Birding Scotland - The End

I have had no internet connection for the past few days courtesy of the remoteness of the Cairngorms. Now in Northumberland so now connected and I have a chance to share some photographs of the Ptarmigan that we were seeking in the hilly bits. Birds are now in spring plumage which means that males are basically a pied white/grey mix with purer white wings, white on the head and most grey on the body...like a dirty snowball as Pat said! Females are more a mix of gold, yellow, brown and black barring. They can be striking when the light catches them just so. We found eight birds, seven males and a female. The birds called often and it is a treat to hear them. The song is like running a finger along the teeth of a comb or running a stick along an iron fence...like we used to before we had toys.
Someone recently commented that Scottish birds are best and when I found these I felt like they were. These pictures are of two different males and a single female.

Male Ptarmigan Lagopus muta

Male Ptarmigan Lagopus muta

Male Ptarmigan Lagopus muta

Male Ptarmigan Lagopus muta

Male Ptarmigan Lagopus muta

Male Ptarmigan Lagopus muta

Male Ptarmigan Lagopus muta

Male Ptarmigan Lagopus muta

Male Ptarmigan Lagopus muta

Female Ptarmigan Lagopus muta busy feeding

Female Ptarmigan Lagopus muta...up Cairn Gorm...ish

Female Ptarmigan Lagopus muta

Female Ptarmigan Lagopus muta