JUMPING GROUSE

摘要

AT THIS time of the year my attention turns to my beloved black grouse, and for this week's fine tome you have the story of Rouse on grouse! This year is a little different as my black grouse leks (where the grouse perform and strut their stuff) are in Wales. It is a stable population, unlike some others that are in decline. This is the result of efficient gamekeeping and conservation efforts by landowners and the RSPB. I have been fortunate to be allowed to work on a wonderful lek this year and a few weeks ago I set up a hide on it during the day when the grouse were sleeping. The weather then played a hand, with gales and cloudy mornings, but finally I had a two-day window of bright weather. Black grouse start arriving at the lek well before dawn and I decided that, to be safe, I should be in the hide overnight.