The little maskless heeler is getting tired of all the early mornings. Normally she stays in bed until I come back in to say goodbye to the wife, and then follows her sister and I outside.

Had to come back to get her this morning.

We arrived at the first strutting ground of the desert count route eighteen minutes before sunrise. It was almost totally overcast, occluding most of the half-moon high in the sky. Still managed to count 19 cocks on the lek, and be well on our way to lek number two before the sun rose, peeking out in the thin band of open sky on the eastern horizon.

Only 39 cocks on the second lek, four less than last week. Again, none of them down by the meadow or on the west bank as they used to do. Thanks to the new fence, I'm sure.

Eighty-six grouse strutting on the big lek, one more than last time. I still need to learn the new route into that ground, now that the gas well road has cut off my old route. Didn't waste much time this morning, but it wasn't the way in I wanted.

Lek four had at least eight cocks out strutting. With the overcast sky and poor light, there could have been a few more hiding in the sage.

The last lek of the route had 43 cocks, seven more than last week. And the only hen of the morning, which was why the males were still so active.

Final route count: 195 cocks, 1 hen. Up slightly from the 185 cocks last week, and slightly less than the 208 cocks about this time last year.

So, it's 07:25, the route is done and the birds are still strutting. What to do?

We head north to scout for any undiscovered leks (unsuccessfully), then swing west to check a sixth lek, and north five more miles for a seventh.

Not a bad morning.