Alaska magazine Photo Contest

Description: Breakup (or "spring" to the rest of the world) is a unique time in Alaska; as winter comes to a close and the days lengthen, nature begins to reemerge and reappear at a frantic pace. One of my favorite occurrences is the yearly return of the Trumpeter Swans to Creamers Field in Fairbanks. The swans don't stay for long - the shallow, barely-melted pools are merely a stopover on the birds' journey north - but for a few days their beauty, grace, and (occasionally comical) antics are on perfect display for residents of the Golden Heart City.