Still having a hard time getting up early for checking strutting grounds. Getting a lot of leks done, yes, but I've seen more sunrises while still on the Interstate than when out on the dirt. Ideally, I would like to check my first ground before sunrise, and be well on my way to another lek before the sun actually popped up.

Still a little late this morning, but we're getting better. As you can tell, we were well on our way before dawn arrived.

And we were actually on dirt (but just barely) by the time the sun rose.

We were on the Continental Divide Road. Which never gets anywhere near the Continental Divide. Either branch.

But that's its name, and that's where we were when I spotted two eagles roosting together on a powerpole.

Now, when you're out trying to count sage grouse, the last thing you want is to have golden eagles flying around. That'll make the grouse scatter and hide faster than anything else. But two eagles snuggled together in one pole is hard to resist.

I grabbed the camera and backed up.

Slowly.

But not slowly enough. First one bird flushed,

and then the other.

Fortunately, my first strutting ground of the morning was four miles further north, so I worried not about the flying predators and headed off again.

Forgot about the double dip in the road, and flipped the spare spare tire out again, but no rolling this time. Just a couple high, impressive flips.

Got to my spot overlooking the first strutting ground at 06:13, 17 minutes after sunrise. Counted 18 cocks and at least 2 hens, from not quite a mile away.

At 06:17 I started my second count, but before I could sweep across the entire lek, birds started flushing.

An eagle.

A g*d*m*f eagle!

No, wait. Two g*d*m*f eagles, swooping in low over the lek, side by side like fighter jets in a strafing run.

Now, I rarely see golden eagles paired up in the morning. What are the odds of seeing two separate pairs just 17 minutes apart?

Damn slim, I'm sure. I have no doubt the two party crashers at my lek were the same two I had flushed off their pole four miles back. But to get here that quick they had to make a beeline for this lek, not just wander around in the air currents.

Else they were following me. Could they have learned the green truck leads you to sage grouse breakfast buffets?

Either way, the moral of the day?

Let sleeping eagles lie.