On Wednesday afternoon I was headed outside to do some weeding. I would say that half of the time that I head outside, I forget to take my phone with me. Chris was in the garage working on a wood project with the garage door open and the radio on loudly. I went out of the garage and immediately spotted a Ruffed Grouse over by the garden shed. Cursing myself, I turned around and scurried back inside to grab my phone.
As I headed out again, this time with my phone, I stepped quietly and carefully so as to not scare the grouse away. Every time I have come across a grouse on our property they tend to run away making anxious peeping sounds.
As I got to the edge of the driveway where the “lawn” (dandelion patch) begins, I noticed something else moving on the lawn. There was a Robin there looking for bugs but something smaller as well. Watching more closely, I could see more than one of these small birds. It took me a minute or so to realize that these were baby grouse. The mama grouse had them out foraging for food. Oddly, she was less stressed than she is when she is alone.
It turns out there were eleven baby grouse jumping in and out of the tree line, walking on the deadfall and eating things in the grass. One brave little one came right up to me.
I was surprised that momma grouse didn’t call it back. It stayed long enough to hop over my boot and then headed back towards the others.
As much as grouse like to eat the leaves and buds of aspen trees, these little babies, not yet able to fly, were munching on dandelion leaves.
This particular grouse I have chased out of our garden a few times. It likes to eat Haskap blossoms and leaves. It almost became a game because it knew that if it was inside the fence and I was outside, it could do whatever it wanted. As soon as I entered the gate, it would simply hopped through the fence on the other side. I feel like bringing her babies into the yard was her way of apologizing and she wanted to show them off.
She kept them out on the grass for about 15 minutes then started cooing or bawking in a different tone which told them to follow her into the tree line. I went around by the creek knowing she would go that way. She decided to take a break and sat down near a log. All the babies crawled under her wings for a nap.
Chris had been on the phone but he came out to see the last chick go under its momma. He stayed watching her until she apparently stood up fluttering her wings and multiple babies poured out from under her..his words.
11 chicks is an average brood for a Ruffed Grouse. Sadly 5-6 of the brood will likely die by mid August. Less than half will make it to next spring to mating season. If you are interested, this website has some more grouse information.
It was a beautiful moment and I was humbled to have had the chance to see the family of grouse. I had to laugh that while the momma and babies were out searching for food, daddy grouse was back to drumming on his log. Apparently he was in the mood. Didn’t he realize that maybe momma was a bit preoccupied dealing with their eleven children?
😂. I think the other birds that know they are welcome on your property, spread the word, ‘ NOTHING TO FEAR,)