Yorkshire Grouse trip

After many months of looking forward to photographing some Red Grouse in Scotland this year and having two family holidays cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances i finally managed a trip out to Yorkshire to see and document my first Grouse.

The alarm went off at 3am and excitement hit me " a day out of Lancashire at last " kit packed and butties made i made my flask and off i set in the car to pick up my friend David .

We hit the site at 6:30am it was still dark but i could already hear the funny call of the Grouse which amused me greatly, then in front of my headlights walked across the road a rather cool looking Moorland Chicken in white boots, being to dark to capture him i just watched as he walked across the road into the heather with the sound of the Grouse music from the adverts playing in my head.

As the sun rose i was at the highest point of the site and shooting from my car i managed to capture a Red Grouse on the dry stone walls after approaching with caution. Followed by another soon after on a rock in the heather, the soft morning light lending itself to produce some lovely pastel tones.

 

 

We managed a few other encounters throughout the morning in the lovely heather which had faded from its vibrant pink to a light orange colour. The grouse often popping up in the middle of it then ducking back down when we approached which made for some fun but challenging shooting. As the morning drew to a close due to the haze as the sun warmed up the moist landscape we stopped for a well earned breakfast. Good job i had not forgot my flask like Dave leaving it on the kitchen side cabinet  in his excitement leaving the house before his wife changed her mind lol.

After polishing off most of the grub and feeling rather stuffed we headed to a nearby stream to try to capture some of the Meadow Pipits that where in great numbers, the Grouse had now gone quiet and where lying low in the heather.

We headed back onto Grouseland about 4pm and surprisingly they where more active than i thought they would be at this time and by sunset they where very quiet. My aim now was try to try to capture them in flight which is difficult as they tend to fly away from you when you approach them.

The birds as well as using the dry stone walls would perch themselves on posts along the side of the road some of them would fly off as we approached others where very friendly one was very very tame.

As the end of the day approached and the sun was dipping below the mountains i managed one or two last shots to end a really enjoyable day that will be memories cherished forever.