ruffed grouse

[jonny_redhorse]

this morning on a walk through my favorite"woods"(with my "fuji" of course!)....I came across a family of 6(yes 6)ruffed grouse!..I got a few "so so" pics but nothing really spectacular...lol!(was using 10 x zoom)...I was right in the middle of em snapping these pics...they flushed once but landed about 75 feet away......I "put the sneak" on em and managed a few more quick pics...they were "talking" between each other the whole time keeping an eye on me!...in bird season, with the 20 gauge...I would have had a limit at one time!......nice to know there's a few around for sure!...jonny

another shot(there's a second bird behind the bird in the foreground of both pics..if you look close,you can make some of it out)

[BDR]

Nice pics! I really like the wildlife shots.

[Steve Foss]

Here's another.

[jonny_redhorse]

thanks BDR......I've been really waiting all summer to get a few pics of some grouse...guess the gods were with me this time..lol!...now that I know the general area where this grouse family lives,maybe,just maybe,I can get a few more before the family breaks up ...(the area is in a wildlife protection area by Hibbing) ...more grouse will lost to predatation no doubt.........great pic Steve!...I guess if I would have just waited longer,I probably could have got a pic of my grouse in a "better" pose...this wild life photography requires patients for sure ...jonny

[Tom Wilson]

Jonny and SF,

These rock. I don't get up to where the grouse fly very often--very nice to see.

Thanks,

Tom W

[jonny_redhorse]

took my camera to my favorite area looking for grouse this morning...i saw 7 total but just couldn't get close enough before they spooked(probably 80 feet way or so)....here's a couple of "mediocre" pics.......jonny

[Blaze]

Oooooo, man! Living in the Cities now, I really miss the sight of those tree-chickens running around the trails. OK, I need to get back up north...SOON.

Thanks for the pics, jonny.

[jonny_redhorse]

was out this morning looking for grouse....saw 3 but only could get a quick pic of this one......jonny

[jonny_redhorse]

on this morning's drive(Sax-Zim Bog area)...I happened upon 4 grouse feeding on highbush cranberries....they let me get within 50 feet for some decent shots ...trouble is..I had my camera set at 1 meg .wot!....I took the batteries out last week for more then 2 hours....everything reverted back to the original settings........or...the pics would have been tack clear......I "fudged em" a bit to at least make them presentable(kinda liked the artists version)... ....jonny

[Dotch]

Well I like 'em whether they could've been better or not. We don't get to see tree chickens down this way all that often and since I'm a habitat kinda guy, almost as interesting to see what they're hiding in or feeding on as the critter itself. Besides, it's probably become a little tougher for you to shoot those nice bumblebee & dragonfly pics lately...

[jonny_redhorse]

lol!....yup....7 below would make those wings on those dragon flies a little stiff this morning.... ......jonny

[jonny_redhorse]

a note on the Sax -Zim bog area...wonderful area for birding....Today (along with the grouse)I saw this "bigger" black and white bird pickin on a wolf kill........I'm asumimg it was a "black-billed magpie"....not many around my area up here...long tail.white patches on it's sides....neat lookin bird for sure!...couldn't get my camera ready fast enough!.......plus a bald eagle in the same 100 yard stretch of road....also saw 9 deer.......jonny

[WifeKidsandDog]

And well seen! Where is this Sax Zims bog area I've heard a lot of people mention it lately for birding.

Cheryl

[Steve Foss]

It's an area several miles long along St. Louis County Highway 7, which goes through the tiny hamlets and Sax and Zim. And it includes all the side gravel roads in that area, which is a mix of bog and woods and open low country. That stretch of Hwy. 7 parallels Hwy. 53 between Duluth and Eveleth. Hwy. 7 is a few miles west of 53.

Last year it was the epicenter of a vast invasion/irruption of great gray owls, as well as large numbers of northern hawk owls. It's also just a good birding area in general, with lots of mixes of habitats. There have been some great grays and northern hawk owls spotted in that area so far this winter, but not in unusually high numbers.