Creamer’s field is a former dairy located in Fairbanks, Alaska, now a migratory bird refuge managed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The 2200 acre preserve includes miles of trails through woods and wetlands, and in the summer, thousands of migratory birds flock to the area.

Even by Alaska standards, it’s not summertime, but there are a few species who winter over here, so I decided to hit the trails and see if I could capture a few images in the limited daylight available this time year. Silly me, I stopped to chat with a nice gentleman who was walking his dog, and I missed my opportunities; by the time our conversation was done and we parted ways, I heard no more chirping, and soon after, the light was fading.

Still, it was a nice walk in the park, and it was fun to watch the dog-walkers, cross-country skiers, skijorers, and a tour group making their way round and round, and I got a good reminder of what it takes to work outside in Alaska. It requires a set of skills that’s not necessarily obvious if you’ve never done it, and which I’ll have to polish up a bit before I do any more serious excursions next year.