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Status of Ruffled Grouse in Carolinas



Two weekends ago I went on a Sierra Club outing which was lead by my husband
Norm of the Ashmore Heritage Trust Preserve in northeastern Greenville
County. I was a rather rigorous hike which ended up being almost nine miles.
When I pulled out my pack and boots the night before and announced to my
husband and son I was coming along,  I was told since the hike would be
moving fast I was not to think about holding up the group to look at birds,
so I put my binoculars in the bottom of my pack. I felt this was good
compromise in a marriage between an avid hiker and a birder. About an hour
in to the hike my son Jacob who was walking slightly ahead of the group
spotted a Ruffled Grouse on the trail. The bird moved slightly off the trail
as the group approached, but stayed in view for several minutes as if it had
no fear of humans, which delighted the rest of the group. In my six years of
birding, I  have only encountered Ruffled Grouse one other time on my
sister's property in Northern Vermont. From looking at range maps in my
field guides it occurs in the mountains of both Carolinas and is on many
checklists I have for those areas. Since I have not heard in mentioned
mentioned much on Carolinabirds,  I was wondering if it is seen often in the
Carolinas?

 Linda Sharp
Greenville, SC
(864)  268-9409
nljsharp@worldnet.att.net