Spruce Grouse up close

This afternoon I encountered a female Spruce Grouse eating the first green sprouts of spring, along the side of a back country road.

She stopped to eat grass sprouts less than ten feet in front of me.

I spent a full ten minutes, and took 127 pictures, of this female Spruce Grouse, before she decided she had put up with enough of my intruding on her lunch. At times I would move a little too fast, and she would look up and stare at me. I would freeze nearly motionless and talk to her in a low soft tone, then she would go back to pecking at the first green sprout of spring.

This message was edited Apr 30, 2008 5:58 AM

I could hardly believe she would go back to pecking at the greens, with me standing so close.

We encountered the Spruce Grouse after failing to find White-fronted Geese, the object of the trip.

These are great pics of a beautiful bird Gary! Thanks for the up close encounter!

Great pics Gary! She's a very handsome bird!

Thanks so much for sharing them with us!

Excellent photos, Gary. It's always great to get an occasional close-encounter. She blends in with her surroundings quite well.