I know we live in a climate with real summers and real winters. We know it gets cold. But it is difficult to appreciate just how cold it is until you sit for several hours in a windswept field trying to photograph arctic birds. You need layers upon layers and strategies to keep your fingers and camera from freezing. If you start to freeze, you have the refuge of your car. Even better, you can head home and enjoy the comfort of a warm meal. Arctic species don't have those options. They have no choice but to endure the intense cold and wind. Observing Snow Buntings in these conditions helps me to appreciate how difficult it is for these species to survive. I took the attached image last week as one of the birds braced against an intense gust of wind and snow.
