Ptarmigan Tour (one day)

The ptarmigan is an animal that is adapted to harsh climates and snow. It can be found in the Scottish highlands. It is always a pleasure to spend time with these beautiful creatures. They are usually quite tolerant towards humans and with a bit of luck and patience, the birds allow you watch and photograph them over a longer period of time, from quite a close distance. The difficulty lies in spotting the perfectly camouflaged Ptarmigans. This bird species lives towards a mountain's summet, so we will most likely have to hike up to the top of a Munro. They aren't the easiest photo subject, but are well worth the hike! The Tours are between December and March.

Where

The photography tour will be held in central Scotland. We can either meet up at Dall Lodge in Killin or directly on site. This tour complements the “Mountain Hare Tour” very well.

Recommended Equipment

The ideal equipment for this given tour is a camera with a telephoto lens (a focal length of 300 to 600 mm). The extended focal length will help you photograph the rather shy animals from a greater distance. Spare batteries, memory cards, warm and waterproof clothes and shoes, headwear, waterproof gloves, waterproof protection for your backpack, camera and lens(es) are all highly recommended. As the tour will be going all day, you will have to take something to eat and drink along. In case you own a tripod and/or a bean bag, I would take them along as well.

What to expect

We will be photographing ptarmigans in the Scottish Highlands. The windy, cold climates call for warm clothing. The weather conditions may also be wet. The hike up the mountain can take between 1.5 and 2 hours depending on the location and snow conditions. We will hike up to the mountain’s summit, as these birds live in high elevations, even during winter. This specific tour calls for proper hiking boots, and good endurance. An alternative date should be set in case strong winds are forecast, when the chances of finding ptarmigans are quite small. Although finding ptarmigans is practically guaranteed, in the unfortunate event that we are not able to find any, a second tour will be offered free of charge.