"Sharptails"

[jonny_redhorse]

On making the "rounds" this morning on the various roads,I figured I'd take a "look see" if the sharpies were in the fields yet north of Meadowlands(actually same place and field I saw them "dancing" last March)...there they were!...8 of em...(4 in the photo)clustered together in the blowing snow 250 yards from me!...I watched em for about 10 minutes ,took a few images (digiscope) and 2 males started running at each other!...thought it a little early for the sharptails to do this but I saw it!....apparently sharptail start the dance thing alot earlier then I certainly ever thought!....any sharptail experts out there?

[Dbl]

They need to take "Shelter from the Storm"

[finnbay]

Plump little buggers aren't they! Been awhile since I've seen any. Thanks for posting these, jonny!

[buzzsaw]

Holy Blizzard of Oz! Good job being a trooper and getting out today, Jonny.

[Steve Foss]

Boy, are they ever trying to hunker down and stay warm! With a forecast low of -44 tonight (not including wind chill), they are really going to be tested.

[jonny_redhorse]

LOL!...thanks guys...Early yesterday really wasn't that bad at all actually...I think about 17 degrees, calm winds...was nice and calm in the protected wooded areas...about 11:00 is when the temps started dropping and the winds really started whipping...I was on my way home by then ...a few "weather " images...and deer were present along many of the forest roads.

the ravens reallyseem to enjoy the gray days

[jonny_redhorse]

Just a note on these sharptail.They are there every year,same fields each year or very close adjacent fields.I certainly will be looking forward to these 8 birds doing the "dance" ritual, and will keep everyone "advised and updated" on when they will be starting...a great opportunity to get a few of those "dance routines" on camera!...no doubt a super telephoto would be nice but certainly don't know what field or fields they will pick!...will they be close or will they be far?...more then likely far,lol!...wait for the melting spring snows I guess...

[Dotch]

Your images frequently seem to capture not only the birds but also their habitat and I really appreciate that. Had sharpies living around the sloughs surrounding my house near Armourdale ND but only saw them occasionally and usually not quickly enough come hunting season. Was fun to try though. Look forward to hearing about those you photographed.

[JayinMN]

Johnny, I found a group of 7-8 sharptails on Arkola last weekend. They were coming out onto the road to pick at the gravel between Owl Avenue and Overton. I am always amazed at how well these birds fly, better then any other game bird I have seen. First time I drove by they all flew into the woods. I went drove down to the deer kill by Overton but there was nothing there so I turned around and went back to Owl Avenue. They were out on the road again eating gravel. This time I saw where they landed and was able to get a couple shots of them before disappearing.

[jonny_redhorse]

Thank you Dotch!......great "quick captures" Jay!...I know exactly where your talkin!..I threw a few handfulls of "black oil" on whats remaining of that deer on the shoulder there(the one closest to the corner, not the one thats been pushed into a "heap" by a road grader ...the corner deer carcass is where I got the shots of the magpie 2 weekends ago and the pileated....now I'll have to be "real" attentive as I approach that corner...if the sharpies were there once,they'll more then likely be there again!..they obviously are from that neighborhood...guess they could have flown in from an outlying area...those sharptail sure are neat birds!,not alot of em around!...next weekend those roads will be packed with birders from all over the country from the "Bog Festival" over 175 birders registered they say...I never joined any of the functions but may still make a pass through the area sometime next weekend(that's a "maybe" ...depends on the weather...still going to hang up a few more suet feeders in the area...I see your ribcage on the s.admiral has really been attracking the chickadees(boreals also) and woodpeckers (3 toeds and blackbacks),lot of action there from what I here...this weekend will be a zoo on that road with all the birders...lol!...I heard birders from 23 states will be on those roads!...I checked the station on owl yesterday also and was being used heavily by the redpolls and chickadees,I saw a few woodpeckers also but looked to be downys...the weather forced me outa there or I would have waited for the boreals that supposedly have been feeing there...

[JayinMN]

Johnny, its great that someone is seeing boreal chickadees because it sure isn't me.....lol I saw that on the duluth hotline. They are exactly what I was hoping to attract with it, but now I have to go see if I can find them for myself. I have been back a few times with no luck. I have a couple rib cages left and if I can sneak away for a few hours tommorow I think I will put another one out. That other one must be pretty picked over by now.