Are You Experienced? Part 4

Dear Loyal Readers,

Today is the day for which you have been waiting your entire life, or at least for 2 days. Did they succeed in seeing the endangered Gunnison Sage-grouse? Or did they fail spectacularly, as with the infamous and despised Brambling? And, more importantly, how can I see this fascinating bird?

Allow me to start with the last question first.

The Birding Experience, Ten Steps to Seeing the Gunnison Sage-Grouse 

1. Drive somewhere in the vicinity of Gunnison, Colorado. Unfortunately, it’s not called the “Las Vegas Sage-grouse” or “Someplace-I-Would-Actually-Plan-To-Visit Sage-grouse”. 
2. The morning of your viewing experience, rise at least 2-3 hours BEFORE dawn. So, if dawn is 6:30AM, plan on rising around 4AM.
3. Bundle up! You’ll be sitting still for 3-5 hours. Oh, and pack something to do that doesn’t require Internet access, as there ain’t no coverage out there in the boondocks.
4. There is a place where the grouse meet to dance and attract mates (refer to prior blog post for scientific details) with a parking area built by local volunteers. You must arrive at the parking area at least 1 hour before dawn. Arrive later and you risk scaring off the precious little darlings, ruining your experience, as well as the experience of everybody else who is following these same precise instructions on that day. You wouldn’t want to be Debbie Downer, would you?
5. After you arrive, roll down your windows and get comfy in your car. You will be sitting from the time you park until the birds decide they’ve done enough dancing and fly away. You could be here a while…
6. Shhh! Don’t make noise! Grouse be sensitive.
7. Brrr! It’s cold. Snuggle up in that extra blanket you brought, as you can’t run your car’s heater. Noise, remember?
8. Watch carefully. You’re looking for something that resembles a rock in the middle of the field, or a pebble on top the nearby ridge.
9. When/If they arrive, prop your scope on your car door and observe closely. If you’re lucky, you may even see them get down and dirty. If you’re not lucky, then at least enjoy the sunrise.
10. When the guide gives the OK, then you can leave your car to use the portable toilet or drive away. But not before then! So…there should probably be step 3.5, Be sure to use the restroom before you leave your hotel! (but that would be step 11, so I left it out)

So, did we see them? Yes! We got reasonably close looks at one, and saw three others in the distance. But, unfortunately they didn’t boogie.

But, SHOULD we see them? They’re endangered after all, and human activity disrupts them. Would YOU go see them?

That, Loyal Reader, is up to you to decide.

But, at least you now know what you’re getting into.

Adios,
Me