Spruce Grouse - 28 Apr 2019
Sunday had arrived with clear skies, no wind, and a comfortable 32F temperature. My plan was to hopefully see a Spruce Grouse before driving home. So, I met up with 10 other tour members at 6:30 am in front of the Owls Roost Gift Shop at Whitefish Point and waited for instructions from Elliot Nelson, our tour guide. Chris Neri and Nova Mackently had banded 4 owls from last night, so everyone but me and Elliot had wanted to remain back long enough to see them.
So, Elliot and I drove to Vermillion Drive and cruised slowly up and down the road to look for grouse. We did not find any, so we returned to the cars. Frank and Elaine arrived, so Elliot had us tromp through the woods on this side of the road to look for a Spruce Grouse while waiting for everyone to arrive. Once they'd arrive we'd all check the woods on the other side as a group. We didn't have to wait.
Elliot called out that a male Spruce Grouse was up the trail and visible through binoculars. Sure enough, about 30 yards away a beautiful grouse was posing in the early morning sun and oblivious to our presence. I immediately set up the scope to get some digiscoped images and video.
Once everyone else caught up we decided to see if we could hike around and get better looks from inside the woods. Frank and I had walked a bit farther ahead of everyone else and managed to get in a position where the bird would come to us.
Charlotte had called out that I was getting too close, so I backed up at her request. It was at that point that the Spruce Grouse appeared ahead in the clearing and began to move in our direction. I was stunned when it flew into the lower branches of a tree where it was beautifully-illuminated by the morning Sun. I had to crouch down on one knee in order to see it from under the tree I was by, but was able to get some great photos with the Sony a9 and 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS.
A hundred photos later I was then further-stunned when the bird took off and flew toward me! I even managed to get a half-dozen photos of it in flight. Whether it was Animal Eye-AF or the Tracking: Expand Flexible Spot focus mode I managed a few sharp eyeball pics.
The grouse landed in the trees not 3 feet away from me, then hopped down on the ground to my right. All I could do was freeze in place and watch it from the corner of my eye while it approached and checked me out. He then paused long enough for a few more portrait shots before finally flying off to deeper cover.
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| grouse poop |
Elated, I headed back to the group and joined them as we hiked the road to look for more birds (we would see several small flocks of Red Crossbills, hear Coyotes howling, and see fly-by Common Loons and Wood Ducks).
Vermillion Road--The Slab, Chippewa, Michigan, US
Apr 28, 2019 7:15 AM - 8:11 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.4 mile(s)
12 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 2
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 2
Spruce Grouse (Canachites canadensis) 1 Photos to come. Male. Red comb. Black breast. Black tail with brown band at end.
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) 3
Common Loon (Gavia immer) 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) 2
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 1
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) 3
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) 1
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 7
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S6
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Satisfied that I could not get better photos today I thanked Elliot and Charlotte for a great tour and decided to drive home. I would stop long enough to photograph a Broad-winged Hawk that was perched in a snag over the marsh. I'd also spot several Red Crossbills, and a pair of Rough-legged Hawks on the south side of the Mackinac Bridge.
Many thanks need to be given to Lindsay Cain, Heather Good and the rest of Michigan Audubon for providing accommodations and a great Spring Fling 2019. Thanks also to Elliot Nelson for great tours this weekend, including a lifetime encounter with a stunning bird.
Apr 28, 2019 7:15 AM - 8:11 AM
Protocol: Traveling
0.4 mile(s)
12 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 2
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 2
Spruce Grouse (Canachites canadensis) 1 Photos to come. Male. Red comb. Black breast. Black tail with brown band at end.
Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis) 3
Common Loon (Gavia immer) 2
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) 2
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 1
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) 1
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) 3
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) 1
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 7
View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S6
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (https://ebird.org/home)
Satisfied that I could not get better photos today I thanked Elliot and Charlotte for a great tour and decided to drive home. I would stop long enough to photograph a Broad-winged Hawk that was perched in a snag over the marsh. I'd also spot several Red Crossbills, and a pair of Rough-legged Hawks on the south side of the Mackinac Bridge.
Many thanks need to be given to Lindsay Cain, Heather Good and the rest of Michigan Audubon for providing accommodations and a great Spring Fling 2019. Thanks also to Elliot Nelson for great tours this weekend, including a lifetime encounter with a stunning bird.
