Willow Ptarmigan: the perfect winter bird

 I've wanted to see a Ptarmigan for a long time. 

 This week we drove about 800 kilometres north and east just to see The Bird. And we did.

Our first glimpse was 

a glimpse.

But behind this ridge of snow were about fourteen more.  Seven of them (or at least parts of seven) are in this photo.

 Ptarmigans have feathered feet.

Which appear to act as snowshoes making the strangest bird foot prints I've ever seen.

Willow Ptarmigans are at their cutest in the winter when they only have a few spots of black and a whole lot of white.

They were finding something to eat on these tiny bare-looking bushes.

It was cold but we saw a lot of Willow Ptarmigans. 

 2023 Lifer Number Two