Attacked...by a what??

I was attacked today while hiking in the woods behind my house. Don't worry, I'm okay...didn't get hurt.

I was hiking down the hill, carrying my camera, minding my own business and listening to the creek running. We've had so much rain lately that the creek is running fast. It was a nice warm walk when all of a sudden an animal burst from the bushes and ran out in front of me. It startled me and I screamed. Yay, I know, I'm a wuss. LOL

The next thing I know, this...creature was hissing at me and circling around me through the tall grass. I'm looking around trying to see what it was, but it was camouflaged fairly well.

It jumped out in front of me again and growled. It looked like a freaky turkey puffing up its feathers. It started dancing back and forth all the while hissing at me. This strange little bird did not intimidate me in the least. I was certain that it was a female guarding its eggs and I was concerned that I was very close to its nest and I didn't want to step on its eggs. So I stopped and looked around. No eggs in sight.

I turned on my camera and snapped a picture of it as it started running towards me in a mad rush. I took a step towards it so that I could get another picture and it ran behind a tree...still hissing. I shrugged and continued my walk and this strange little bird stalked me through the bushes and trees a good ways.

On my way back up the hill, I did not catch a glimpse, nor did I hear, my little attacker, but I did manage to get her portrait...


Who knew a grouse could be so aggressive??