Grace's Nemisis, Ruffed Grouse

[NorthernFocus]

Poor Grace. We don't have as many large animals around our new house but we are infested with squirrels and grouse. She flushed a juvenile male ruffed grouse today and it flew up just out of reach and perched in a tree beside the house. While she kept an eye on the bird I went in and got a camera. The bird was amazingly accommodating. It was perched in an awkward spot among branches etc. But it was so convinced of either the effectiveness of its camouflage or the security of its perch that I was able to work around for different angles in search of a clean shot. Results follow. Poor Grace was beside herself that the bird just sat there and glared at her.

Nikon D500, 200-500mm VR, handheld

1) Some sweet light but the bird perched in an awkward spot. Shot at 400mm.



2) Climbing through the briars I found a cleaner, closer shot. Clean BG for a head shot but the perch/feet obscured. Shot at 500mm.



3) Worked all the way around the for a backlit shot. Note the winter plumage on the legs. Shot at 340mm.

[Mike Buckley]

Gorgeous colors and compositions! Grace deserves a doggie bone or something equally satisfying and I'm sure you didn't disappoint her.

[John 2]

Very nice Dan and a bird I've never seen before. Grouse, in my experience, are extremely shy but perhaps that's just the European version.

[IzzieK]

I have not seen a bird like this...I like your narration too. I am fascinated by the legs of the bird...

P.S. You could have taken a shot of Grace too. Thanks for the morning laugh...Our dogs thought they can climb trees too when running after squirrels.

[Shadowman]

Nice series.

[NorthernFocus]

Thanks for the comments, folks.

...Grouse, in my experience, are extremely shy but perhaps that's just the European version.

The ones here seem to rely heavily on their camouflage coloring. They tend to stay in brush and will hold tight in cover or on a low tree branch. Once they are convinced that they've been spotted and are in danger they flush with a loud burst of wings. Due to the close proximity and violence of the flush, typically in heavy brush, ruffed grouse have a reputation for being hard to shoot.

Spruce grouse, cousins of the ruffed, will hold so still in reliance on not being seen that the natives here in Alaska hunt them armed with nothing more than a stick with which they knock them on the head.

This particular bird hangs around in our yard and the neighbor's and has become somewhat habituated. I guess he's what would be described as "cheeky" in the Queen's English.

...P.S. You could have taken a shot of Grace too. Thanks for the morning laugh...Our dogs thought they can climb trees too when running after squirrels.

This episode was quite funny. Paige let Grace out for a potty break and she disappeared around the side of the house. She wouldn't recall which is very unusual. We heard a whine and walked around the house to find her standing on hind legs against a shed "on point" with the bird a few feet straight above her. It didn't occur to me to take out the cell phone for a quick shot/video

[Dave Humphries]

Great story and pictures Dan,

You can make even Grace's potty breaks educational for us

Thanks, Dave

[Wavelength]

Excellent shots

[John 2]

Thanks for the comments, folks.


The ones here seem to rely heavily on their camouflage coloring. They tend to stay in brush and will hold tight in cover ......................

Same over here. The Black and Red Grouse are Mooreland birds and just dissolve into the grasses if they spot you. I was up on the fells on Wednesday evening but the guns were out and the chances of photographing any bird was a bit slim. All I managed was a couple of pheasants.

[Craigie]

A nice set of images, #2 is my favourite.