Jason, this may or may not help you with a decision regarding your encounter, but here are some considerations…

In my experience, ptarmigan are generally not shy and are very responsive to playback. I’ve had them practically land at my feet, clucking softly (not their usual scream) and starring me down, both summer and winter. The latter experience was while X-skiing above Aspen.

I find only four IBRC records in Idaho, all reported during Oct-Mar, most recently 27 years ago. This is in spite of birders looking for them in likely locations in the Selkirks, and maybe even in the Purcells and Cabinets. I wouldn’t feel comfortable with the species on my eBird list without seeing the bird(s), knowing they aren’t shy. I’ve made mistakes with “identification by vocals-only” that turned out to be mammals, vegetation squeaking in a breeze, or juvies of other bird species. Without photo-documentation, or at least a good decisive visual, my tendency with eBird lists would be to enter notes in the “general comments” for reference purposes only.

In other locations where I’ve lived and birded, our rule-of-thumb *even* for annually expected migrants was that first-of-year birds need to be seen, especially if they were early dates. This should add perspective for a first WTPT encounter in Idaho in nearly 30 yrs. Maybe?

FWIW, Larry

From: “Jason Talbot jason.talbot1@yahoo.com [ible]”
To: “IBLE”
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2019 10:18:24 AM
Subject: [IBLE] Ptarmigan in the Selkirks?

I’d appreciate any feedback from a checklist that I submitted for White-tailed Ptarmigan. I have no experience with this species but am convinced I ran across a couple in the Selkirks last week by sound only and after some research (I didn’t see them). See checklist for details [ https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59523613 | https://ebird.org/view/checklist/S59523613 ]

This link contains photos from the trip [ https://www.flickr.com/photos/120225686@N06/albums/72157710771356201 | https://www.flickr.com/photos/120225686@N06/albums/72157710771356201 ]

One phenomenon I experienced were thousands of moths everywhere. They were all over my tent, in the truck, everywhere we went in the Priest Lake area and up the valley toward the Canadian border. I’d never seen anything like it. I guess with that many moths, the Grizzlies make an effort to eat them assuming they’re the same kind. The following video shows what I mean (seen on the water) [ https://www.flickr.com/photos/120225686@N06/48708176838/in/album-72157710771356201/ | https://www.flickr.com/photos/120225686@N06/48708176838/in/album-72157710771356201/ ]

My coworker and I did several hikes in the Selkirks, hiked to Upper Priest Falls and canoed to Upper Priest Lake. Very cool country up north!

Jason Talbot
Eagle, ID