From Boise, Idaho, Kim writes: When Susan Hazelton from Golden Eagle Audubon (GEA) in Boise, Idaho contacted me about having Kenn give their 2009 banquet address, my first reaction was, “There’s no way we can do this!” Kenn and I had decided that our 2009 schedule was full enough, and that we just couldn’t accept any more requests. But, when Susan told me that the proceeds of the banquet went to the Idaho Bird Observatory (IBO), we both agreed, “We have to do this!” (Oh…and it didn’t hurt that she mentioned the possibility of seeing Greater Sage-Grouse!!)Greater Sage-Grouse are birds that I've had no experience with. I just haven’t spent time in the right places with the right people. That all changed this morning! Several people from IBO and GEA took us out to search for grouse. David Hazelton, one of GEA’s top field trip leaders, had done some scouting yesterday, and, in spite of the fact that it’s pretty early in the season, he found several birds on a few different leks. We had good looks at a few birds at the first stop--mostly foraging and not displaying--but still fascinating. I was pretty stoked to finally see these guys. But, when we got to the last stop, I got to see them in all out boy grouse mode. Nine males were visible at once! And, in spite of the fact that there were no females present, they were really into being male grouse. Strutting, booming, and totally inflated, it was quite a show! I gotta tell ya, I’m no sage-grouse…but I was diggin it! We were close enough to hear the birds during these displays, and I was mesmerized! Even now, hours later, I'm still wearing my "grouse grin!" Here are a few pictures of these gorgeous birds and their outrageous displays.
In this picture a male Greater Sage-Grouse (looking a lot like a female in two obvious ways) does its best Mae West impersonation.
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