Black Grouse, World's End

I called in at World's End this morning, primarily to look for the Great Grey Shrike which has been in the area for a few weeks. Unfortunately I failed to see the shrike, but I was more than compensated by more fabulous views of the Black Grouse.

I used to think that all of the males from a particular area travelled to the same traditional lek site year after year in order to win the females, but it's not as simple as that. There are in fact several leks taking place at the same time, all over the hillsides, and today I came across a lek which wasn't there 4 weeks ago when I was last at World's End. It's almost as if the leks can spring up anywhere, and I've come to realise that World's End is in fact one huge lek site. Occasionally you even come across lone males leking on their own, apparently simply overcome by the lust which is all around them and carried through the air by the dove like cooing of the males.

It's a remarkable experience, and it can all be observed from the car. The photos below were all taken from the car.

Also today, several Red Grouse.

Notice how the feathers on the birds neck are puffed out on this photo.

The dove like cooing call of the male Black Grouse fills the air at this time of year.

This was the closest leck to the car.

When they fly, male Black Grouse are very obviously black and startlingly white birds.