A Sage Grouse Tale

By Dave Hanks
3/22/12

     Oh how I wish I was cute! How I wish I was clever –
	Enough to cause “chuckles” at my endeavor.
	I would write an ode, I would write a poem,
	About photographing Sage Grouse in their desert home. 

	So I’ll try once more. I’ll try again,
	To tell a grouse tale with paper and pen.
	I needed those grouse – needed their pictures “by gum”,
	And I knew just the place where there might be some.

	So I journey out west, where there’s nary a tree,
	To the Low Sage Plateau with my wife’s company.
	In the evening we went to that wide open space,
	Cause before it gets light, I must be in place.

	Set up my blind by that rock over there.
	Enter at 4:30 AM, with time to spare -
	To be in place before the sun has “riz”,
	And not “spook” the birds. It’s a touchy “biz”.

	In the blind in the dark. I freeze my “butt”,
	But all around I can hear those Sage Grouse strut.
	They boom and they flutter – Their wings beat the air,
	But I’m safely “tucked in” and glad to be where –

	I can get “close-ups” when it finally gets light.
	I can get good photos. They should be alright!
	In time the sun obliged, and “Oh what a sight”!
	Those grouse were strutting – They didn’t take flight!

	There they were, right under my feet.
	Man they were close and that was so “sweet”.
	I shot frame after frame. That I did.
	It was hard to stop. Of that I don’t “kid”.
	
	But a curious Pronghorn seemed out of his mind.
	Bounded right up to look into my blind.
	So off the birds flew. Flew off in their “glory”.
	But I got good pictures – That’s the end of this story!

(Yellow eye brows and air sacs – White ruff and erect tail feathers)









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