Norway Nature

Easter holiday? Guesthouse is available.

2012-02-16T21:35:00.003+01:00

Easter is is getting closer. Eagleman and his family normaly have a week of that time of the year. Time for the family to find nice plases for cross country and other good fun.

So our guesthouse is available from 31.March to 9.April. This is a realy nice house. 4 bedrooms 2 single and two double roos.
Free wireless broad band. House is close by the sea.

If you looking for something different you can rent this house in easter.

And if you want to meet the eagles mybe I can take you out one day. It's also a nice hide in the forrest where you can sit watching Sguirrels, Crested Tit , Bullfinch mybe Goshawk and much more.

Just get in touch by om-dahle@online.no - We will help you out if you would like a different easter holiday.

Ole

Visit from Germany

2012-02-13T17:38:00.003+01:00

Thomas Krumenacker, a German journalist and wildlife photographer visited Flatanger for the first time in the end of January. Here is what he says:

Having heard much about the photographic opportunities in Ole’s hides in Flatanger, I contacted the “Eagle man” on rather short notice in December to arrange a 3-days-stay for the winter. Usually being booked a year ahead, Ole found a time-slot for me from January 29 to 31. “What can you expect in three days”, I was thinking. But as I had not more time due to job-obligations, I took the risk and headed from Berlin to Trondheim, continuing by train to Steinjker and being picked up by Ole there.

I was hoping for a decent picture or two of Golden Eagle. Far from it: In three days I got more excellent pictures of this superb species than I managed in many weeks of searching in other strongholds of the species in the German and French Alps. The Eagle Hide arranged just perfectly by Ole and at least one, sometimes two adult Eagles visited the site up to three times per day feeding on red fox or Willow Ptarmigan we offered to them.

Having travelled a lot and arranging hides for workshops myself, I have to say that Ole’s level of professionalism is unmatched by anything I saw so far. The feeding site is located in a wonderful remote and natural habitat enabling many different settings for photography. The bait consisted of prey the Eagles feed on naturally, Ptarmigan, Fox, Grouse etc. The hide is extremely spacious, comfortable and cosy. The arrangement of the bait allowed for photography with focal length’s from 500 millimeters down to 70 millimeter!

A boat trip of several hours on the beautiful and wild Sorfjorden was cold but extremely productive. No less than 22 times White-tailed Eagles came to pick up fish Ole was throwing for them. Again, excellent opportunities for “Wide angle”-Photography with a focal length of 70 millimeters allowing us to portray the birds in their wild and unique Fjord-habitat. On my last evening Ole picked us up and we went to the mountains to witness the spectacular phenomenon of Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis. You cannot get more in three days.

After returning home I published a few photos from the trip on the wire of Reuters News Agency for which I am working and it took only a few hours until the first journals and magazines called me to ask for more information about where one could take such stunning pictures.

Those three days in the end of January were so productive that I decided to organize photographic workshops from Germany and France to Flatanger next year. We start next winter with a week targeting Golden Eagle, Dipper, White-tailed Eagle and others. In spring 2013 we will organize a workshop to shoot Capercaille, Black Grouse, White-tailed Eagle, Slavonian Grebe and others. A gallery with pictures from this trip can be found on my website: www.krumenacker.de. Soon there also more information on the workshops.

Two days in January

2012-01-23T21:53:00.004+01:00

January and February is a very good time for me and the photographers. Had a group from Belgium last week and now I have a Swedish week.

It's so much to do. Goshawk, Moose, Lynx, Wolfs, Golden Eagles, Aurora Borealis and today I went out with the boat with my guests. Sea Eagles where just crazy. Had to get back to the harbour for more fish after one hour. So Eagles from the boat is possible all year around.

I do Moose with my good friend in Overhalla, Jon Håvard Vold. Lynx and Wolfs is great in the wildlifepark in Namsskogan.

So have a look what's going on.

It's still a few places available for Capercaillie, Black Grouse in spring and also a few plases available for Eagles in summer.

All the best.

The year 2011

2012-01-11T22:14:00.007+01:00

A year has come to an end. 2011 have been a good year for Norway Nature. I can survive because of nicest people you can imagine, naturphotographers from all over the world.

January
This year I hade my two first guests from US and it was a great meeting. I have had people from Artists for Nature ANF. Painting in the boat for the first time. Just great. But Photo is also " painting with light" and new people having fun with "Arty farty".
And all of you who have come all the way to Flatanger to see our wonderful nature. THANK YOU ALL!!!

February

Now early in Jan it's back to "work" It's hard to call it work, this is a passion. I love what I am doing. I am out in the nature every day during the year. I have the best guest in the world. I am the luckiest man in Flatanger:-) I have a wonderful family and i am in good health.

March

What more can you ask for. I wish all of you the best for 2012 and I know there will be lots of new meeting with new people and also lots of people who have been here before. Yes, i am ready to meet you all in 2012. Take care of the nature, take care of yourself.

