COLORADO 2011: A Majestic Display

Day 4 / April 10 – Our first ‘chicken’ dance turned out to be one of the best I have every witnessed. Greater Sage Grouse are the largest and most majestic of our grouse, and the lek this morning was full of activity. Over the course of several hours, beginning well before dawn, we watched as many as fifty males spread out over an area about the size of a football field. The main concentration was opposite us, about 30 meters away, and consisted of three dominate males, who pretty much held court over their small patch throughout the morning. Less senior, as well as subordinate males were dotted around, some as far as occasionally moving their patches towards potential females.

The males would stand with their tails erect and fanned, and inflate their air sacs before flicking their heads and filoplumes. As this occurred the air sacs would pop twice and their white waxy breast feathers would swoosh against their wings.

There were times when the lek moved away from us and other times when a group of them would take to the air, once courtesy of a Raven. Females, who blended in perfectly with the sage, would suddenly appear and walk towards the center of the lek. The most we counted were six, when the lek appeared to get a second wind. Today the females were not ready to mate, they were just happy to observe what was going on.

As we headed over Rabbit Ears Pass blinding snow made for tough driving conditions. It was no better once we reached Steamboat Springs. We went in search, along the Yampa River for a flock of Bohemian Waxwings, but the visibility was poor. Along the river we found a pair of American Dippers, a Belted Kingfisher, and Carol spotted two Wilson’s Snipe beside the snow covered river edge.

In Steamboat Springs, while watching a feeder and yard full of Evening Grosbeaks, Cassin’s Finches (above), Pine Siskin and Band-tailed Pigeons, we were surprised when an Osprey appeared through the snow scattering all the birds.

Following an early afternoon break, the blinding snow slowly gave way to cloudy skies. This enabled us to return outdoors and check out the surrounding Steamboat Springs area. There was a pleasant surprise when we found a Sharp-tailed Grouse (above) feeding in an open patch of grass. A couple of hours later there was nine birds there!

A number of Sandhill Cranes (above) were paired up along the Yampa Valley with many more seen in small groups. The sound of cranes bugling throughout the valley remains one of the most memorable sounds  of this trip for me.

The day ended with Carol asking “What is that raptor with its back to us?” Perched on a telephone pole was a Prairie Falcon. Though the number of species for the day may have been few, we certainly had great views and wonderful experiences with those that we saw.