Sharpies at the Lek (pics)

[jonny_redhorse]

The fields had sharpies this morning!...13 in this batch!...actually there was 2 seperate leks about a hundred feet apart and they'd run back and forth between the 2 leks and fight with each other!...really amazing to watch!...I was parked on a side road(cty 29 north of hwy 133 in meadowlands) about 125 or more yards away and you could hear em making different "cooing" ,"clucking" noises...and then they'd "vibrate" their tails and you could even hear that!....surprising that a person could hear the noises at that distance!...males would jump at each other and hit their opponent with there feet....I only wish that I could have been 50 yards or so closer...managed a few "iffy" images (winds were horrific across the fields) but sure was nice to see em doing the "dance!

geesh!...I focused on the back 2 instead of the nearest 2!...go figure! (plus they were moving quite fast)

2 males fighting...never seem to hurt each other though...

a lone juvenile "baldy"

and an adult

[JayinMN]

Wow, Johnny nice pictures, I think I might have to head down there earlier then anticipated. Yesterday I was watching a flock of 11 on the tracks on Hwy 7 but it was in the afternoon so there was no displaying. I hope one of those fields right next to Hwy 7 have them dancing in there this spring. It seems to be a bit closer to the road then those in Meadowlands. You are getting some good pictures with your digiscope. I don't think people understand just how far out in the field they are. Can't wait till my car is fixed so I can quite driving my gas guzzling truck and head down there. I am glad you got some eagle pictures. I was wondering what happened to the eagles, there are so many dead deer on the side of the Hwys and I have not seen any eagles feeding on them.

[jonny_redhorse]

Thanks Jay... pics certainly aren't near the best I've ever posted lol......still learning how to operate the digiscope...wind and high powered scopes don't mix !...lol!....I had the scope mounted on my truck window and the gusts of wind kept "shaking" my scope!(and moved the entire truck))....one can't have "any" movement and I mean none when a person hits the release...or blur develops... my regular bogen tripod was probably a better choice today...had it with me but never used it and shoulda!....pics would have been better also as I took these early at first light...I also noticed the images are better if the sharptails are against a grass background rather then a snowy background....still learning! also saw 3 black-billed magpies(on cty 29, to fast for me today, no pics) and a shrike off of hwy 7 near Byrn's green house.....5 or 6 different eagles.....deer of course...

pink skies this morning on the way to the sharptail fields...

turned to golden...within minutes...

and then clouded over and grey skies....6 of the sharpies..18x zoom with the Lumix one can get an idea how far away they really are...

[knoppers]

whats the difference from sharpies to prarie chickens, they look the same?

nice pics.

[1runhotshot]

Johnny, if they go to the same spot every day and have a double bull blind they will not look twice at you. I have done it in ND. No need for a Telephoto lens then. Get in there b4 light. Have fun!

[finnbay]

Well done! Keep 'em coming!

[jonny_redhorse]

Thanks Ken!....clincher here is "private land"!....I have a portable "doghouse" blind but haven't been brave enough to knock on landowners doors to ask if I could put it in their fields!....not pushing my luck!...they'll be dancing for along time yet and they just might dance closer to the road.....I hope ....if not....guess I'll live with the photos I have and just enjoy seeing them....to answer knoppers question...prairie chickens have feathers upointed on their heads, "like ears", sharptails don't have these "ears"...plus the prairie chicken's "neck sacs" are a yellowish orange color when inflated(sharptail's neck sac is purpleish colored),also the prairie chicken's tail is slightly rounded not pointed like a sharptails....

[Steve Foss]

Great pics, Jonny, thanks for sharing those! Sure looks like you've got the dancing sharpies dialed in.

[jonny_redhorse]

Thanks Steve!....I'm pretty well satisfied with the sharptail images for the year(just posted some more today).....they sure were accomodating next to the road !....now...for some drummung ruffed grouse!