No grousing
This morning there was a partridge (grouse) at my bird feeder. This is a very strange sight. Don't think I've ever had one there before. Wild turkey, yes, but never a partridge. It took off when I tried to take its picture.

When I mentioned this to Ken he reminded me that, during winter a partridge will create a burrow under the snow. He came upon one once, so deep that there was bare ground at the bottom. I've seen evidence of a partridge popping out of its burrow, the imprints of its wings on top of the snow, but I've never come across a burrow. There are so many amazing things going on in winter.


In winter the ruffed grouse seeks shelter by burrowing into the snow; indeed, I suspect that in many cases, they just hunker down and allow themselves to be buried. Under the snow they are sheltered from the elements and relatively safe (although the odd one falls prey to a marauding fox). If they detect danger, they literally explode from the snow and are quickly away. A flushed ruffed grouse startles in any season, but in winter they burst forth from literally underfoot. Either they can't hear you until you are right on top of them or, more likely, they don't want to flush unless absolutely necessary.