I would have responded sooner but I had to pore through four years of bird notes to find what I was looking for. The Mrs. and I were leaving Boot Head about half way between the platform and parking lot when a Spruce Grouse crossed in front of us. This was April 28, 2012. He/she was very unconcerned by our presence and allowed us to come within two to three feet. He/she walked along parallel to us for a few minutes and then ambled off into the brush. Quite a treat. A beautiful bird that pictures don't do justice to. I wonder if this was one of your Bruces?
Regards
Austin
On Friday, April 22, 2016 at 6:30:20 PM UTC-4, Bob Duchesne wrote:
In anticipation of upcoming festivals and tours, I headed up the coast over the last two days to scout, especially for spruce grouse. I am wicked excited to report that Bruce and Bruce Deuce have returned to Lubec.
Well, their sons have. For about seven years, I could count on two grouse along the Boot Head Trail. But seven years is about all you can hope for out of a grouse. Bruce disappeared three years ago. Bruce Deuce was a no-show two years ago. I mourned, especially since nobody took their places last year.
Finally, there are two males in exactly the same spots, and they were maintaining exactly the same border between the two territories. They definitely aren't the original Bruces. They have somewhat different personalities. Old Bruce was seldom nervous around people, but he didn't like to engage, either. He'd waggle a wing or fan a tail if he felt crowded, but otherwise he was kind of indifferent. Today's Bruce was shy, but pulled the tail-fanning trick from a distance – something the old Bruce would never do.
Like the old Bruce Deuce, the new Bruce Deuce was bolder. He didn't like being ignored, and when I gave him plenty of space, he flew up close. Still, the old Bruce Deuce would have untied my shoelaces, so this new one is progeny.
I also checked out my emergency back-up grouse in Roque Bluffs. Rocky was not in his usual spot, but another male ambushed me about a hundred yards before Rocky's normal hang out.
Other highlights: I walked the new bike trails in Schoodic, and found nary a dust bath anywhere, dashing my hopes for finding an easy grouse there. But I watched two merlins harass a peregrine, and that was cool. Lots of singing purple finches, hermit thrushes, and winter wrens. Three harlequins at Schoodic Point. There was a greater yellowlegs in Winter Harbor harbor, which I felt was pretty early. FOY swamp and savannah sparrows in Lubec.
Bob Duchesne
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