April

May

June

July

August

September

Oktober

November

Desember

Ole

Workshop

2011-12-28T16:59:00.004+01:00

Dear photography friends, my name is Holger Wagner. I’m a passionate photographer from Germany. I started shooting DSLR in 2006 with my first Nikon camera. I fell in love so much, that I learned over the years everything I could learn about photography and post processing my images. Regarding my specialty I absolutely agree with Rick Sammon, a famous photographer, author and instructor by the way, that I’m not specialized. But when it comes down to it, I love landscape and wildlife. At the end of July this year I had the chance to photograph sea eagles with at least for me, the worlds most famous eagle man, Ole Martin Dahle. You can check out my images from this trip right here http://www.wagnerphotography.de/blog/?p=399 At the end of my stay I talked to Ole Martin, that I would love it, to offer a workshop in the winter season for ambitious and excited photographers. And now the time has come.

I’d like to invite you to join me on a wonderful 5 day photography workshop in the wilderness of a beautiful Norway. I’ll teach you everything I know in a practical way, when we shooting in a small group side by side. After the practical part we do the whole digital workflow in “Adobe’s Lightroom 3” in Ole’s beautiful guesthouse right at the sea. So at the end of this “once in a lifetime” adventure you’ll head back satisfied with great images and some good new friends. Due to a small group, it’s a kind of private workshop surrounded by beautiful landscape and wildlife. Hope to see you and check out my website and blog to get an idea about me. It would be nice to get some comments. I want to close with Ole’s words “go where the pros go”. Let’s do it!

All the best and always good light,
Holger Wagner

For workshop informations click here www.wagnerphotography.de/norwegen_en.html

Bad Influence.

2011-12-05T22:35:00.003+01:00

As a old band singer it's good to see that the young once is doing well. A local band from Flatanger called Bad Influence was into a competition Saturday night in the town called Steinkjer. Wenche and i try to go and see what we can when they have a kind of performance. For me it's difficult during summer but this time i have time to support the local stars:-)

This band is called Bad Influence and in the band it's Isak with his bass guitar, Tora who is the singer and the guitar player and Guri who is a singer as well + our son Vetle (drummer) who is Tora's cousin. They make all their music themselves.

This autum they have been in different qualifications and saturday the 3. Desember they were in the final togetter with 5 other bands.

This was the final to be Nord-Trondelags best rock band. Very good bands all of them. We knew that over local boys and girls is a good band but we did not imagine that they would be the all over winners!! But they took rock and roll back to to land of the Sea eagles!!!

This was just a great moment for us. Good to see that young boys and girls take their hobby seriously. And it was a few proud families driving back to Flatanger.

Great fun and today it's snowing!! Ole

Bad light but great fun

2011-11-24T20:05:00.003+01:00

My good freind Staffan Widstrand from Sweden came over to Flatanger for a few days.

As most of you know, I never shoot with my guests. (Mybe with the Musk Ox). I started to feed the Goshawk about 3 weeks ago and the first guests this winter/autum have been doing realy great, all of them. There is a adult Goshawk and she is so much different/better from last winter. So when Staffan asked me to have a go with him I had to say yes:-) So Monday morning the 21th Nov we went down to the hide in the darkness.

Some warm strong cofe is needed, and Staffan is easy to spend some hours with. 0845 we saw the shadow, Goshawk landed on the bait. But it was the young one. Anyway a Goshawk is a Goshawk.

He did not start to eat, just looking at the Eurasian Jays, Sguirrels and tits. And than he started his own hunting and that was a show. For about one hour he tryed to get this fast Jays but with no luck.

But for Staffan and me this was great. The Goshawk was sitting all around and sometimes to close for me.. I was shooting with Nikon D700 and 200-400mm ISO 1600 all day and shutter not more than 100!! But when we could shoot for more than 5 hours there should be something sharp. We had to push him away because there where no one to bring us out, the guide was in the hide:-) But I was so happy!

Thank you for a great day Staffan and litle Gos! - Eagleman

Great summer and first guests from US.

2011-11-14T20:45:00.003+01:00

Hallo all of you!

Summer and autum have been a realy great this year. Sea Eagles have had a very good year, a great nesting season and my best day we had 48 dives.Happy with that, and there have been lots of old and new gusets comming. It's always nice to have old friends back but also to meet new people is great. I love you all:-) Even lots of nice girls. Dont tell my wife!!

I am already into the winter season and it looks realy good. Goshawk is back and she is a realy nice lady. Golden Eagles are back at the hide and Sea Eagles we still do by boat and they are just preforming well as always. Good friends out there.

November is so different, light is good and there is lots of species you never see in summer. Have seen leking Black Grouse now in Nov close to the sea, Great Skua have been around and that is not normal in summer, then I have my good friends the Artic Skua.

