Idaho Nature Notes: Sage grouse spotting!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Sage grouse spotting!

Our friend and volunteer Ken Miracle spotted sage grouse this week while exploring the Owyhees. The Conservancy's restoration team has been working to enhance habitat in this area for the past few years.

Here's his report from the field:
We endured the dusty bumpy road to the Uriquidi property scheduled for a wet meadow habitat enhancement project. In this dry year it was clear that this project should be very beneficial to brood rearing and summer forage habitat enhancement.

We saw deer and antelope while driving in the area but did not see any Sage Grouse. After looking over the habitat, stalking antelope and shore birds we hiked around the ridge just before the road drops down to the project sight. I found some old sage grouse droppings but no birds and not the best warm day habitat.

After driving around some more and seeing very little sign about 2:30 we proceeded south west up a draw to a dry pond where an archery antelope hunter had reported seeing sage grouse. We proceeded to hike the area searching for sign and as you can see from the photos I started finding old signs. Surveying the area I saw what looked like it could be good resting habitat for a sunny warm afternoon. As I headed into that habitat I started seeing fresher droppings and then looking down into another dry pond I spotted a dark spot under a sage at about 150 yards. Checking in out through my binoculars I knew I had found Sage Grouse.

I stalked in closer and encountered about 15 birds. I then withdrew from that area and headed higher to the south west toward an area where I expected to find some older toms away from the broods and found two pairs and then headed back to the vehicle so I would not disturb any more birds.