Subject: Paradise Ptarmigan
Date: Aug 10 16:10:45 2003
From: Scott G. Downes - downess at cwu.EDU


Well as many of you know my luck with this bird in the state hasnt been
exactly, shall we say productive for a nice term (at times I could use
some other terms...). I saw my life one in Glacier Park, MT some 17
years ago in 1986. Last year finally added it as my third ptarmigan
species to my AK state list, was 0/13 starting this year in WA. A trip
up Armstrong mountain in the Pasayten wilderness in July, nope. A trip
last Sunday for 3+ hours to the now infamous spots at paradise, yup,
nothing...
Well finally today was different, though still not exactly banner, and
still jealous of all the great pictures and apparently much closer views
everyone has gotten. But one bird is better than nothing right?

I arrived at the snowfield area just east of Panorama point about 10:00
this morning, sat down and began to scan. Finally after about 25 minutes
I notcied some movement in a patch of grass SE of the snowfield, about
100m from the trail. Sure enough a male Ptarmigan! I was able to watch
it off and on as it dipped into view and then back behind the rocks and
grass for about 20 minutes. Then a group of 20-25 climbers made the spot
their training area base for the day and decided it was time to move on
as I had seen the bird as well as possible given the distance and the
chances of better views with that much noise wasnt much better. Oh well
now that a jinx (yes I call 0/15 a jink!) has been lifted maybe my next
view will match what some of these photos have been.
Thanks much to all the people that have posted. This was my final
breeding bird of the state to get.
As an added treat saw two marmots with young next to the trail, neat,
young were still pretty small.

Good birding.

Scott Downes
downess at cwu.edu
Ellensburg WA