But this Nov. from 1.-9. I had my first guests from Amerika, Eric and Kevin. We had some very good days and they did well. This is why they have asked for more trips with me. US is maybe a big marked. So read what Eric and Kevin have done at this blogg. Also Eric have some nice pictures here.

So all the best for the winter and just get in touch if you need some new pictures and some fun in Flatanger. Ole M

I departed my house at 5:30 p.m. heading to Boston’s Logan airport for overnight flight to Iceland, with a connecting flight to Oslo, in southern Norway. I was meeting my friend Eric Grossman in Oslo and together we’d fly to Trondheim, where we would spend the night. This long first leg of our journey was my least favorite part of our trip. Ole, the perfect host, drove the 3 hours from his home in the village of Lauvsnes to meet us at the Trondheim airport. The 3 of us made the return journey north to his home. Eric and I were staying in the 4 bedroom guest house on his property. The house was perfect, set right on the water and had incredible views across to the marina where Ole kept his boat, and down the bay where we would sail the next morning. Eric and I had the immaculately clean house to ourselves and entertained ourselves by looking at the extensive collection of nature books in the reading room.

We were intrigued by the numerous framed prints on the walls of the white-tailed sea eagles, and wondered if we’d be lucky enough to see one in the following days. We soon found the next morning that we would not be disappointed. There are 20 nesting pairs of white-tailed eagles in the Flatanger area, and spending over 170 days a year on the water Ole knew where most, or all of them, were nesting. Anthropomorphizing a bit, Ole knew many on a first name basis. Eric and I found them to be challenging photographic subjects, but by the end of the first morning we both had incredible images of these magnificent birds. We both felt we had images that rivaled the framed prints hanging in Ole’s guest house. We had numerous close encounters with the eagles over the coming days.

But that was not all there was to experience in the woods and waters around Lauvses. Would we be interested in trying to see golden eagles and a northern goshawk Ole asked us. Our answer was a resounding yes. So we headed out the next morning before first light using headlamps to find our way in the woods as we hiked to several permanent blinds Ole had built in the woods. The blinds were comfortable and I quickly fell asleep as we waited for first light. My snoring must have been annoying to Eric, but fortunately didn’t seem to bother either the golden eagles or the northern goshawk. Not only were we fortunate enough to see both, but we spent several days photographing them from the warm and dry confines of Ole’s blinds.

The week with Ole went by far too quickly. Eric and I journeyed home with many fine images of white-tailed and golden eagles, northern goshawk, and many of the small European song birds found in the woods around his blind. Seeing and photographing both black grouse and a pygmy owl was an added bonus to our trip. We left making a new friend and were already planning a return visit.

Kevin

Kevin McCarthy

Ole, thanks for a great week of shooting. The guest house is fabulous and one really feels at home there and the ability to cook and relax makes for a most pleasant experience. On the subject of the wildlife, there is only word to summarize - "Extraordinary". The blinds you have built and the knowledge of the area and animal life takes all the variables out of shooting but and puts it all on the camera operator to get the shoot as the animals seem to magically appear.

What can I say about seeing upwards of 10 pair of magnificent white tailed (sea) eagles. And then to have the opportunity to photograph them competing amongst other eagles for fish, watching them dive in for the fish and then almost on command, catch the fish and fly away - simply amazing. Then, to top it off, to see golden eagles and the goshawk on the same trip was the icing on the cake. And then if that wasn't enough, to see pygmy owl, moose, black grouse and the other wide variety of bird species, made for an unbelievable week of shooting. Can't wait to come back in the summer and when there is snow in the winter, looking forward to enjoying more of that great Norwegian hospitality. You are a great guide, a great host and now a new friend in Norway, once again, thanks for a great experience.

Eric Grossman

What a week.

2011-10-16T22:34:00.005+02:00

Last week i had 3 artists from Artists for Nature Foundation visiting Flatanger.

Juan Simo Varela from Spain, Jonathan Yule from UK and Wolfgang Weber from Germany. And what a week!

This week I have taken the artists to different plases, we have been in the protected Boral Rainforrest, out in the boat with Sea Eagles, Otters, Gulls and also Seals. We did one day with Eiders in Inderøy. One afternoon the artists did a workshop with the children at the school and they inspired young girls and boys.

And to see how different the arists draws is amazing. Sitting in the boat watching with their bin and than do great drawings, incredible!! 3 artists with different expressions. Friday we had a wonderful evening in the town hall with nice music from local artists, pressantation from ANF by Hans Rademakers, food from the living sea and our local hero (photographer) Stian Holmen. Stian is invited to the big GDT festival in Lunen Germany in late October!!

Saturday the artists had an exebition in the community center and lots of people came to see an buy nice art.

