Dusky Grouse (Blue Grouse)Read about the slideshow at <a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-23615-Billings-Outdoor-Recreation-Examiner"target="_blank">Merle's Outdoor Recreation Articles on Examiner.com</a>
These photos were taken fairly high up on the south side of Sweathouse Creek. My puppy and I walked through thick beargrass on our way up a ridge and flushed this hen and her clutch of at least 10 chicks. They flew into the trees before she did. She waited for the last one to fly before she flew into this burned tree where she "froze." She sure is camoflauged.
The Dusky Grouse, Dendragapus obscurus, is a species of forest-dwelling grouse native to North America's Rocky Mountains. It was formerly known (until 2006) as the blue grouse and is the second largest grouse on our continent, measuring 12 to 15 inches in length. Only the Sage Grouse is bigger.
<ul><li><a href="http://fieldguide.mt.gov/detail_ABNLC09020.aspx " target="'_blank">Montana Field Guide for Dusky Grouse</a> by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks</li></ul>http://merleloman.smugmug.com/A-Montana-View-and-Other/Birds/Dusky-Grouse-Blue-Grouse/IMG5980/575447761_G4YuR-Ti-1.jpghttp://merleloman.smugmug.com/gallery/8706950_Ujc92/2009-09-29T01:42:41ZCopyright 2009, the copyright holder of each photograph. Some portions copyright SmugMug. All rights reserved.SmugMugSee how camoflauged she is?<p><a href="http://merleloman.smugmug.com">MerleLoman</a><br />See how camoflauged she is?</p><p><a href="http://merleloman.smugmug.com/A-Montana-View-and-Other/Birds/Dusky-Grouse-Blue-Grouse/8706950_Ujc92#575447761_G4YuR" title="See how camoflauged she is?"><img src="http://merleloman.smugmug.com/A-Montana-View-and-Other/Birds/Dusky-Grouse-Blue-Grouse/IMG5980/575447761_G4YuR-Th-1.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="See how camoflauged she is?" title="See how camoflauged she is?" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p>2009-06-27T06:51:32ZMerleLomanhttp://merleloman.smugmug.comhttp://merleloman.smugmug.com/A-Montana-View-and-Other/Birds/Dusky-Grouse-Blue-Grouse/IMG5980/575447761_G4YuR-Th-1.jpg2009-06-27 10:20:31You can hardly see her in this burned snag.<p><a href="http://merleloman.smugmug.com">MerleLoman</a><br />You can hardly see her in this burned snag.</p><p><a href="http://merleloman.smugmug.com/A-Montana-View-and-Other/Birds/Dusky-Grouse-Blue-Grouse/8706950_Ujc92#575447782_sQsRQ" title="You can hardly see her in this burned snag."><img src="http://merleloman.smugmug.com/A-Montana-View-and-Other/Birds/Dusky-Grouse-Blue-Grouse/IMG5983/575447782_sQsRQ-Th-1.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="You can hardly see her in this burned snag." title="You can hardly see her in this burned snag." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p>2009-06-27T06:55:38ZMerleLomanhttp://merleloman.smugmug.comhttp://merleloman.smugmug.com/A-Montana-View-and-Other/Birds/Dusky-Grouse-Blue-Grouse/IMG5983/575447782_sQsRQ-Th-1.jpg2009-06-27 10:20:45MerleLoman's photo<p><a href="http://merleloman.smugmug.com">MerleLoman</a> </p><p><a href="http://merleloman.smugmug.com/A-Montana-View-and-Other/Birds/Dusky-Grouse-Blue-Grouse/8706950_Ujc92#575447833_nA8AQ" title="MerleLoman's photo"><img 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