Man this year keeps flying by, hard to believe that it’s already Summer and 4th of July is over. Time is flying by so fast that it hurts to think that Pylon Race Seminar was just two weeks ago. Uhhh such as it goes processing. Well the other day we had a nice break from the computers when a guest showed up at the house. I’m referring to the Blue Grouse or now known as the Sooty Grouse on the Pacific Coast. The species was split into two subspecies the Sooty and Dusky. Dusky are found up northeast towards the Rockies.
At the time I was processing and heard Dad from the kitchen yelling at me, “get up here.” When i got upstairs they pointed out the window and said, “Our friends are back.” Sure enough Mom and Kid grouse were back in the yard. Not sure if it is the same female grouse as last summer but it did display some of the same characteristics which makes us think it is. She has a new cuby this year with 4 buttons. They could only have been about 8 weeks old. Seems kinda late to be seeing them but then it has been a cold Spring.
They came down from the hill two rows houses behind us, crossed the street, came around our house, an then went back through the houses towards the hill. I caught up with them before they hit the road, not long before it started to rain. Wasn’t hard just, planted with the 200-400 crouched down and waited for them to come by me. Needles to say they were friendly, at one a kid came so close I couldn’t focus on him anymore. Right before it started to rain mom made a whole, and used her body as a cover for the kids. Then it began to rain, and I left. Nature won but it was fun.
Images captured with Nikon D3, AF-S 200-400 VR, on Lexar UDMA Digital Film