"I participated in the Swedish-Russian tundra-ecology expedition in the summer of 94. It was a shipbased scientific expedition where scientists were flown out in helicopters for a few days , camping out in the field. During the many visits along the vast Siberian Tundra I was able to watch and paint all kinds of artic wildlife from the Kola Peninsula in the west to the Wrangel Island in the east. This particular painting is from the Yamal Peninsula. The range of these small geese has increased during the last decade and western Yamal now constitute it's westernmost border. We camped for three days along a curving river where these geese were. The two pairs of redbreasted geese were stationary but rather shy, at night they went down and fed along the small runnels close to the river. They were under the protection of a pair of peregrines from the artic fox and other predators. This was in mid june and the snow melt was in full power, the mud sediment from the Siberian rivers stained the snowand ice along the shores. The only strong colours of the vegitation was the salix flower-buds. To watch the geese feeding and resting in their true habitat was one of the highlights of the expedition. The painting was worked up from a number of sketches and studies I made at the location."