Also the main televisioncanal NRK have been here during this week and will come back next week to make a half houre about the artists and the nature of Flatanger. So the producer Ulf Myrvold have been working hard this days. This prorgram is called "Ut I Naturen" and will be to see in March 2012.

It's always nice to meet new people and this 3 artists gave me a lot. But it's always difficult when photographers or other people is leaving, emotional!! The good thing is that you still have this people, coming here, for a lifetime friends and that's just great.

So to the artists, thank you for meeting you, I realy hope to see ANF back in Flatanger.

Artists for Nature

2011-10-03T09:38:00.002+02:00

Fra den 2-9.Oktober i år vil Flatanger få fint besøk av kunstnere fra Artists for Nature Foundation.
www.artistsfornature.com

De som skal jobbe her ute er
Wolfgang Weber
Jonathan Yule
Juan Simo Varela

Jeg har invitert disse til en workshop i Flatangers natur.

Er sikker på at mye flott vil bli laget disse dagene, og lørdag den 8.Oktober blir det utstilling av kunstverkene.

Fredag den 7.Oktober er det en naturbasert kulturkveld i Lauvsnes samfunnshus der vi pressenterer kunstnerne for de som finner det ønskelig å delta på en riktig så spennende kveld.

Det som også er spennende er at Ulf Myrvold fra NRK skal lage en halvtime for Ut I Naturen. Han skal også spille denne kvelden!! Spennende.

Så får vi se hva som kommer ut av dette. Spennende blir det og dette blir helt klar en anderledes uke for ørneguiden:-)
Men som jeg gleder meg.

Ole M

Der „Adlermann“

2011-09-11T10:08:00.003+02:00

På nettstedet geo.de kan du nå lese en artikkel fra Flatanger og se Staffan Widstrand i arbeid fra båten.

Håper du tar deg tid til å lese (teksten er på tysk) og kikke på videoen der Staffan snakker engelsk.

Successful!

2011-09-05T20:39:00.003+02:00

I have just returned to the UK after yet another monumentally successful photographic trip to the Lauvsnes area of Flatanger Kommune; more specifically, the White-tailed Eagles of Ole Martin Dahle.

This area of Norway holds a very special attraction for me – an ancient landscape tamed by its inhabitants and unspoilt by the hand of modern commercial greed. Waters so crystal clear and packed with an abundance of life that forms the basis of a completely unspoilt and natural eco- system; where apex predators co-exist side by side with people who make their living from the very same waters.

As a native Englishman a lot of people find it strange when I tell them that if I had the money and opportunity then I would move to this coastal region of Norway in a heart-beat: it would be the only conceivable way that I could do photographic justice to this spectacular area as there is seemingly a new photographic opportunity around every corner.

From superb White-tailed and Golden Eagles to landscapes, and all points in between, this region of Norway has an abundance of photographic opportunities to offer the photographer who is prepared to make the journey. Irrespective of the costs involved I'd challenge anyone on the planet NOT to find a trip to Flatanger one of the most rewarding and unforgettable experiences they could have in their entire lives.

And nothing gives me greater pleasure than bringing clients with me who have never been before, and who, on their return home, feel the same way I do; wanting to go back, and the sooner the better!

This latest trip has been the most spectacular to date with beautiful light and more eagles than I have ever seen before; with up to seven of them in the air above our heads at one time. Trying to make the most of golden opportunities like this is hard work as you are constantly trying to work out which eagle is going to dive for the bait fish. Combine this with swinging a 4 kilo lens by hand whilst trying to maintain focus and composition, all from a boat that is rolling in the sea swell, well; all I can say is that after four or five hours you need a rest!

Through his knowledge and experience with these incredible birds he can put the visiting photographer in front of so much action that you are literally begging him for a ten minute break if you are not used to the pace!
And you have to understand that it is not just a case of turning up in just the right place at the right time, there's a lot more to the art of photographing these eagles.
If there is no wind then the birds can come in to the bait fish from any direction which means that you can not predict their flight path, and they may also be flying with their tails towards the sun which means that their all-important faces are hidden in the shadow cast by their massive wings.
You get the same result when the wind is blowing towards the sun as all birds like to fly into the wind.
But Ole Martin knows all the areas in and around the islands and fjords where he can find variations in the weather conditions that are sufficient to give you good images.
This innate ability he has for being able to put you in the right place time after time is down to his understanding and appreciation of good photography; something which is quite unique amongst guides.

July 18th 2011
Andy Astbury Wildlife in Pixels
http://www.wildlifeinpixels.com andy@wildlifeinpixels.com

Charlie

2011-06-21T20:46:00.004+02:00

Charlie is my good friend, for 3 years he has been using my head and my Stoke cap as resting place.

For all of you who can watch german television. This man at the picture is Jan Haft, the boss of NAUTILUSFILM. They are very good and the 4th July you shold look at ARD at 20:15.

