[mou] Am.3toed and spruce grouse
James Mattsson
mattjim@earthlink.net
Tue, 31 Aug 2004 15:12:53 -0500
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Yesterday (8/30/04), at 2:00pm, I photographed an adult male and juvenile American Three-toed Woodpecker as they were unison drumming just above a very fresh nest hole. Thus, I suspect they were family. The birds were at the now famous Koochiching Co. site 2.3 miles south of CR 1 on CR 13. Laura and I spent almost 4 hours fruitlessly searching for these and other reported 3-toeds in the vicinity, when, at the last minute, I decided to head into the bog for one last attempt. I heard a "single" drum in the distance that sounded too rapid for a 3-toed, but seemed to have the right accelerated ending. I soon spotted 2 birds just above a very bright, fresh-looking nest hole in a black spruce. They were on opposite sides of the tree playing woodpecker peek-a-boo. The juvenile initiated the drumming and the adult immediately joined in, thus creating the odd, rapid effect. They repeated this numerous times. I returned with Laura and digiscope and took several images which I will tr
y to share with you.
Also, at 10:30 am, at the above site, we watched a male spruce grouse doing his aerial flight display in the middle of the road. He would rise 8-10 feet on slow, butterfly-like wingbeats, then descend rapdily to the ground and resume strutting. A hen and brood of at least 6 other spruce grouse were along the roadside adjacent to where the male was displaying. Magnificent sight. I eventually approached to photograph the male when he flew up into a spruce tree at eye level and in full display. As I focused through my digiscope system on the incredible composition I was about to immortalize for future generations, I knew this would be the shot-of-a-lifetime for this species. As I released the shutter, I got the dreaded "Battery Exhausted" message on the monitor. No, he did NOT wait for me to replace the battery.
Good birding :(
James Mattsson
mattjim@earthlink.net
Why Wait? Move to EarthLink.
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<DIV>Yesterday (8/30/04), at 2:00pm, I photographed an adult male and juvenile American Three-toed Woodpecker as they were unison drumming just above a very fresh nest hole. Thus, I suspect they were family. The birds were at the now famous Koochiching Co. site 2.3 miles south of CR 1 on CR 13. Laura and I spent almost 4 hours fruitlessly searching for these and other reported 3-toeds in the vicinity, when, at the last minute, I decided to head into the bog for one last attempt. I heard a "single" drum in the distance that sounded too rapid for a 3-toed, but seemed to have the right accelerated ending. I soon spotted 2 birds just above a very bright, fresh-looking nest hole in a black spruce. They were on opposite sides of the tree playing woodpecker peek-a-boo. The juvenile initiated the drumming and the adult immediately joined in, thus creating the odd, rapid effect. They repeated this numerous times. I returned with Laura and digiscope and took sever
al images which I will try to share with you.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Also, at 10:30 am, at the above site, we watched a male spruce grouse doing his aerial flight display in the middle of the road. He would rise 8-10 feet on slow, butterfly-like wingbeats, then descend rapdily to the ground and resume strutting. A hen and brood of at least 6 other spruce grouse were along the roadside adjacent to where the male was displaying. Magnificent sight. I eventually approached to photograph the male when he flew up into a spruce tree at eye level and in full display. As I focused through my digiscope system on the incredible composition I was about to immortalize for future generations, I knew this would be the shot-of-a-lifetime for this species. As I released the shutter, I got the dreaded "Battery Exhausted" message on the monitor. No, he did NOT wait for me to replace the battery. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Good birding :(</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>James Mattsson</DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:mattjim@earthlink.net">mattjim@earthlink.net</A></DIV>
<DIV>Why Wait? Move to EarthLink.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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