Wow, that is one nice lens to have! A bit above my budget I'm afraid, but maybe one day:) Are these birds shy too? The dutch kind is very shy and takes off on sighting me a long way off..
Yes, Ludo, they are extremely shy. The way I photograph them is to set up a tent right in the middle of the lek. I do this in the early evening. Then I get everything I need,crawl into the tent, and spend the entire night there. The birds from miles around arrive at the lek near dusk, and spend the night there. By getting into the tent before they come, I do not scare them off - plus, I am already in place when the sun comes up and they start lekking. Only way to do it that I know of.
Oddly enough, they are not afraid of the tent (unless it's windy).
Hoho, you take it very seriously. The entire night, wow. With such zoom capabilities it must be captivating. Smart move to setup your site before they arrive, so 'you are part of the furniture' as we tend to state in the Netherlands:) You don't stand out. I can imagine the flapping noise scaring them. Thanks for explaining. I live in the countryside and see grouse frequently. Though they spot me sooner, stop exploring fields and take off. Not that they're good flyers:) Then they are sharp as a knife for some time to come. Difficult indeed.
Ludo, Those grouse in the Netherlands, what is their breeding ritual like? Do they gather in large groups to breed, such as our Sage Grouse and Prairie Chickens, or is it more of a solitary pairing off, like our Ruffed Grouse?
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Oddly enough, they are not afraid of the tent (unless it's windy).
Picture is just perfect also with golden morning/evening sun.