hmcook's Favorites

This was such a good surprise: I found at least fifteen Sharp-tailed Grouse all gathered as if they were lekking. My understanding is, the grouse can be triggered to engage in mating displays in the late fall when the day length matches the early spring. That's when the grouse are actually breeding. Several times over the years, I have heard Ruffed Grouse drumming in the autumn for the same reason...but, so far as I can recall, this is the first time I've seen male Sharp-tails dancing and displaying in November.

Eastern Phoebe observed catching, subduing and eating minnows it had caught. The bird perched in the trees overhanging the water, surveying the terrain and water below. It made several attempts at catching a fish before it was successful. It retreated to its perch where it struck the minnow against a tree limb before eating it.