{"id":106978,"date":"2022-10-08T03:37:30","date_gmt":"2022-10-08T09:37:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=106978"},"modified":"2026-02-28T17:06:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-28T23:06:09","slug":"autumn-ruffed-grouse-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/10\/08\/autumn-ruffed-grouse-photos\/","title":{"rendered":"Autumn Ruffed Grouse Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"RuffedRuffed Grouse in the Wasatch Mountains \u2013 Nikon D500, f8, 1\/200, ISO 1600, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

A Ruffed Grouse in the shadows of the mountain peaks to the east was my best bird on a cool autumn morning yesterday. When I spotted the grouse, I was elated.<\/p>\n

Ruffed Grouse have been a nemesis bird for me and my only photos of them have been purely documentary. A while back I did see one fly across a road about 3 or 4 miles from the location where I found this one yesterday. I couldn’t photograph that grouse because I was driving down the road. It sure looked pretty through my windshield.<\/p>\n

Another time I spotted a grouse in Montana but couldn’t get to it in time to take high quality images of it.<\/p>\n

\"RuffedRuffed Grouse head on look \u2013 Nikon D500, f8, 1\/400, ISO 1250, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This Ruffed Grouse made me giggle out loud yesterday because it was moving so slowly across the road.<\/p>\n

I didn’t have good light, I couldn’t get the best angle on the grouse, and it didn’t matter to me.<\/p>\n

This Ruffed Grouse<\/span><\/a> in my viewfinder gave me joy. The only thing that would <\/em>have been better was to share the grouse with a friend, especially if it were a lifer bird for them.<\/p>\n

\"RuffedRuffed Grouse walking across a dirt road \u2013 Nikon D500, f8, 1\/400, ISO 1250, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This grouse will grow projections off the sides of its toes in winter, making them look like combs. The projections are believed to act as snowshoes to help the grouse walk across snow.<\/p>\n

\"AutumnAutumn Ruffed Grouse \u2013 Nikon D500, f8, 1\/400, ISO 1250, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The grouse practically crawled across the road, it almost appeared to be walking in slow motion. It knew I was there but didn’t seem to be bothered by my presence.<\/p>\n

\"RuffedRuffed Grouse a minute before good light \u2013 Nikon D500, f8, 1\/400, ISO 1250, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

When the grouse walked to where I could no longer photograph it because of the angle of my Jeep I remembered that this species can be very approachable. I grabbed my cell phone, exited my vehicle, and thought about taking photos with it. Then I decided to take a video with it instead.<\/p>\n

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