Good afternoon!

This morning was a chilly 24°F with partly overcast skies. We are nearing the full moon, so things are bright! Sometimes this can cause the birds to display throughout the night, and by the time we get to the site, they are too tired to continue on, and we may end up missing them. We haven't seen this yet this season, but it is something to think about if you are planning a trip out!

This morning we saw 8 birds in the North Meadow, and by 7:00 am, most of them were gone, probably over to the East Ridge. After 7:00 am, we saw 13 males, 8 females, and 5 unknown birds on the top of the East Ridge. All 13 males were displaying beautifully, with their tails being back-lit by the rising sun!

A large heard of elk were seen beyond the East Ridge on a neighboring hilltop.

Most of the snow in the area is melted. There are still small patches in the North Meadow, and towards the north end of the East Ridge, otherwise most of the snow is gone. This is making it tricky to see the birds in certain areas, so be sure you are scanning slowly, watching for movement, and flashes of white from the males breast.

Happy birding everyone!