It has been six months since I last saw my residential grouse. But whether last March, the previous December, or now, it is always seen hanging around in the same area.
The Ruffed Grouse does not migrate, but lives out its life within a territory of a couple of hectares, so this might indeed be the same bird as recorded earlier. It now looks rather ragged; I suspect that it is moulting. On each of the occasions I have seen it in the last few days, the ruff appeared partially erected. Maybe it is a male. Can anyone tell?