Remembering to call this species the “Dusky Grouse” is going to be a challenge for me. For years they’ve been called Blue Grouse, with two recognized sub-species – Dusky Grouse and Sooty Grouse. But based on recent mitochondrial DNA studies the two sub-species of Blue Grouse are now recognized as separate species. Apparently the common name “Blue Grouse” will no longer be used.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, natural light
I came across this male a couple of days ago while high in the Wasatch Mountains on Francis Peak along Skyline Drive. I was driving up a steep, narrow road and just as I stopped to photograph the bird a hunter in a pickup came down the road right in front of us. If he had continued forward the bird would have spooked but when he spotted it and noticed our long lenses pointed at the grouse he very considerately stopped for several minutes so that we could get our shots. When we had our images I motioned for him to continue, which he did and yes – the bird flew off. I talked to him for a minute or so and thanked him for his kind deed.
In the past I’ve taken the occasional pot shot at hunters on this blog. But the considerate act of this sportsman reminds me once again to avoid stereotypes – that the unethical, inconsiderate and/or unsportsmanlike behavior of a few renegade hunters should not reflect on the entire group – just as similar behaviors of relatively small numbers of nature photographers should not reflect on all of us.
Thank you kind sir!
Ron
As Katie wrote, always gratifying to encounter one of the good guys in the field. Any field.
Beautiful bird and commendable conduct.
And what a lovely bird the gentleman allowed you to capture. A big thank you to him and to you. I have every sympathy for your difficulty with the dusky grouse’s name. Our peewee has been renamed a magpie lark. I have only known it as a peewee for many, many years and that is the name that falls off my tongue. ‘May I be excused? My brain is full.’
Very well said, and of course you’re absolutely correct… Kudos to this gentleman and all like him. 🙂
Quite right. There are good guys and jerks in any group — including photographers. We could add birders, anglers, hikers, bikers, and another outdoor enthusiasts. There are a few bad apples in any barrel, but the good guys in those groups don’t deserve to be painted with the same brush (I can probably throw in more cliches if I work at it).
It’s nice to encounter the good guys in the field and extremely disappointing to encounter the jerks.
I’m glad it was one of the good guys that you encountered.