Young grouse and baby rattler

[ronwoodcraft]

There was a brood of about 10 young ruffed grouse in front of my house early yesterday morning before sunrise. Only managed one shot before they fled into the brush. It wont be long 'til the young grouse go their separate ways. and you only see one at a time.

The snake is a road kill I saw on the way into town this morning. I cropped it to avoid showing the gory injury.

 

[kcm]

We haven't seen many ruffed grouse this year. Very strange - but I think the trend for the area is that they have lower numbers this year. Seems I remember reading that their numbers rise and fall in a 7-year swing.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Great pics Ron, as usuall! An interesting tidbit about Sage grouse...not ruffs. My daughter's soccer coach, when she was young, was a wildlife biologist specializing in Sage grouse. He told me their research showed the greatest mortality in Sage grouse chicks was rattlesnakes.
Jim

 

[Old Dude]

When I saw the title, I thought " Oh no...these 2 aren't going to play well together ". I haven't been out in the woods this year. I usually have the devil scared out of me at least once by a grouse taking off loudly.

 

[tamrock]

I found a dead baby rattler along a hiking trail a hawk had killed. I recoiled up and placed it right next to the trail for other hikers along the trail to admire

 

[ronwoodcraft]

I found a dead baby rattler along a hiking trail a hawk had killed. I recoiled up and placed it right next to the trail for other hikers along the trail to admire