Walking through grassland, though we’re on a gravel path, we’re quiet until someone calls and we see a grouse camouflaged amongst long strands of grass. Brown speckled feathers are the colours of grass seeds swaying the breeze. They’re ground-dwelling birds, alert to our disturbance. We count lone adults the height of the grass, chicks with doting parents, our tallies ranging from few to many. Mainly we’re glad to see them, one of the pleasure of quiet walking to see birds at close range.
