The big bird news this past week was the first ever sighting (per eBird records) in Erie Co., PA of a female Willow Ptarmigan, along the Gull Point Trail at Presque Isle State Park. These shots from the other day with the bird in question taking a mid-day ‘shade break’ + preening behavior:
Normally this species summers in subarctic tundra regions, and in the case of North America winters perhaps mid/central Canada. Very rare for one to be so far south especially this time of year.
Coming up tomorrow, more ‘ok but not great’ shots of Willow Ptarmigan!
The P bird flew into our backyard today! It’s really lost!
Ha ha
Really good shots. Hope it gets back to Canada before long!
The Ptarmigan’s still at Gull Point as of reports yesterday.