In the winter, ptarmigan are as common around these parts as seagulls are at the seashore. For a photographer, common means reliable! The Willow Ptarmigan is the largest and most numerous of the three ptarmigan species.
Populations are cyclical in nature and there is usually a period of a few years where they are everywhere and then their numbers drop and they become much more difficult to find. After a few scarce years their numbers rebound and once again they seem to be inescapable.
Ptarmigan aren’t exactly the brightest of birds. There is no colloquial phrase that I know of that references the brilliance of any grouse. Whether they are intellectually challenged or just outrageously courageous, ptarmigan are fairly approachable which makes them a great subject for photographers.
Ptarmigan are readily available subjects but that doesn’t make them easy to shoot or easy to shoot well. They can be challenging to shoot in the flat light of early winter and difficult to frame as they are rarely sitting still. And for chubby little birds, they are really fast fliers! I have yet to capture a ptarmigan in flight (read: winter photography goal) as they often erupt unexpectedly into flight.
Winters are long up here and snow is around well into late May. Ptarmigan may be common and not so bright but they are around all winter and it’s nice to have some wildlife around during the cold dark days when everything else has fled for warmer climates.
Expect more on the lowly little ptarmigan in the future.