This snow bunting has probably arrived here recently after spending the summer in the high Arctic. She's keeping a good distance away from me, testing the zoom on my camera.
The Cornell birding site mentions a bit about breeding in harsh Arctic conditions: "The Snow Bunting places its nest deep in cracks or other cavities in rocks. Although such nest sites are relatively secure from predators, rocks are cold. The thick nest lining of fur and feathers helps keep the eggs and nestlings warm, but the female must stay on the nest for most of the incubation period. Because the female can't leave the nest very often, the male brings her food almost every 15 minutes."
