[Birdtalk] Drumming Mystery Bird - help sought

[Jason Pietrzak]

My spring bird surveys have reached a conclusion and, going through my
records, I have found a couple of unsolved mysteries that I'd nearly
forgotten and which I'd appreciate feedback on.

Mystery Bird #1
Date: May 1, 2009
Time: Sunrise
Location: Approximately 5 miles north of Hovenweep National Monument
Visitor's Center

For those unfamiliar with the area, there are a series of small rocky hills
with shallow valleys and mostly dry creeks in between. I was in a wet creek
valley, it was about sunrise or just before, cool temperature around 45 F,
no wind or clouds, and I heard a strange drumming sound coming from the
distance (I guestimated 150 meters). I had to be somewhere so I couldn't
hang around and investigate, but what I heard reminded me of the Sage Grouse
Leks in Wyoming that I'd seen a year ago. Drumming was not Woodpecker-like,
and it was not constant, but it was regular for the 15 minutes I listened to
it. Grouse-like birds seen in the area included Wild Turkeys and Gambel's
Quail in HUGE numbers.

Any thoughts? I appreciate anything you've got!

Jason Pietrzak
Moab, UT
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