Subject: Grouse at Mt. Rainier
Date: Sep 3 13:39:14 1996
From: jbroadus at seanet.com - jbroadus at seanet.com


We were up at Paradise, Mt. Rainier, on one of the lower glacier view trails
on Sunday and saw what I could have sworn were Ptarmigan. But since they
practically walked right up to us, and were not above tree line, we were
convinced that they must be Blue Grouse. I certainly did not think they were
big enough for grouse, and they did not have a long tail but the ranger
insisted that they could be juv that were not full grown. Not full grown in
Sept. ??

They were not white bellied, but I read in the Audubon series book which
says that Ptarmigan have a post natal molt, so is it possible that they had
not yet acquired the white? Also, does anyone know if first year birds have
the red above the eye?
-------------------------------------
Name: Clarice Clark
jbroadus at seanet.com
901-16th. St S.W.
Puyallup, Wa. 98371
206-845-3156
09/03/96
13:39:14