On guard duty

DENALI PARK, AK - - The Ptarmigan family group, two females and at least six chicks, knew I was there. The older birds made their warning noises and the chicks seemingly ignored them by wandering all around. They were mainly undercover in the bushes. I stood still for five minutes figuring sooner (if I won the waiting it out battle) someone would pop up to check on the intruder....or later (if the birds out-waited me) one of us would abandon the game.

I won as the above photo shows the Ptarmigan who, probably, drew the short straw and was the designated lookout.