{"id":70464,"date":"2020-06-02T05:40:55","date_gmt":"2020-06-02T11:40:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=70464"},"modified":"2025-11-25T15:38:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T21:38:15","slug":"two-greater-sage-grouse-foraging-on-the-aquarius-plateau","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/06\/02\/two-greater-sage-grouse-foraging-on-the-aquarius-plateau\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Greater Sage-Grouse Foraging On The Aquarius Plateau"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TwoTwo Greater Sage-Grouse foraging \u2013 Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

It takes keen eyes to spot Greater Sage-Grouse when they aren’t on their leks. Thankfully I am blessed with wonderful long distance eyesight or I would have missed finding two grouse five years ago today.<\/p>\n

I found these two foraging Greater Sage-Grouse high up on the Aquarius Plateau<\/span><\/span><\/a> in Wayne County, Utah five years ago today. It was a bright, clear morning on the plateau and as usual I was looking for birds to photograph.<\/p>\n

That trip wasn’t the birdiest trip I have taken but these grouse, a Wild Turkey hen, and a few Vesper Sparrows appeared in my viewfinder. The birds, deer, prairie dogs, spectacular scenery, and the quiet of the wilderness was peaceful and relaxing.<\/p>\n

These grouse were miles and miles away from the closest town and didn’t seem at all skittish. They took their time and walked slowly over the hilltop and out of my sight.<\/p>\n

I sure wouldn’t mind being that far away from the closest town today.<\/p>\n

Life is good. Stay safe.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Greater Sage-Grouse photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I found these two foraging Greater Sage-Grouse high up on the Aquarius Plateau in Wayne County, Utah five years ago today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":164897,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,3427,2319,26,2486],"tags":[4004,6957,10004,4136,4556,3492,5654,4378,3944,4789,4057,4018,401],"class_list":["post-70464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-dixie-national-forest","category-greater-sage-grouse","category-utah","category-wayne-county","tag-adult","tag-aquarius-plateau","tag-centrocercus-urophaisianus","tag-foraging","tag-greater-sage-grouse","tag-grouse","tag-high-sagebrush-steppe","tag-morning","tag-plateau","tag-sage-grouse","tag-sagebrush","tag-sky","tag-upland-game-birds"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/greater-sage-grouse-aquarius-plateau-mia-mcpherson-8534.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-ikw","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":24970,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/06\/03\/a-pair-of-greater-sage-grouse-on-a-june-morning\/","url_meta":{"origin":70464,"position":0},"title":"Pair Of Greater Sage-Grouse On A June Morning","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 3, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"It hasn't been a very birdy trip so far but I did photograph a pair of Greater Sage-Grouse yesterday morning that were close enough to take images of.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Pair of Greater Sage-Grouse on a June morning on Utah's Aquarius Plateau in Wayne County","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/greater-sage-grouse-wayne-county-utah-mia-mcpherson-8530.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/greater-sage-grouse-wayne-county-utah-mia-mcpherson-8530.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/greater-sage-grouse-wayne-county-utah-mia-mcpherson-8530.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/greater-sage-grouse-wayne-county-utah-mia-mcpherson-8530.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":82342,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/03\/26\/finding-greater-sage-grouse-away-from-their-leks\/","url_meta":{"origin":70464,"position":1},"title":"Finding Greater Sage-Grouse Away From Their Leks","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 26, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Finding Greater Sage-Grouse away from their leks isn't easy. 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