Hi Tweets

Robin Diaz (from Florida) and I went up to Mt. Rainier this morning.
Nice to be there after the crowds have left. Partly overcast this
morning that burned off by this afternoon. We took the Golden Gate trail
up scanning all suitable places for ptarmigan as we went. The green area
well east of Panorama Point is looking lush but there was no activity at
8:45. The snow fields have largely disappeared, only the really large
one east of Panorama Point is remaining. We continued on up and
eventually got to the eastern edge of the large snow field and had no
activity at it. We worked our way back uphill and just as we got to a
level area by the green area fed by runoff from the cliff above we had a
bird. We had 4 WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN moving up the rivulet at 0900. The
birds, two adults and two juveniles were calm and didn't seem to mind us.

The birds separated slightly, and settled down to feeding, all the while
talking to each other - a series of clucks, nyeeps, and short notes (and
even one time when one opened it's mouth and hissed at another). They
were feeding on some grassy/seedy heads growing along the edge of the
"stream" and on the green moss on the rocks in the stream. They were
really calm and allowed us to get close for incredible views and
photographs. The intricate feathering was beautiful (black and white
speckling on the back of the neck and nice brown tones on the scapulars
and coverts, as was the full feathering down to the toes. One of the
juveniles was showing slight reddish above the eyes. I was able to get
full frame shots, and we were eventually within about 5 feet of the birds.

One of the adults moved onto a large white rectangular rock when the
other birds, who had moved slightly downhill vocalized. The adult
crouched on the rock, we looked up and a juvenile Northern Harrier was
circling nearby. The harrier moved off and the adult proceeded to sit
down on the rock and act like it was going to sleep. Six hikers came by
and the bird did not move. Then a helicopter began to deliver stuff
nearby to Panorama Point - multiple trips and no movement by the bird.

After about 45-50 minutes we began to make out way down the way we came.
After about 15 minutes, when we were about 200 feet lower and a 1/4 mile
away we looked back and could see the bird still sitting on the rock.

If you should want to try to see the birds, they are in a slightly
rocky, wet area with very fresh green plants and moss on the rocks
approximately 100 yards beyond the eastern end of the large snow field
just east and downhill from Panorama Point.

As Marve Breece would say "It was a very, very good day!!"

Brian Bell
Woodinville WA
bellasoc at isomedia.com