Author Archives: Sasha Nelson

Time Flies and so did the Birds

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It seems like just the other day excited guests had gathered at the dance. The performers had just relaxed from the tension of an unwelcome visitor when a brawl was about to break out in the corner…..

The males squared-off hackles raised ducking and weaving looking for weakness. Suddenly in a flurry of feathers and dust, the first kick was delivered. The birds staggered back flapping their wings. Regaining their balance, they began delicately circle one another, when again, one launched! The force of the blow caused the big male to stagger. As they parted, the guests watching in horror could see flecks of blood coating the once pure white feathers of the male birds. A third time the males squared off and tensions escalated.

Suddenly, as if from nowhere, a large shadow passed over the dancers. In the blink of an eye the birds scattered flying off in all directions, abandoning their duel and the now dangerous dance floor to its new start – a massive Golden Eagle. Like a show girl taking the stage in Vegas, the flashy eagle ruffled her feathers, took a spin on the deserted
dance floor and then departed into the setting moon as quickly and quietly as she had appeared.

This year’s dance was over though the true finale is yet to come. For even
now, snugly sheltered in their delicate eggs, the next generation of Grouse awaits. Soon to hatch  they will be ready and willing to perform – The Forbidden Dance.

“Historical” Facts of the story of the Forbidden Dance

CEC, with support from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Wilderness
Society, Rocky Mountain Wild, Friends of Northwest Colorado and other
partners, provided one training trip for new grouse guides and four public trips to view Greater Sage Grouse in Northwest Colorado.

During the guides training trip, held on April 1st, a Harrier Hawk visited the “lek.” Fights between male grouse are a frequent sight as competition to mate is fierce among the birds. On the final trip, held April 9th, the combined light of the rising sun and
the setting full moon proved perfectly enticing to a massive Golden Eagle
who quickly raided the lek. Regardless of these interruptions, we hope each and every
guest left with the memory of a life time – an incredible wildlife encounter to be certain – and photos to prove it!

If you wish to view and/or purchase photos of Greater Sage Grouse taken
during the 2012 tours please visit:

Todd Patrick Photography
To see and share photos visit CEC’s Flicker pages.

If you are interested in joining us for a tour in 2013, check our website January 2013 for information!

The Continuing Story of the Forbidden Dance

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When we left the lek—the grouse were dancing joyfully and then a beautiful predator crashed the party. The dancers were hunkered down awaiting their fate. Party guests were tense watching to learn if a dancer would die……

Female Harrier flying over and checking out male Greater Sage Grouse on lek in NW Colorado. By Todd Patrick

The beautiful yet menacing hawk stretched her wings wide, tilting them to slow her flight, seeming to hover a foot from the ground. She flexed her sharp talons, brushing her lethal weapons lightly through the feathers of the largest male grouse teasing him with her power, strength and beauty.

Hawk & Grouse by Todd Patrick

The grouse seemed to shudder or was that just the breeze in his full coat of feathers?

Then, seeing nothing she wished to take, the hawk lifted her wings and soared fast and true through the big bright blue sky.

A sigh went up from the crowd. The grouse couples arose with new life and commenced to shake their tail feathers as if in triumph. Yet, the moment of peace was brief as in one corner of the dance “floor” a scuffle ensued.

Two males drunk on survival, squared off, eying each other like prize fighters. They circled one another looking for weakness. Ducking and weaving, jabbing, with a right hook here and faint there.

Male Grouse Face-Off at the Lek By Todd Patrick

The tension mounted as the insults began to fly back and forth between the two cocky birds. Such fights often ended in blood-shed. Would the grouse survive the hawk only to be lethally injured in a dance room brawl?

Male Grouse Circling before a Fight. By Todd Patrick

Find out in the final installment of….The Forbidden Dance….

“The Forbidden Dance” is an extended metaphor with blatantly anthropomorphic perspectives of some of the events experienced during the 2012 Grouse Viewing Trips as recounted by CEC’s Northwest Organizer, head grouse wrangler, and abuser of metaphors Sasha Nelson. Her professors are seriously considering confiscation of her advanced degree in animal behavior and her colleague biologists at Rocky Mountain Wild are threatening to never speak to her again. In her defense Sasha states: “I was so sleep deprived I think I was channeling my Nature Writing in the West professor who used to say – a message doesn’t have to be scientifically accurate to be understood.”

Learn more about Greater Sage Grouse and CEC’s work in Northwest Colorado by visiting us!

Party crasher at our dance!

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Male grouse compete for female attention at the "dance"

It was a breezy, but beautiful morning in Northwest Colorado. The grouse were dancing in full display. The sun had just come-up and the light was perfect for photographers taking happy snaps of the happy grouse couples on the dance “floor” when out of the clear blue sky a bold and beautiful party crasher swooped in. A russet colored female Harrier Hawk coming in low, fighting the wind, inches from the top of the crested wheat grass stubble.  The music stopped the dancers too and a hush fell over the crowd. In she swooped, brazen as, well as brazen as a hawk on the hunt.  The tension built as the invited grouse guests hunkered down. Would we see blood-shed on this bright and beautiful morning? Would the dancing end as the frightened guests scattered?

