Black Grouse Leks in the North of England

[Jonathan]

Originally Posted by Jackaroo

It's where male Grouse meet up to strut their stuff and hopefully pull a bird.
Usually in a secluded forest clearing where us humans wont disturb them. Actually, it's not confined to Grouse and the term can be applied to any congregation of various species competing for mates.

Got to say Jackeroo, all the leks I've seen have been on open hill ground rather than forest clearings, often marginal ground where rough pasture (or even arable) joins heather moor. That's not to say they don't use more wooded areas for leking, just that I've never seen any

Spurred on by this thread I visited three leks in North Wales yesterday morning. All leks were occupied by blackcock but only at one were the birds actively leking. The first one held over twenty birds, which all took off at one point and had a fly around the hillside (they do this regularly for no apparent reason), the second one held eight birds, all of which were leking, though with little enthusiasm! The third one held a similar number, though here the birds were simply loafing around. It's not unusual for birds to start leking around Christmas time, friends saw them leking in Argyll in the third week in December last year. Leking will get more intense as the days lengthen. It often peters out quite early however so it's essential to be there around dawn!

Cheers
Jonathan

[dunkeld]

I have to say I agree with Jonathan,only ever having seen them in open grass fields .lecking. Another point is that I have only ever seen Blackgame in,or close to fairly young plantations around Perthshire and Angus
when not lecking. Dennis

[Jackaroo]

Originally Posted by Jonathan

Got to say Jackeroo, all the leks I've seen have been on open hill ground rather than forest clearings, often marginal ground where rough pasture (or even arable) joins heather moor. That's not to say they don't use more wooded areas for leking, just that I've never seen any.

I haven't actually seen one,anywhere. I was perhaps a little hurried with my post and acknowledge your point.The wife was trying to pry me away from the P.C. for some frivolity or other (groceries I think) And thus caused me to betray my shallow nature and faulty research.Forgive me.