Saturday 14 September 2019

Car-Herding a Grouse


    The other day as we were coming down our driveway and slowed as we approached the carport, a Ruffed Grouse who was in the yard, slowly walked in front of the car.  It was so close to the front of the car that I could no longer see it.  I didn’t know quite what to do so I just began driving really slowly, figuring that the grouse wasn’t smart enough to move, it would probably be an advantage to its species to be eliminated from the gene pool.
   It was smart enough to move, but not smart enough to get out of the way of the car.  I kept driving very slowly, and still couldn’t see the grouse.  Then when we were halfway in the carport, finally the grouse used enough brain power to fly away.  It flew out of the open end of the carport and onto our old chicken pen.
    Grouse always think if they stand perfectly still no one can see them, and thanks to their amazing camouflage that strategy usually works.  It stood there on the chicken pen not moving a muscle, so I couldn’t help but take a photo of it.
    We usually see grouse in yard during the fall.  They like to eat the tiny crab apples that fall from our tree.

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