Ciao.
Ole

Sei, ørn og rev

2011-05-17T00:55:00.004+02:00

Så er dagen med tiurleik og Orrleik slutt. To grupper, en fra UK og en fra Belgia har dratt hjem. Det gikk bra denne gangen også. Godt vær og godt med fugl, da blir alt så mye enklere. Etter noen hektiske dager med gjester, så må man ta en dag eller to "fri". En frikveld består i å dra ut med båten for å fylle opp med mat til de neste ørneturene.

Denne kvelden fikk jeg uventet hjelp av mine venner i Snåsa, ikke Snåsa-mannen med frue men nesten :-) Anne-Karen og Christer hadde kasta seg i bilen da det ble snakk om en seriøs fisketur, det er jo 2 timer å kjøre da. Disse to flotte menneskene drive egen virksomhet i Snåsa, workshop i foto og guiding på fiske ol i namdalens vakre natur , noe jeg vil anbefale å ta en titt på. Christer er en ordentlig villmann, gi mannen en stang og han er i fokus!!

Men etter en god time hadde vi tatt ca 130 småsei, noen ble plukket ut til en bedre kveldsmat mens resten blir ørnemat. Det går fort ca 4000 småsei i året på dette. Kvelden utafor Villa var strålende. Selvfølgelig måtte vi prøve et ørnestup eller to på veien hjem.

Like forbannet vanskelig å kaste ut fisk, båt i rett possisjon og så vaske fingrene før man finner et kamera som ikke er innstilt slik det skulle ha vært. Jeg er glad jeg ikke fotograferer når jeg har gjester!! Det hadde blitt bare tull! For meg og for gjestene!!

På heimveien er det alltid trivelig med alle måkene, de er undervurdert som fotoobjekt men jeg er igang med å høyne Måkenes status. Med Charlie, måken som sitter på mitt hode, gjør vi stor suksess. Charlie har vært trofast i 3 år nå.Vi har et godt forhold og omgås bare på sommeren+ litt på høsten og tidlig vår, kanskje litt om vinteren:-)

Under kveldsmaten dukker selvfølgelig Nikolaj opp, dyret innahus har vært forbannet i et år nå. At denne rævtaska skal ta for seg i hans matfat er under Troj's verdighet. Det lyder av Ulv inne i vårt hjem, ganske så ofte!!

Men en liten status for resten av året. dette er et utrolig godt ørneår, har vel ikke hatt så mange hekkende par så lenge jeg minnes. Det er ikke mange dagene ledig men jeg har dagene 9-10.Juni og 30-31.Aug + 1 Sept ledig. Mulig noen dager i perioden 4-9.Juli men dette er noe usikkert.

Med ønsker om en flott sommer til alle dere.
Ole Martin

"Onkel! E d mars no?"

2011-04-06T22:43:00.004+02:00

Det er min nevø Brede Larsen Hunnestad som ringer. Joda, onkel kan bekrefte at det er mars nå -og jeg er også fullstendig klar over hvorfor gutten ringer.

Like før jul spurte Brede om han ikke kunne bli med ut og ta bilder. Men for en naturguide som meg er vinteren belagt med gjester- og Brede fikk løfte om positivt svar hvis han ventet til i mars måned.

Ja, så nå fikk jeg beskjed om at tiden var inne. Vi fant en dag der Brede hadde fri fra skolen. Han er en herlig gutt på ni år og nå ville han også bli naturfotograf-for en dag. Min kompis Kjartan hadde signalisert at han og Elias ville komme utover fra Namsos på ettermiddagen for å slå lag med oss.

Tidlig neste morgen var det klart for action.Vi startet i et fotoskjul for småfugler og Ekorn. Montering av fotoutstyr er viktig-slik at alt er klart når fuglene dukker opp på foringsplassen. Nikon D700 og et 200-400mm objektiv skulle gjøre en del av jobben.

Selv skulle jeg bare være litt til hjelp for gutten-slik at han skulle få et så godt resulatat som mulig. Onkel skulle ikke ta bilder i dag.Som vanlig er det full fart utafor skjulet med Dompap, Nøtteskriker, div meiser og disse tre utrolige Ekorna som holder til i skogen vår.

Det knatret godt i D700- kameraet, det er mye å ta bilder av. Jeg tenker med bekymring på jobben som skal gjøres etterpå. Den digitale verden er moro så lenge du sitter og tar bilder. Etterpå er det pyton!! Men økta i skjulet er over i rett tid på dagen. I pausen registrerer jeg at Brede hadde fått utrolig mange flotte bilder og at han fort lærer å finne motivet i søkeren-og sjekke at det så ok ut.

Neste økt var å besøke en nabo som har en oter under uthuset. På dette tidspunktet fikk vi besøk av namsosingene Kjartan Trana og Elias Arnø, alltid trivelig med slikt selskap. Jeg lurte litt på hvordan Brede skulle greie å holde kameraet og linsa, samt å finne et raskt dyr i søkeren. Selv om linsa nå var en 70-200mm så er dette tungt å holde.

