Have never seen that at a strutting ground before. Dropped off into the valley where the lek is, and there was a red pickup. Parked almost exactly where I park to count the grouse.

Okay, that's happened a few times before. There are grouse watchers out there, and I've come across a few in the process of watching before.

But in front of this red flatbed ranch truck, was another. A white government rig. Parked exactly where I park to count grouse.

Okay, I sidle up alongside the red truck, keeping on the side away from the grouse. But the cowboy in the driver's seat looks none too happy to be where he is at the moment, and does not come over to open the passenger side window.

Meanwhile, his big black dog on the flatbed is barking at the sisters, who are struggling to get across my lap, yipping frantically at the same time. I move on to the front truck.

Know the driver, from the local federal agency. His passenger is apparently the latest manager for the ranch we're on, and is being given a guided tour of grouse strutting.

I remember being able to do that. Drive out before sunrise, and park and drink coffee and eat donuts while watching the grouse strut.

It has been over a decade since I have had the time to spend one whole morning sitting there watching just one strutting ground. But no more. Too many leks, too few mornings. I make my three counts of this ground, compare notes with his count, and then back out and head off to lek number two.

The cowboy was looking just as bored when I left.

No grouse on the second lek site, as expected. Been abandoned a lot of years. Lots of activity at the third. These birds strut in small clearings in tall sage, and you cannot get a good count from ground level. So, as usual, I stood on top of the cab to get the best view, and added almost 20 percent to the count.

And, as usual, the masked heeler stuck her head out the window to look up at me... "watcha doin' up there?"

Lek number four was also still active. As I swung the binocs across the ground on the first count, I noticed that there was something strange about the two white-breasted birds on the far right side of the lek.

They were small, skinny, and not strutting. Just sitting still, like statues. A quick check with the spotting scope solved the mystery.

Falcons. They were two prairie falcons, sitting there on the ground in the sage.

Never seen that at a strutting ground before.

The falcons were only about twice as far from the outer-most grouse as he was from the second-most outer grouse. Incredibly close for something that can, will and does eat grouse.

A matched pair, no less.

But the grouse are clearly not threatened by anything sitting on the ground, and were strutting away. For a while there, one cock was on the other side of the falcons.

Presumably they settled down there for the night, and then woke to find themselves in a sage chicken serenade.

The falcons left first, separately, and the grouse took only a few minutes to pause and hide, until each falcon had soared out of sight.

Then back to business.

Circled back along the north side of the Ferrises, with their new coat of snow, to the first strutting ground. Was quite surprised at how green the country had become, with just yesterday's rain and snow.

Was also surprised to see a smidgeon of bright blue. On the ground.

Found several of these small plants blooming. The first flowers of spring. (of the non-domestic variety.) Haven't identified them yet, but the whole plant was well under an inch tall.

Was surprised to find most of the grouse still strutting on the first lek of the morning. Was even more surprised and pleased to hear a snipe winnowing. It started in the valley below us, and eventually came up directly over our truck.

Lovely sound. Lots of memories. And now a new one. Of the masked heeler cocking her head up towards the sky, trying to figure out just exactly what that was.