Weird Looking Bird

We were nearing the end of our Montana vacation.  Last year we had bid on a six-day Montana vacation at the World Bird Sanctuary’s bi-annual fundraiser, Fete du Feather.  After six days of exploring the area surrounding Bozeman, several trips to Yellowstone, and an amazing array of wildlife sightings, ranging from moose in Yellowstone to a bear right in the neighborhood, it was almost time to return home. 

Typical Montana scenery

On this last day “the boys” (my husband and my daughter’s fiancé) had already left for their guided fly fishing trip on the Madison River, and we “girls” (myself, my two daughters, and our granddaughter) were still lounging around in our “jammies” until it was time to go horseback riding.  My daughter and granddaughter had just left to run down to the nearby ATM, while my other daughter and I enjoyed our morning coffee.

Suddenly, my nine year old granddaughter burst into the house yelling, “Na-Na!  Na-Na! Hurry, hurry!  You have to come!  There’s this really WEIRD looking bird!   He’s just down the street!” 

Well—needless to say—the phrase “weird looking” and “bird” all in the same sentence was all it took to have us racing out of the house--jammies and all—cameras and binoculars clutched in our hands.  As we jumped in the car my oldest daughter was hysterically sputtering something about a bird that looked like a lawn ornament in someone’s yard. 

 There he was peering at us over the grasstops

Sure enough, about two city blocks away from the house where we were staying, in someone’s backyard, we spotted him—or maybe I should say HE spotted us.  It was a male Dusky Grouse, intent on claiming territory.  As we watched he proceeded to strut and boom and display—totally unconcerned about the strange creatures with the cameras crazily snapping away.

  Formerly classified as a Blue Grouse, they have recently been reclassified as two separate species, the Dusky Grouse and the similar Sooty Grouse

As far as we could tell, there was no female—or other male grouse—in the vicinity.  However, at the edge of the yard where all the strutting and displaying was taking place there was one of those colorful yard flags that are so popular now.  This one was round and if one looked closely it somewhat resembled the shape of another displaying grouse.  At any rate, we watched this lovesick fellow for about 20 minutes--or about 150 photos—whichever way you choose to measure time.

  The Sooty Grouse has yellow cheek patches as opposed to the purple patches on this Dusky Grouse

This was a fantastic ending to a great vacation.  I can’t wait to see what awesome bargains are up for auction at WBS’s Spring 2011 Fete du Feather!

 Submitted by Gay Schroer, World Bird Sanctuary volunteer