Birds, birds, birds… This is a Sharp-tailed Grouse, the differences between grouse types can be hard to see, but the place you find them, colouring, pattern and tail can distinguish them from each other. Male sharp-tailed grouse gather at a lek to show off and attract females. This happens at the crack of dawn and the females can visit a lek on average, 10 times as well as visit another lek. Males don't participate in the raising of the young, the females have to be choosy! Grouse are like many birds, they "hide in plain sight" and we usually see them after they fly up in front of our faces on the trails we travel. I am fortunate to have some "eagle eyes" on my birding adventures, Pat Potvin, Ronda Groom, Rodney King, thanks for being my spotting scope on our birding adventures. To find out more about these amazing birds, check out a few sites, the first gives you overall information, the 2nd is a video of the lek behaviour - very cool! https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/sharp-tailed-grouse

https://www.audubon.org/news/what-heck-lek-quirkiest-mating-party-earth

Sharp-tailed Grouse, hiding in plain sight.