Jeg kunne bare glemme mine bekymringer, gutten raslet i veg, serie på serie og Brede sikret seg bilder av oter mange vil misunne han!

Så var det tid for en vanskelig fotosession, Havørn- fotografering fra båt, de siste 3 timene av dagen. Været hadde slått om, flatt lys og mye vind.Men Brede og Elias ville så gjerne prøve ørna. Med en hale av måker som skriker etter brød, kjører vi ut.

Det tar ikke lang tid flatanger-ørna dukker opp. Vi får ørnestup på ørnestup og det " skytes" hundrevis av bilder. Jeg er imponert over Brede og Elias, sistnevnte er bare 11 år, men de står på-og noen ørnebilder blir faktisk meget bra.

Etter båtturen og fotografering av ørn-skal resultatet av dagens fotojakt sjekkes.Flere hundre bilder skal vurderes, og jeg ser faktisk fram til noen timer bak pc-en. Dagen med Brede, Elias og Kjartan var meget innholdsrik. Men den største gleden hadde jeg av å ta med min unge nevø ut i vår utrolige natur. Han fikk låne godt utstyr til å ta bilder med-og han utførte det utrolig bra.

Brede var også fornøyd. Kanskje får han låne onkels utstyr en dag lyset er lettere å jobbe med. Smilet i nevøens ansikt fortalte meg at gutten hadde hatt en flott fridag fra skolen-i naturen.

Otter

2011-03-28T17:29:00.003+02:00

I have lots of "friends" out there. Miguel, Maurizio, Arnold, Florian, Gill +++ But I must say that the Otter is my favorite animal.

In Flatanger we have a very good population of Otters. Where the Otters live there is also a good place to live for the Sea Eagles. All time of year you can see Sea Eagles stealing fish from the Otter. Our coast is rich and it's no problems for the Otter to find more than he need. But the eyes of a Sea Eagle is just amazing, in 1-2 km they can see a smal fish in the sea, and they easily can see an Otter.

But the Otter dont care, if the eagle steals he find a new one, easy!! And they have fun, in the winter you can see them having fun, like walk up on the top of an island and than slide down in the snow. So this Otter is around now. The pictures are taken in 24 hours , so you see natures changing fast right now.

Hope he will be around for some more days so my new guests can meet him!! Great fun but he is a wild animal and he is a great fisher, can see him fishing in the lake and river.

My winter feeding season is over now, having some days just to be an Otter:-) So to all who have been here in Flatanger this winter, THANK YOU!! Have been a good year even if the Goshawk have been difficult. She lost here husband last spring. She is now calling for a new one, hope he will be a good bird for my guests!!

Ole

Troll

2011-03-24T20:25:00.004+01:00

I had a chat with my friend this evening. Yes, I have a friend who looks like me, but he has been there for many, many years. He is the "Troll". He is living close to the sea on the way to my Sea Eagle hide. He is sitting there because he was to late back from a meeting with his girlfriend, sunrise for a Troll is dangerous. Sun makes them to solid rock!!

I talk to him when I have a walk in the evening. He is sitting there,thinking. He is so nice, looking out in this beautiful nature. This is the land of the Trolls. Every day, every night, rain, snow, cold and hot, he is there. I sometimes ask him what he thinks about humans and nature. 1 Feb they started Lynx hunting in Norway. This amazing animal were free to kill for some weeks. We could take out 166 animals!!!!!

Mr. Troll! I saw some tracks of Lynx some days ago. But we keep it secret, me and you. My dream is to have a Lynx sitting on your head in the sunset. But as long as there are people on this planet, no animals can feel free.

Good night from Ole.

Angels in the Goshawk forest

2011-02-22T12:53:00.004+01:00

It was mothers day. My 5 guests from UK were safe in the hides. I hope they will get their Golden Eagles even if it's strong wind up there. But if you know where to go you always find shelter, and the Goshawk forest is a nice place today. Our sons have other interest, they are to old now to run out in the forrest early a Sunday morning, togetter with mother and father. I guess it's how it should be.

But it's great to have a brother with two you daughters Ester and Sigrid. - " Would you like to have a walk in the Goshawk forrest with us?" - YES!!.

This forrest is protected now, two years ago, and I am realy happy that this is possibel. The trees will stay, and when they die new trees will fill the open gap when one of the old once is death. I know where the Goshawk nest is and this was the first time for Ester and Sigrid to see a big nest in and huge spruce tree.

Whats funny about this, everyone think that the Goshawk would kill moste of the birds and small animals in this forrest. But I tell you, this is the richest area for Capercaillie, Back Grouse , Hazel Grouse , Sguirrels, Artic Hares and more in a wide area!!!

