A new patch bird #35

Last week we took some photographs of large bird foot prints in the snow just on the edge of the arboretum.

Finally, I have identified them … Ruffed Grouse which is species #35 for the patch and #40 for the year.  A couple of years ago I photographed one of these birds not much more than 100 yards from where these footprints were seen. I will get a sighting later now I know they are active in the area … probably pushing things to claim a tick for a foot print though if hearing but not seeing is acceptable then I shall have this pro tem. After all, whose list is it 🙂 ?

Anyway, here is the proof:

Ruffed Grouse footprints