It's that time of year! The snow has melted off the meadows, so the Greater Sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are gathering at their traditional lek sites in Long Valley and Bodie. The hens initially come for a bite to eat, but the males are soon attempting to outdo each other for attention. It's quite a sight to see!In cooperation with the California Department of Fish and Game, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and the U.S. Forest Service, we're able to conduct "saturation counts," with at least one person surveying each lek. Because the birds can move between them, this gives us a fairly accurate estimate of their population. We're able to count each lek using a spotting scope from a distance away so we can view the entire area and not disturb the birds.
If you can't get over to the east side to see this amazing display, here is a video clip from the Montana NRCS website.
 | view of strutting males through a spotting scope |
 | two males displaying at "Long Valley lek 9" |
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