North Park Sage Grouse
This was my first visit to a Sage Grouse lek. Was fortunate to find a number of male Sage Grouse trying to attract females. Had some wonderful early morning li...
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This was my first visit to a Sage Grouse lek. Was fortunate to find a number of male Sage Grouse trying to attract females. Had some wonderful early morning light.
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Apr, 2016Views
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artiste9999
May 15, 2016
Never seen that bird before. Is this wildlife or farm animal and where was photo shot? Cheers!
guynturenne
September 06, 2016
Sorry to be so late in replying as I have only recently gotten back into checking this site. This is a wild, male, Sage Grouse displaying for the females on a Lek in the North Park Valley about 15 miles west of Walden Colorado. They are found over a large area of the Rocky Mountain west though they are not the easiest bird to see except during the mating season when they gather on a Lek.
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo of a male Greater Sage Grouse displaying on a Lek (a traditional Sage Grouse breeding area is called a Lek and is used year after year) was taken during the Spring breeding season in North Park, Colorado. North Park is a high elevation valley averaging roughly 8,800' in elevation located in northern Colorado. The area is sparsely populated and is dominated by large ranches. Though this Lek is located on private property, it is visible from a public road. While there was no snow on the ground when this photo was taken, it is not unusual for Spring snows in this location.Time
This location is roughly a 2 1/2 hour drive from my home. While some of the Sage Grouse will spend a significant amount of time on the Lek during the night, these are primarily males. The females begin showing up on the Lek just before dawn. In order to be at the Lek by dawn and ready to start photographing, I am leaving my house at 3:00 a.m. Once the females start arriving on the Lek the males begin their courtship displays. Occasional battles between males can occur as the sun rises. Grouse will start leaving the Lek about two hours after sunrise to begin their daily foraging for food. Typically by 8:30 in the morning the Grouse have all departed. Time to head to the nearest town for breakfast before the drive home.Lighting
I think the best lighting occurs when the early morning sun first starts to hit the Grouse under a cloudless sky. The warm light enhances the Grouse's natural coloration. The best light seems to last about a half hour. After that the warm coloration of the Grouse begins to leave. While good shots can be made if the sky is cloudy, the dispersed lighting caused by clouds leads to less saturation of the male Grouses' colors.Equipment
The photo was taken with a Canon 7D MK II, Canon 100-400mm L MK II lens and 1.4X TC at a focal length of 531mm., ISO 400, f9, and a shutter speed of 1/400 sec.. The photo was taken from inside my vehicle and the camera was supported by a bean bag on the window.Inspiration
I am primarily a nature photographer photographing both landscapes and wildlife. Mating behavior is always an interesting subject to photograph. Sage Grouse are an interesting subject which are hard to find except for that brief 3 to 4 weeks in the Spring when they show up on known Leks.Editing
My images are shot in the RAW format so post processing is needed. I use Lightroom for post processing.In my camera bag
For shooting these particular Grouse I will have two cameras with me along with a 1.4x tele-converter and a bean bag. My Canon 7D MK II with the 100-400mm zoom is used for most of my shots. Occasionally, the Grouse will be too close for the 7D combination so I also have a Canon 5D MK III with my 24-105mm zoom which also works for scenic shots if the sunrise is is noteworthy. This particular Lek is actually quite large so I also have a 600mm prime lens if the Grouse are congregating on the far end of the Lek. If the Grouse are far enough away that my movements won't impact their behavior, I will use my tripod with my 600mm prime lens outside my vehicle.Feedback
I have photographed Greater Sage Grouse at another location and Prairie Chickens on a Lek. The timing during the mating season at these other locations was similar. Get there at least a half hour before sunrise so that your arrival does not disturb the birds ....... and be patient. The Grouse will move around quite a bit and different birds will move in and out of photographic range. And, at least at this elevation, dress warmly as it can be quite cold at sunrise at this elevation and my vehicle windows are open with my camera propped up on the bean bag.
