Snow Chickens

[BillyGoat]

Forgot about these pics I took on my CO trip but they probably deserve their own thread anyway. Ran into them three times between 12,500' and 13,500'.

Two birds here

 

[BillyGoat]

They were burrowing under and then popping up through the snow

They were munching on those shoots as you can see with the background bird. My lens started fogging up.

This guy fed within three feet of me as I lay in the snow

Really cool bird. Amazing they can survive where they do. Someday I'd like to bag a white one during the late season.

 

[Oak]

Those are some awesome shots!

I don't mean to hijack your thread, but I saw sage-grouse tunneling in the snow like that last year. I was at long distance, so these are a little grainy:

Three grouse:

Two grouse?

No, three!

The one on the left in this photo has a radio collar, barely visible around its neck:

 

[mtmiller]

Those are amazing....great shots.

 

[IdahoBugler]

Beautilful pics guys.

 

[BillyGoat]

Oak, those are cool pics. Was that in CO? They aren't Gunnison sage grouse, are they? I don't know the difference.

 

[cornfed]

Great pictures.

 

[ELKCHSR]

The last two on the first post are awsome...

The first struting like a pretty bird, the second in the beginings of flight...

Great pics all...

All the ones with their heads poking above the snow are interesting...

I didn't realize they would do that, but makes a lot of sense if their going to live in those conditions...

Thanks...

 

[T Bone]

very cool pictures. i've frequently come on the tunneling trails, but i've never seen them in the act.

 

[Oak]

BillyGoat, they are Greater Sage-Grouse, in the Piceance Basin in CO.

Still can't get over those shots of yours. Awesome...

 

[Dinkshooter]

Great shots.

Grouse and ptarmigan=The real "Tremors"

 

[noharleyyet]

Cool pics, both of you...

"tremors"...

 

[Sassy_Girl]

Those are some AWESOME pictures!!!!!

 

[Moosie]

Hadn't seen these before. NIIICE !!!

 

[Mac7]

Great pics thanks for sharing them.