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Marcus Jackson
Yellowknife, NT, Canada
Ptarmigan are faster than you think and photographing them can be a challenge. This image was taken in April as this ptarmigan was heading into the willows. She turned to look back at just the right moment and I captured her in the beautiful arctic light.
Week 10: Ground Dwellers
Tag:
Willow ptarmigan among the willows
Nice work capturing this beauty in the sunlit snow. If you look carefully you can see where she was crouched down, hidden with the new snow all around before she headed into the willows for better protection.
Lovely, Marcus! Thanks for being ready with your camera to capture this quick action bird of the North.
I think I see a few faintly dark feathers behind the eye. Does the white plumage start to change in April? Checking this out by increasing your photo – perhaps that is just a shadow. Still, when does the ptarmigan start to change to brown summer feathers?
Hi Donna, Thanks for your lovely comments! I am not sure when they start to change colour. We often have snow well into May and farther north snow can last into June. Spotting them in the spring and summer is much more difficult as there are no tracks to follow. I have yet to capture a ptarmigan in her summer dress but perhaps 2016 is the year!
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