Willow Ptarmigan

 The Willow Ptarmigan is an Arctic bird that frequents Newfoundland throughout the year. This is my second sighting of this bird. The first occurred last December on the Southern Shore highway. At that time there were five or six sitting along the road and we flushed them as we drove by. There was no opportunity to get any pictures at that time. The December birds are nearly all white.

This Willow Ptarmigan was photographed in September on the Cape Race Road. Once again, it was the keen tour guide that spotted this plump, reddish sitting quite a distance from the road. We were advised not to approach it or it would lift off quickly. As a result, these are the best pictures that I got that day. Once again, these record shots will need to be upgraded in the future.