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Re: Blue Grouse at Snowbird



I've seen Blue Grouse right under the Gad chair at Snowbird in winter and also walking down from Hidden Peak in the fall along Chip's Run.  Also Pine Grosbeak.  Rosy Finches on Speculator Johnson in the Spring.
 
Jim McIntyre
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 1:34 PM
Subject: [BirdTalk] Blue Grouse at Snowbird

On Monday I was skiing in the blizzard at Snowbird.  (Oh, it was some
fine snow, nice and deep, and light.  Very nice...)  While riding up
Wilbur chairlift I saw a single grouse in an evergreen tree adjacent to
the chair-lift.  I noticed it due to its distinctive "woomphing" sound
when it flapped its wings.  I've seen one or two of them on rare
occasions over the years up Little Cottonwood Canyon.  From looking at
Sibley I would say the Blue Grouse most closely resembles what I saw. 
It was definitely a grouse, due to size and general coloring.  Looking
at the illustrations in Sibley, on page 143 (first edition, second
printing), it most closely resembled the upper right adult "grey-brown
and speckled overall."  The one I saw was not as dark as the Pacific or
Interior variety.  Can anyone give me some feedback on if Blue Grouse is
indeed the most likely identification of grouse common to the Wasatch
Mountains?

(By the way, I've seen a single Ermin a couple of times this Winter,
also at Snowbird.)

Matthew Wallace

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