COLORADO: Gorgeous Grouse and Tantalizing Ptarmigan

What a fabulous show of Greater Sage Grouse this morning! The birds congregated barely 40 yards away from our roadside location, giving great views of all the action. The scenery was stunning, enhanced by coyotes howling in the distance.

In the pre-dawn darkness, we were able to discern the bright white chests of 10 oversized males, already puffed-out in display. As the sun rose behind us, there were 19 females milling around in anticipation. We saw that there were actually two different leks – the primary one directly next to us, and a smaller one a little farther down the road. The secondary lek held 6 males and about 14 females. In the next hour, the females intermingled, with most joining the primary group.

Greater Sage Grouse put on a magnificent courtship display (above). The males puff-out their chest in a striking white collar and bib; they repeatedly inflate two olive-green air sacs that appear like two jiggling eggs; their long tail feathers stand straight up in a spiky-pointed fan and are not as boldly marked as the Gunnison Sage Grouse; and as they inflate their chests they lift up their wings which scrape against the white feathers making a sound similar to the rustle of a gortex jacket.

Other differences that separate the identification of Greater versus Gunnison Sage Grouse, include their size, the thinner, shorter and fewer strands of their filoplumes (above), and their calls.

The males spar with each other, clacking their bills and violently slapping their wings at each other (above), as the dominant males hold onto their position in the center of the lek.

We noticed that only one male did all the mating (above center). He took about 10 females in front of us, and maybe more over the course of an hour and a half; it happens so quickly that it’s easy to miss. Interestingly, there were two females wearing neck transmitters, with long thin wires sticking out of their backs (above left). Fortunately, it didn’t seem to impact them, as we saw the male mate with one of them. As has been the case with most days on this trip, the sun was bright, the sky was blue, and there was no wind, making for yet another wonderful chicken experience!

After breakfast at Moose Creek Cafe, we left Walden and drove through the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge. This expansive refuge featured gently rolling hills of sagebrush and a meandering willow-lined creek. We saw the expected species – Horned Lark, Western Meadowlark, American White Pelican, Black-billed Magpie, Mountain Bluebirds and Sandhill Cranes. Raptors were plentiful, including the now-familiar Swainson’s Hawk, American Kestrel, Golden Eagle, and two Bald Eagles – one adult, one juvenile. Herds of Pronghorn grazed nearby, and we added White-tailed Prairie Dog to our growing list of mammals.

Continuing our journey, we drove through the Arapaho National Forest with its dense stands of spruce, aspen and, sadly, dead pine trees, before crossing the Continental Divide at Willow Creek Pass, elevation 9,683 ft., for the fourth time. A highlight of this short drive was seeing a gorgeous Red Fox (above) right in the middle of the road. We slowed to watch him, and he hesitated a moment before sauntering to the side, pausing to look at us several times.

Water levels in the Windy Gap Reservoir (above) were lower than I’ve ever seen, but hundreds of waterfowl didn’t mind. Our target Barrow’s Goldeneye was seen immediately – there were about a dozen of them – providing good comparison with the numerous Common Goldeneye. Ring-necked Ducks, Redheads, Lesser Scaup, Green-winged Teal, Gadwall, American Coot and Common Merganser were all present.

We reached Georgetown by 2:30, giving us time to check our bags into the hotel and change into our warmest clothing for the last part of the day. Soon we were climbing the steep road into Loveland Pass (above), parking in the lot at nearly 12,000 feet elevation! At this height, we lost our breath quickly and moved slowly. Once again, the weather cooperated and the summit remained sunny and clear, with light chilly winds and a high of 52.

For over two hours we searched (above) for the White-tailed Ptarmigan, determined not to miss this target species, a life bird for many. We were not the only ones enjoying Loveland Pass, as groups of energetic young snowboarders and skiers chose this location as a springboard for off-trail boarding. One group of 4 young men had a dog with them, who was thrilled to chase them at top speed down the steep decline – amazing! Finally I spotted a ptarmigan far in the distance – a pure white ball revealing himself in a narrow patch of grass outlined by snow and rocks. Ptarmigans can be very difficult to find with their perfectly-adapted camouflage, and I was thrilled when every person in our group (below) saw this bird well. It was good timing, as snow squalls moved into the area and obscured all visibility of our bird just as we were getting ready to leave.

In the nearby town of Idaho Springs we enjoyed a delicious dinner at “Tommy Knockers” restaurant and brewery. With excellent micro-brews we toasted the Ptarmigan, and all the wonderful birds seen, on this final evening of our trip.