Black Grouse Lek

[Toby]

Hi, was out for a trip into the woods with my youngest son to watch the Black Grouse displaying prior to mating.Left home just before 18.00 and after a short drive we donned rucksacks and headed off up the trail. We've had a good old fashioned winter here in Norway this year so there was still 80 odd cms of snow most of the way to the marsh that the birds gather on. We were fine all the time we stayed on the ski trails as the snow had been compacted numerous times over the season,however when it was time to leave the trail we were both sinking DEEP

We arrived after an hour of mostly uphill walking(roughly 3 miles)and proceeded to set up a bivvy. This marsh is well known and the birds although wary put up with a lot before disappearing.We were the second party up there, another 2 groups (total 9 people) came up in the space of the evening.We grilled some sausages and ate some sweets before Espen(my son)crept into his sleeping bag at 22.30. I sat watching the flames until midnight and then turned in myself. At 03.55 the birds arrived and started to display, we had perhaps 8-10 blackgame scattered over the marsh, many of them displaying right into the edge of the forest. Last year I found the remains of several blackgame out on the marsh, most probably the work of a goshawk,this has probably made them more wary. it was also good to see an old "friend". For the last 4-5years there has been a Capercaillie/Black Grouse hybrid bullying the pure breds on the marsh. He is nearly twice the size of them and makes a very strange sound, very much like a mobile phone on silent with the vibrating alert on, nothing like the others. Unfortunately no pictures of the birds.They displayed for approx 2hrs and then retired for breakfast, as did we, bacon and eggs at 0c Then back to the car, all downhill this time!

 

[1967spud]

my god that scenery looks good and it looks very cold

[SteveW]

Great to catch up with "Old friends", he must be sight to behold, unfortunately a sight I will probably never get to witness.

 

Always special to share moments like these with your children, the future shooting generation.

 

Cheers Steve

[eldon]

Sounds like a nice trip toby. I'm sure your lad will remember this quality time in the future.

 

Me and my eldest son (12) did a similar thing last year. Sat in a bivvy in a wood around 0 c and had tea and snacks off the fire. It was only later when we prepared to leave that we realised how cold the area was.

 

Another favourite is setting up a zip wire and play some games with that