I looked out the window the day before Christmas and see a female ruffed grouse eating the last of the mountain ash berries in the tree by our home. A second female grouse is in the spruce tree behind it. That is the last of the mountain ash berries.

At the base of the spruce is a male ruffed grouse in full display. You see this regularly in the spring and fall when the males are competing for the females but this is the first time I have witnessed displaying in the winter. He was definitely trying to impress the females who really didn’t seem to be paying attention.

After the female flew off the male marched right by me in the opposite direction. I think he was put out by the lack of attention that he was getting.

Paul Sundberg