I had a most unusual experience photographing this Ruffed Grouse on Monday. Driving down the Glenn Hwy, I spotted something on the center line in the distance. At first I thought it was a rock, as I came closed, I realized is was a Grouse. I slowed down and pulled over to the shoulder, of the road. I came to a stop about 50 feet from the grouse.
As I reached for the camera, I realized there was a truck coming up the highway, behind me. So, I didn’t expect to be able to take any pictures. The other truck pulled to the far lane and slowed just a little as it passed us. To my surprise, the Grouse continued moving in supper slow motion. “To avoided detection.“ The grouse didn’t comprehend there wasn’t any cover, and it was in plane site! I slowly slipped out of the truck and took this first picture at 4:49:44 PM. The grouse was 2/3 of the way across the driving lane, by that time.
By 4:50:45 PM the grouse was only at the edge of the pavement. It was moving so slow it had taken one minute, one second to move those few feet.
This message was edited Sep 19, 2007 10:00 PM
4:51:27 PM the grouse was only part way down the road embankment to the ditch. One minute, 43 seconds elapsed from the first picture. I slowly moved closer to the grouse, as it went down the embankment.
This message was edited Sep 19, 2007 10:04 PM
4:51:54 PM the Grouse crosses the bottom of the ditch. Two minutes, ten seconds elapsed from the first picture.
4:52:35 PM the Grouse reached the top of the far side of the ditch, before disappearing into the vegetation. Two minutes, 51 seconds elapsed time, from the first picture. It was only moving about ten feet a minute.
Very cool Gary!!! Thanks for the really nice pics!
I wish all birds could give us this much time to take photos,lol.
Great job Gary!!
Mine too. Almost every time I see these, they've seen me first and they're flying away. To me, ruffed grouse is the scariest creature in the woods, along with turkey (and beavers). The noise they make when you stumble on them is enough to cause a heart attack.
Grasmussen, these are great pictures. Never seen grey ones.
