Hazel Grouse

We have been coming here for many years now, but this is the first time we have seen so little snow. The temperatures are positive today again and the birds are all getting frisky. We walked in the woods along the Äkäs river today and were delighted to see some very cheery Siberian Jays and a pair of lovely Hazel grouse. I've not seen these birds before in the wild, so these were a 'lifer' in birding jargon.

They were completely fluffed up and absolutely spherical when looking head on. This one spent several minutes pecking buds on a broken birch, not at all flustered about our interest at quite close quarters.

We also glimpsed a single Willow grouse flying round us, pristine white with black tail bars.