We saw tracks of Moose, Hazel Grouse, Capercaillie, Sguirrels, Artic Hares. Pine Martin and lot more. It's sad that lots of people dont understand the rules in the wild nature.

After 3 houers we had to say goodby to this great forrest, you always have a good feeling in this kind of old forrest,you feel free and relaxed. Thin Ester and Sigrid had a good time. Uncle and aunt enjoyed it very much!! Thank you brother Johnny, Ester and Sigrid.

So our soons, give us grandchildren!! Nothing like beeing out in the wild with this young curious children!! Uncle Eagleman and aunt Eaglewife.

Sea Eagle tagging

2011-01-18T17:56:00.005+01:00

For many years the researchers have put rings on birds legs. There is different codes in different countries and in Norway they are using blue ring on the right leg of the Sea eagles. The blue ring tells it's from Stavanger Museum who are the center for all bird ringing in Norway.

But from 1976 they also put on ring at the left leg as well, then we know which year the bird is ringed in the nest, because the Sea eagles are ringed whene they are young. Not easy to get adult birds!! Photographers who are visiting me dont like this markings because they will have a job to get it away in photoshop:-)

But there is not many, out of my 12 good pairs, I think it's only about 4-5 out of 24 birds who is marked.
They dont "tagg" them in my area anymore.

But it's also interesting some time to know how old this bird can be, so we still have to look for "Staffan" "OJ" "MIGUEL" and see how long they will stay in the territory. So this is what to look for; always blue on the right leg and year code with differen colors on the left.

1976 - Green
1977 - orange
1978 - blue
1979 - red
1980 - black
1981 - silver
1982 - black/red
1983 - silver/blue
1984 - silver/red
1985 - black/blue
1986 - blue/silver
1987 - red/black
1988 - blue/orange
1989 - red/silver
1990 - blue/black
1991 - silver/blue
1992 - orange/red
1993 - black/silver
1994 - red/orange
1995 - black/orange
1996 - orange/silver
1997 - red/orange + number
1998 - silver/black + number
1999 - blue/red + number
2000 - orange/black+ number
2001 - silver/orange + number
2002 - green + number
2003 - orange + number
2004 - blue + number
2005 - black + number
2006 - black/red + number
2007 - orange/blue + number
2008 - silver/red +number
2009 - black/blue + number
2010 - blue/silver +number

Have a look and see what you have in your PC.
Eagleman.

Nikolai II

2011-01-08T21:09:00.001+01:00

Christmas evening, i got my books also this christmas, one is about all the Single Malts in Scotland, so now I can learn about my hobby, collecting Single Malt Whisky.

The best days in Christmas is this slow days with the fam. Eating, reading books and playing cards and so. But when I was reading one of my new book evening the 25th Des. "Life" Keith Richard, great book!! Our dog just ran into the veranda door and started yelping like a Wolf.

I looked out of the window and outside Mr. Nikolaj II was sitting outside. (Nikolaj I is living in the Zoo). Our dog Troj hates this Red Fox!! But i love this beauty. I found some realy great food from the christmas dinner and my Nikon D 700 and the 24-70mm. I whent out on the veranda and called for Nikolaj. He came. he is not like other Foxes and he is eating from my hands if I like.

But now I put some meet close to the outdoor chrismas tree and some santas so it looked nice:-) Nikolaj II came many times, the yale from Troj sounds like a flock of Wolfs.

This more or less tame Fox is the only left from the summer. There is always someone who can't find the beauty of a nice animal, someone have to shoot if there is something to shoot at. But we now have Nikolaj and i hope he will be around all winter. Will be good for all the guests who will be here in the winter. All the best to all of you in the New Year. Ole

Lucky

2010-12-15T23:14:00.003+01:00

Five years ago this happened. My wife was at home alone. Our cat Pusur was pregnant and this was the day for the birth. We have given Pusur pills not to get pregnant but it looks like she did it anyway:-)

On the veranda this day she started the birth and my wife had to help the cat. The boys was at school and eagleman out in his boat. The first young one came out, dead, nr two also dead and the same with nr tree and than 2 last once came out alive.

My wife found this realy sad with tree dead smal cats.

So she took a piece of paper and made a hole in the ground to dig down this tree deat cats.

She than took care of the mother and two young once who still was alive.

Our son Vetle came home from school and he saw something moving in the ground.
He went to his mother and told hear that something scary happend outside.
Wenche went out with hear young son and it was scary!! Up from the ground a tiny small cat came up from the "graveyard" stood up from the death! A small black, newborn cat digged himself up to into the sunlight.

So my wife thought it was dead but he was not!!! This wifes are scary as well!!!!
So to give this cat a name was easy, Lucky is still our beautiful black cat and he is doing well.

Eagleman

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

2010-11-26T18:22:00.002+01:00

November have been good and cold. But last days have been VERY cold inland. In Flatanger only minus 6-8 but just half the way to Namsos it was minus 20.

