Greetings to all from Gunnison, Colorado. Gunnison-sage
viewing at the Waunita public wildlife viewing area will begin on Friday, April
1, 2016. Over the past several years the sage-grouse at Wauntia have moved off
of the traditional lekking area and are located much farther away with more
obstructions in between the viewing location and the birds. After a
continuation of this pattern in 2015, the decision was made to have two
non-viewing days a week (total of 5 days of viewing per week) in 2016 to
minimize further human disturbance to the grouse. The public viewing site will
be closed on April 4, 5, 18, 23, 26, 27, and May 5, 6, 10, 11. We are asking
viewers to refrain from going to the site on these dates. In addition, Gunnison County has installed no
parking signs that prohibit parking along the county road adjacent to the watchable
wildlife site (CR 887). The Gunnison county sheriff's office has agreed to
patrol the site and enforce the no parking policy. As ethical wildlife viewers,
it is our duty to be aware of our impacts on the grouse and do our best to
ensure that we are not impeding on the reproduction of this species. Please see
the www.siskadee.org website for specific details on viewing protocols.
I recommend having a spotting scope for optimal viewing at
Waunita. On average, grouse are 600 - 800 m away and may be in three locations.
Main lek is the traditional lekking area located in the pasture perpendicular
to the viewing area. East Ridge is located beyond the the Main lek directly
east of the viewing area. Grouse are often silhouetted against the sky at the
top of the ridge. You will also find several lekking areas across the East
ridge by scanning from south to north. The North Meadow can be seen from the
viewing area by locating the willow thickets that begin just north of the
viewing area. The birds can be seen in the strips of pasture in-between the
willow trees and beyond the trees toward a farm house further north.
Dan Schneider
Waunita Watchable Wildlife Program Coordinator
