.
makes me wanna get better

[huntnphool]

Very nice Shawn

[quadrafire]

There was an article in the Spokane paper sunday about the sharp-tail and the sage.
In the Leks where blinds are placed, it is suggested to be in the blind by 3am and not to leave until after 10:30 or so to not disturb the mating rituals.
Is this the same where you shoot pope?

[memmons]

Amazing pictures! 

[wilsongideon]

those are excellent pictures wow, neat birds

[popeshawnpaul]

There was an article in the Spokane paper sunday about the sharp-tail and the sage.
In the Leks where blinds are placed, it is suggested to be in the blind by 3am and not to leave until after 10:30 or so to not disturb the mating rituals.
Is this the same where you shoot pope?

Yeah, there are guidelines and I suggest nobody do this unless you are with someone that has done this before.  There were trespassers reported this year and the WDFW is actively seeking these people.  It's important to remember sharp-tailed grouse are endangered and sage are threatened.  If you do something deemed "harassment" then you subject yourself to criminal exposure.  There are tons of public leks in Montana, Idaho, and Oregon that are easy to see, even from a car so I suggest people look those leks up.  There are festivals in Idaho and other states for this purpose with photo blinds, etc.  I visited Oklahoma last year on a festival and shot images of lesser and greater prairie chickens on lek at a festival.  They are set up for you and in good position, saving the leg work.

The actual blind doesn't bother them at all.  They look at it as a big rock or bush.  They are more disturbed by cars or people a half mile away than the blind 10 feet from them.  Noise will disturb the grouse, especially if there aren't females on lek to take the attention.  As a general rule, sage grouse are active all night when there is decent moonlight.  They will stay on the lek all night so no matter the time you get into the lek you will disturb them.  However, if it is in the dark they often aren't sure what the disturbance is and come back.  If they can see it was human disturbance, they will often not return to the lek.  On a dark evening or overcast night, they come into the blind about an hour and a half before daylight.  In these circumstances you can often slip in 2 hours before light or more.  On moonlit bright evenings, I prefer to sleep in the blind.  However, they do come on the lek the evening before at about sunset or slightly before/after.  So, you must be in an hour before sunset.  Yes, it can be taxing and a long cold night in March.

There are a lot of tricks to doing it and doing it right.  I strongly suggest you attend a festival or do it with someone that experienced and has proper access. 

[popeshawnpaul]

[quadrafire]

WOW!!
I had no idea. And don't plan to do it. So you keep taking these awsome shots for us to enjoy.