Ruffed Grouse (20150215) The return of "Action Jackson" spring must be near by!

Withs ome time to kill on Sunday morning and Tim having lent Jamie the rental body for the day, Jamie and I headed to the Ranch to see if anything was cooking. Brekkies on the way and the hopes for some exciting material to photo.
We found this moose in an area where I have never seen moose before, some deer but never moose. It was very early and I shot this at 4000 ISO.

We checked out our Sharpie site and no action yet, but we did find this gentleman not too far from where Action Jackson hung out last year.

As we continued our drive I was convinced that the brid we had found was likely Jackson. As we passed by a little later this is what we found:

Here was "Action" right in position to start drumming up a storm! For those of you new to the blog here is a link to AJ's drumming last year. If you look closely you will recognize his almost exact feet location:)  We spent some time walking back and forth talking and taking photos to get him accustomed to our presence.
We left AJ and headed along our route when we found this bird. We spent some time with it to see what it was going to do but it just hid.

We wiled along the road and found a couple of Blue Jays. Out here in the country they just seem unapproachable so you have to settle for a long distance shot heavily cropped.

We spotted some Magpies and one Rough-legged hawk, but other than AJ I would suggest that this Northern Goshawk was the find of the day.

While we were having a sunny day, where AJ hangs out it is the darkest of the valley. We decided to make another swing by. AJ was in position.

We continued to walk back and forth and talk to get him accustomed to our presence, when all of a sudden he fires up the drumming. I was shocked that the Ruffed's would be drumming this early. Sure it's Valentines Day weekend and all but I think it is still pretty early. As we walk by he hops off the back of his log and starts to feed. So we head down the road to the truck when Jamie spots another grouse on the road. so we spend some time watching it and she appears to headed straight for AJ's log.

While she works her way over to AJ's log, I look up and see AJ crossing the road. Now last year I know he had another log over there that he would drum on but I could never find it. Sure enough today Jamie spies him on his second log and we get some shots.

We even saw him Drum! Shot 1

Shot 2

Shot 3

What a thrill. So get ready folks for more video and more images of AJ. I am hoping that both Jackson Junior and Sunny also made it through hunting season and the winter. Here is a shot of Jackson leaving his second log. I love the feathers down to the toes.

Put some wild in your life this weekend. You will feel better for it!
Turbo