Subject: [Tweeters] SAGE GROUSE DISPLAY,
Date: Apr 10 15:39:36 2013
From: Ruth Sullivan - godwit513 at comcast.net


Hello Tweeters,
Shep and I went to the Sage Grouse display on Monday the 08 of April.
And since birders been reporting the Blind on the Leaha breeding grounds.It
was late in the evening,and there was no action or sighting of Sage
grouse.We intend looking on Tuesday morning at 5,00 AM.But in the mean time
we checked out the place on the end where Patrick and I ALWAYS HAD SO MANY
SPARROW'S.and we was not disappointed .Birds was sitting on top of the
bushes singing especial the Meadowlarks,it seems there where all 2 of this
many species pairing up to breed. Brewers Sparrow 2 birds, singing this long
song what you can not mistaken ,VESPER Sparrow 2, Several Sage Thrashers,
Say's
Phoebe 2, Horn Larks( many,)and 1 Northern Shrike driving in to this place,

TUESDAY MORNING we start looking at the place where there usual performing
for the females.But always before the going to the place what looks as a
dike we used to have the male all sitting on some bush showing off the
bright breast what really shows up when it is not light out.There was no
birds moving at all.We was join by 3 other birders,who also came already on
Monday,and had no Grouse .
It was not to after 7.00 AM THAT WE DISCOVER 9 Adult males on the other side
of the road,looks strange there was performing at each other.It was later
when we had 3 females working to the left.This is so strange that this birds
did not use the usual breeding grounds,what there been using for
years.Patrick & I been going there least 10 years.The last year was in March
2006.The farmer than was so protected of this birds,and always fixed the
fences when some one went over the fence ,AND HE MADE CHECK UPS WITH HIS
CAR.There is a new owner AND ALSO THERE WAS THE BLIND SET UP WHAT LOOKS VERY
SUSPICIOUS,THAT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT.I t also can be that this Grouse a
youngsters and got casted out from the Adult males.and also there where only
3 females,this Grouse did not bred there are trying to attract the
females,So all the other grouse like the females and there have much more
females than males,already sitting on the Nest.
We all went our way ,and I HAVE TO REPORT SOME OF THE BIRDS had driving
home .SHEP went to Malheur to volunteer in the refuge.I will write something
up in the morning.It really bothers me that there was the photo blind on the
LEAHA LEK!!!!!!!! because there have now volunteers trying to save the Sage
grouse it was showing in the last WOS MEETING,what WAS WELL DONE,BUT IT
TAKES ALL OF US TO HELP IF WE SEE SOMETHING WHAT SEEMS NOT RIGHT

Cheers Ruth Sullivan