Want to know what happens next? Check back to read the next part of the forbidden dance OR come join us and see the “dance” for yourself. 

CEC, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, The Wilderness Society and our partners invite you to the “Dance”. We are pleased to offer limited seating trips to see the iconic Greater Sage Grouse mating dance.  To learn more about the tours or to purchase your ticket, click here. 

Grouse Trip – 83 years in the making!

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Shirely Steele, age 83, watching grouse dance for the first time. (Sasha Nelson)

Shirely Steele, age 83, watching grouse dance for the first time. (Sasha Nelson)

In the corner of the wildlife viewing trailer sat a quiet woman with a little smile playing around the corners of her mouth. Every so often she would twist away from the view and whisper to her friend, “they are odd birds aren’t they?” The two silvered haired ladies would share a little laugh and then swivel back around to rivet their gazes on the dancing grouse.

This quiet lady, Shirley Steele, called our office last week to ask about the grouse tours. During our conversation she said to me, “I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve never seen these birds dance. I’m turning 84 soon and I think it’s about time I saw this dance.” And so at 83 year’s young, Shirley Steele joined our trip on Thursday morning to see grouse dance for the first time.

Shirley’s trip was not without risks. With wild spring weather making conditions unpredictable, Shirley worried about the trip being too difficult or the birds not dancing on the one day she finally decided to have a look.

Continue reading →

Where Grouse and Antelope Roam

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Grouse and pronghorn at the lek. (Sasha Nelson)
Grouse & Pronghorn @ the Lek

Pure Magic!

An intrepid group of guests experienced pure magic when a herd of about 60 pronghorn antelope met and mingled with over 25 greater sage grouse on the lek Monday morning. Guests had hiked in cold, snowy conditions to reach the viewing trailer.

The snow sparkled in the cold and the guests settled in to photograph dancing birds as the rising sun painted the sky with colors of pink, purple and blue. As the sun crested the ridge we noticed the antelope. They seemed to rise out of the deep sage like prairie ghosts.

The cold seemed to disappear as we watched with breath held as the herd moved closer and closer to the birds. We all wondered what might happen when the species met. A short while later we discovered the answer and captured the moment with our cameras!

Magical moments like these are a hallmark of CEC’s Greater Sage Grouse Viewing Trips. The trips, adventures really, continue the rest of this week. There are seats available. Learn more and register now at ourcolorado.org

Sweet Hearts and Sweet Art Abound in Craig Office

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Display of Robin Bremner's Art at CEC/TWS Craig Office, Feb 12th, 2011 Sasha Nelson, MS

Display of Robin Bremner's Art at CEC/TWS Craig Office, Feb 12th, 2011 Sasha Nelson, MS

Annually for over 15 years the hardy citizens of Craig, Colorado and surrounding areas have braved the often sub-zero temperatures to wander from downtown business to downtown business sampling chocolates and viewing regional art during the Historic Downtown Art Walk and Taste of Chocolate event. Once again CEC/TWS staff in the Northwest office participated by hosting artists and a chocolate maker. We might be freezing, but that doesn’t seem to matter as folks really get into the Valentines Day spirit.

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Blue Bird Day used to Build Blue Bird Homes

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It’s that time of the year when the only color in the high country comes from the brilliant blues on our Colorado “blue bird days.”

The Craig Boys and Girls Club offers Teens opportunities to participate in Torch Club and SOS each year

The Craig Boys and Girls Club offers teens opportunities to participate in Torch Club and SOS each year

For members of the Boys and Girls Club of Northwest Colorado a recent blue bird day provided the inspiration for a community service project that offered Club members an opportunity to learn about and build houses to prepare for the spring return of Colorado’s Mountain Blue Birds.

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What Sage Grouse Mean to Me

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Male Greater Sage Grouse begin their dawn mating dance.

Male Greater Sage Grouse begin their dawn mating dance.

Greater Sage Grouse were once so numerous in Western Colorado that Lewis and Clark described clouds of grouse darkening the sky like Carrier Pigeons did before that species became extinct.

Grouse are headed the way of Carrier Pigeons and are now canidates for listing under the Endangeres Species Act. CEC and partners have been working to support grouse. As a part of our work we took over 70 people to view the spring grouse mating ritual. Continue reading →

Lower Loop restoration

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1. Volunteers working to restore the lower loop trail on Cedar Mountain

1. Volunteers working to restore the lower loop trail on Cedar Mountain

This past weekend folks from Colorado Mountain Club, Colorado Environmental Coalition and BLM met at Cedar Mountain near Craig in Moffat County to restore the Lower Loop Trail. There were a number of people from the Front Range and from the Friends of Northwest Colorado. Many camped in Moffat County and then went on a bushwhack climb on the north side of Cross Mountain.

From Colorado Mountain Club leader Stephen B.:

The views from the top are little short of incredible. There was a small notebook serving as a summit register. From May, 2004, the first entry, to May, 2009, the last entry, a grand total of 12 persons had visited the top.

CEC is offering a number of other opportunities to get out in Northwest Colorado. Check out upcoming events on our calendar.