Subject: Re: Question: Ocean Shores Grouse ID
Date: Oct 16 21:08:50 1997
From: Eugene Hunn - hunnhome at accessone.com


Phil,

At least not too many years ago both Ruffed and Blue Grouse could be found
in wooded areas on the Ocean Shores peninsula, especially when booming in
the spring, but I haven't been out there looking of late. Ruffed might
somewhat more likely than Blue, though a Blue now might be a wanderer from
slightly higher areas to the northeast.

Gene Hunn, Seattle.

At 01:14 AM 10/16/97 -0400, you wrote:
>Saturday, when I cruised Ocean Shores, I stumbled across a grouse along the
>side of the road. Reconstructing my route and looking at a map, I think I
>either turned right from Fairwood onto Marine View, or from Greenview onto
>Fairwood. The grouse was on the right as I pulled up to make the turn. It
>popped up from a drainage ditch next to road, looked at me, then flew away.
>The habitat in the area is not wooded, more brushy as I recall.
>
>My first impression was another Ring-necked Pheasant since I had seen
>several the previous day up near Hansville and Pt No Point. While those
>birds were males, this one seemed to be a female.
>
>However, when it flew, it had a fan shaped tail, not the pointed,
>wedge-shaped tail of a pheasant. My next thought was Ruffed Grouse, but
>then I noted that there was no dark terminal tail band. The entire tail
>seemed uniformly medium brown--same as the body.
>
>Unfortunately, I picked up no other notable field marks ... the head seemed
>basically brown, with a small amount of white (I think).
>
>The bird seemed "large" but I don't think it was as large as the male RN
>Pheasants I saw the day before. I know that female RN Pheasants have
>"shorter" tails than males, but this bird's tail was definitely full and
>fan shaped--not pointed.
>
>Any ideas? Would a Ruffed Grouse be a rarity at Ocean Shores on October
>11th? Could I have missed the tail band?
>
>Thx.
>
>Phil
>
>
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>Phil Davis
>
>home: PDavis at ix.netcom.com Davidsonville, Maryland, USA
>work: PDavis at OAO.com Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
>------------------------------------------------------------
>
>