Last Sage-Grouse Morning

This morning was my last early morning for sage-grouse surveys. Next it is breeding bird surveys but at least I have a few weeks before the early mornings start again. This morning I visited two leks - one had the same number of displaying males as the last time I visited and all the birds had been flushed from the second lek before I got there. I collected a pile of feathers from the second lek while the coyotes yipped at me from the ridges to the west. An antelope buck snorted at me for a while, trying to figure out why I was wondering around in circles staring at the ground and occasionally picking things from the cactus but then he gave up and wandered away. Probably shaking his head.

A few of the birds I found this morning.


Horned Lark


McCown's Longspur parachute display


Short-eared owl from the same place as the dueling owls.


Sage Thrasher


Sage Thrasher


Western Grebe


Common Tern


Eared Grebe


Eared Grebe


Eared Grebe