Spruce Grouse!!

[Charles Duncan]

Although it was a very slow birding day otherwise, Laura and I saw 8-- or perhaps 9--different Spruce Grouse today along the South Loop of Katahdin Woods and Waters.  For those interested in the details:

• 3 female/immatures together in a tree at the side road between Sandbank Campsite and Mile 0 of the loop.
• a male on the road at First View, Mile 1.0
• a poor look at a bird, sex unknown, in the woods again near Sandbank Campsite and only 50 m from our sighting of three birds several hours earlier.  Could have been one of those or a different bird
• 4 birds in a group at the start of the Mink Frog Pond trail off the Staceyville Road

Our lasting thanks to Bob & Sandy Duchesne for the tips on birding the Sandbank Camp area and to Jeff Wells for suggesting the Mink Frog Pond trail.

Best photos are on our eBird list, here: https://ebird.org/me/checklist/S74507255