A shadow slid slowly across the snow-covered birch as the huge, piebald bird landed heavily on a branch. For an instant it was lost again, swallowed up by the forest's protective mosaic of black and white... >>>

Winter nights are long on Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, but moonlight brightens the landscape when it reflects off snow some six feet deep. I leave my log cabin before dawn and ski toward Kuril Lake, hoping to elude detection by crows, ravens, and eagles...>>>

Only Russian text is available>>>