Snow
petrels are birds of the Antarctic, they don't migrate as such but move
further north in winter as the cold weather sets in. Research in
recent years has shown that the Antarctic ocean beneath the winter ice is
surprisingly rich in life - a fact that it seems these birds have known
about for some time.
They frequently arrive surprisingly far south in the
winter in ridiculously low temperatures and high winds for such small
creatures and rest overnight on totally exposed sea-ice, as here. Any
spring and summer shelter is blocked up by now. The reason they venture
south in such adverse conditions would seem to be in order to take
advantage of the abundance beneath the ice and the relative rarity of
summer competitors.
Paul
Ward - Pentax equipment, 50mm lens, 35mm film, K64.
This picture may not be copied or used in any manner without
prior written permission.
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