Grouchy Grouse, Jefferson County
Tom Wilberding
Hello birders,
I love seeing any grouse, always a rare treat. Dusky Grouse
seems particularly obscure and hard to find. When I see one far ahead crossing
the trail, high in the foothills in a mixed forest, it’s a lucky accident,
impossible to plan for. And yet, at other times…...
Today Barb and I were hiking the private Docmann Trail above
Ken-Caryl Ranch in Jefferson County. Near the top of the trail at a patch of
snow Barb spotted a Dusky Grouse under a bush about fifty yards from the trail.
(BTW, for once I was not playing a grouse tape.) Hooray, a grouse! To our
astonishment the grouse shyly approached us. It stepped onto the trail and
looked up at us, as if it wanted to introduce itself. I thought, “What a
friendly grouse. Maybe we ought to give it something to eat, maybe an oat bar.”
Then the grouse started huffing and puffing. It’s yellow
eyebrows flared. It scratched the ground like a chicken, and BAM! it pecked my
hiking boots. “Hey, Hey, Hey! Cut it out. We’re BIRDERS!”
The grouse was NOT impressed. It quickly perp-walked us down
the narrow trail for about 300 yards, never letting up, pecking our heels and
pants, huffing and puffing, a real terror.
I believe a similar grouse a couple of springs ago took over
the parking lot at the top of Lookout Mountain in Jefferson County. It
threatened one and all until it took on a cement truck, and lost. I fear that
today’s testosterone-crazed male will challenge a mountain bike on the Docmann
Trail, and lose.
So, here’s to obscure Dusky Grouse. May they always be hard
to find. May they be safe.
Tom Wilberding
Littleton
