Owyhee Sage Grouse at the Lek
Albert Dickson
Registered Users Posts: 520 Major grins
I saw my first Sage Grouse Lek this morning. Here's a series of these amazing creatures:
A Lek is an open area used for displaying and breeding. A Lek may be used every year for hundreds of years.
The males puff pop and strut here every day for weeks waiting for individual or small groups of hens to arrive at the Lek when they have completed thier nest and are ready to mate.
Of 50 too 100 males on the Lek, only 4 or 5 dominant cocks may breed. the rest are constantly fighting to rise to breeding rank.
It's kinda like a Bar where all the guys hang out and the gals only stop in to party when they feel fiesty!
A Lek is an open area used for displaying and breeding. A Lek may be used every year for hundreds of years.
The males puff pop and strut here every day for weeks waiting for individual or small groups of hens to arrive at the Lek when they have completed thier nest and are ready to mate.
Of 50 too 100 males on the Lek, only 4 or 5 dominant cocks may breed. the rest are constantly fighting to rise to breeding rank.
It's kinda like a Bar where all the guys hang out and the gals only stop in to party when they feel fiesty!
0
Comments
www.intruecolors.com
Nikon D700 x2/D300
Nikon 70-200 2.8/50 1.8/85 1.8/14.24 2.8
These guys are highly threatened and suffer from vastly reduced habitat secondary to developement. We are fortunate to have a stable population in the southern sage flats of Idaho. Other states and other portions of Idaho are seeing plummeting populations.
Albert@WhetstoneImagery.com
http://Albert-Dickson.com
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
Dave
Yes Harry, it was very challenging conditions. Before arriving at the Lek at pre dawn we had to roll down our truck windows and not speak as we approached the birds. We could not leave our vehicles and had to remain silent for the next 3 hours. I shot many of these images at ISO 1600 because once the dawn advanced and the sun rose the action was then over.
Albert@WhetstoneImagery.com
http://Albert-Dickson.com
like to see that myself
My Galleries
Flicker
G+
“PHOTOGRAPHY IS THE ‘JAZZ’ FOR THE EYES…”
http://jwear.smugmug.com/
My website | NANPA Member
It was an interesting experience. I hope to repeat it but with a ground blind that is better positioned to take advantage of the direction of the rising sun and perhaps improve the background.
Albert@WhetstoneImagery.com
http://Albert-Dickson.com
ISO 1600 can be a real challenge...but it's sometimes that or nothing! I was glad to see these.:D