late spring and summer are the times when baby birds are taking their first steps as here, or attempting their first flight. This is a Ruffed Grouse youngster. The mother flew up from the trail side and did her broken wing act to lure us away, meantime this youngster froze. I took a few photos and backtracked quickly away. Young birds face an incredible number of problems and usually only a few, or one, from a clutch survive. It is a fragile existence.