Greater Sage-Grouse Tour

I did something a little different this weekend -- drove out to Craig, Colo. for a Greater Sage Grouse viewing tour led by Conservation Colorado. The bird's official conservation status is "near threatened," due primarily to loss of its sagebrush habitat. So they're not seen that often, which made this a special opportunity. Well worth the 3 1/2-hour drive ... or so I hoped.

The morning got off to a VERY early start.  As in, meeting at 4:15 a.m. early.  Our group of 16 piled into a pair of SUVs and headed to a somewhat secret location on private land.  As in, so secret that we were asked to turn off any GPS devices.  The mating area for a sensitive species is not something that needs to be broadcast.

The field where the birds gather has actually been cultivated since 1912.  But the grouse were using it before then as a "lek," and the landowners have honored that by allowing them to continue to do so.  We set up shop in a CPW trailer before dawn and waited.

We could hear the males "booming" before we could see them.  As the sky grew brighter, we were fortunate to find ourselves in the company of more than 130 grouse.  The male-female ratio was around 110-20, so the boys had their work cut out for them in their attempts to woo a lady.

This guy was apparently not having any luck ...

... and neither was this guy.

For most of the morning, the grouse stayed a good distance from our viewing trailer.  And while I wasn't getting the shots I'd hoped for, I was still enjoying the spectacle.  Then about 2 1/2 hours in for some unknown reason one of the fellows decided to fly within about 10 feet of the trailer.  Now I was in business. :)

He was soon joined by others, perhaps just wanting to make sure that the first guy didn't know something that they didn't.  While they weren't displaying, they were at least close enough for me to get some solid captures.

Preening -- I'll take it.

Wait ... something might be happening ...

Yes!  A Sage-Grouse standoff!

That turned briefly to violence!  Or at least near violence.  One little jump and squawk and it was over and the two went their separate ways.  But it drove home the importance of patience when photographing wildlife.  I took 369 pictures this morning, and this one was the 365th.

The takeaway: if you've got the time, wait for the shot.  Being able to capture a moment like this certainly made the drive back home cheerier!