Grouse food and water

[Ferny]

I finally got out for the first time this season. Now I'm better. I was kind of worried about the lack of normal grouse food in the woods. I walked down a dry creekbed that has held water for the last 20 years. It looked like the alders were bare and not a single dogwood berry in sight. On the other hand the oaks were dropping acorns like nobodies business. The two juvi grouse I managed to get both had acorns and small green leaves (strawberry maybe?) in their crops I was pleasantly surprised with the numbers I pushed though. I'm surprised they weren't keying in on the wet areas I did find.

I'm kinda worried about them wintering OK. Anybody else have similar forage observations?

Ferny.

[DRH1175]

I wouldn't be too concerned there are many food sources for the birds in the woods. Their actual main food source is aspen buds in the winter.

[KJMinion]

5 of the 6 grouse our group got over the weekend were all in the area of mature woods and most had acorns and a a small amount of what I believe was clover in their crops. Was kind of surprised to see them in the areas that we did. We normally find them this time of the year around the younger poplar and aspen trees and not the area of mature woods. We had about 4 inches of snow on the ground so I'm not sure if that had anything to do with them not being in the "typical" areas though.

Nice picture by the way.