But it's so nice!

It was also hard to keep fingers warm when I took this pictures. Dont know how they do it when it's 30-40!! Must be Munier to do that:-)

It's not often we have this cold in Nov, should be rain and dark. Now it's cold, white and wonderland.

What will the "real" winter be like. Rock'n roll. But eagles are very hungry so have to keep them alive and photographers have heaters.

Take care. Eagleman. Ole

To fantastiske dager i Flatanger

2010-11-21T20:19:00.003+01:00

I mai opplevde jeg for første gang ørnene i Flatanger. På båtturene med Ole Martin kom det hver dag mange havørn og på imponerende vis var båten alltid på rett sted når ørna dykket ned for å ta fisken. Vi fikk mange sjanser og minnekortene ble fylt med ørn i alle slags positurer. Turen var så vellykket at jeg begynte å planlegge et nytt besøk – denne gangen for å fotografere kongeørn.

”Kom i november, for da er det masse aktivitet på åteplassen for kongeørnene”, sa Ole Martin. Og slik ble det. Planen var egentlig 2 dager i skjulet for kongeørn, men siden båten til Ole M. fortsatt var på sjøen, ble det til at vi tok den første dagen på sjøen. Det var kommet snø, og Ole M. mente det kunne bli flotte bilder av havørndykk med snø i bakgrunnen. Dette slo virkelig til. Jeg tok masse actionbilder av havørna, men noen landskapsbilder av ørn ble det også. Særlig ett av dykkene satt virkelig bra og gav spesielle bilder. Til sammen hadde vi nærmere 30 dykk denne dagen. Utrolig bra!

Neste dag ble det tur etter kongeørna i det gamle skjulet. Spenningen for min del var stor, og jeg tror Ole M. var like spent siden jeg bare fikk én dag på kongeørn. Ville det bli aktivitet med ørn? Men frykten var ubegrunnet - for hvilken dag vi fikk!

To hyggelige svensker og jeg var på plass i skjulet kl. 07.00. Om lag kl. 8 var den første ørna på plass, og deretter gikk det slag i slag frem til kl. 14. Altså var det ørn på åta kontinuerlig i hele 6 timer. Det var mellom 6 og 8 ulike ørner, og flere ganger var det fighter mellom ørnene. Helt rått! Stort sett holdt ørnene seg nærme åta, men én av ørnene satt lenge i et lite tre kun 5 – 6 meter fra oss. Det kan ikke bli mye bedre enn dette!

Etter denne turen har jeg fått Flatanger-feber. Spørsmålet er ikke om jeg skal tilbake til Ole M. og ørnene, men bare når! Jeg anbefaler alle å ta en tur til Flatanger. Men du er herved advart – reiser du én gang, klarer du ikke la være å planlegge neste tur også.

Takk, Ole M. for flotte dager med deg og ørnene i Flatanger! Jeg kommer tilbake!

Willy Gill, Lindesnes, Norge
http://www.willygillnaturfoto.blogspot.com

Nice afternoon

2010-11-14T21:41:00.003+01:00

Normaly I take the boat on land during early October, dont want the autum storms to have fun with it. Safe in a house.
But this year I could use a harbour close to me and it's a safe place even if it stormy.

The weather had been bad for some weeks, but then one day the wind droped and with sun and snow on the islands I had to got out and try Sea Eagles with snow coverd islands. I have never done that before.

Tell you, they where hungry, in two hours they took all my fish and I had about 20 dives.

It was cold but you never think about that when you have fun. When you are borned to be a viking you have to act like one:-)

I had a wonderful afternoon with my friends and the Gulls are always there.

What a place to live!! Lucky bas...d!!! Yaheeeeeeee!!!

Eagleman. Ole

New hide

2010-11-03T22:38:00.003+01:00

Last autum I made a new hide, it's a very nice hide, if I can say so. But i did not use it because I want to be sure that it's working. Can't advertise a landscape-hide :-) Mybe?

But this hide are made to get Goshawk, Golden Eagles and Sea Eagles at the same hide, Sea Eagles and Goshawk have been there, waiting for the Golden Eagle.

This year I will feed harder here, and I had to sit here to try. Was a lovely day and I whent in togetter with a friend, this was the 25.okt. When I did this , I try you find out what is good and what is bad. Could see that some trees was to high and it was something to improve.

We was guite sure that it was eagles around but no one came down this day. Some Eurasian Jays and you are just hoping for a Goshawk or an eagle in the wonderful light in the nice Spruce tree. The other hide in the mountain is working very well at the moment with good Golden Eagles.

But this year I hope the new hide will be a new good place, i like it. It's about 4 minuts walking from the road.

So it's still plases available for the winter but it looks good with the bookings. Happy me!!
Eaglman

Welcome winter!

2010-10-24T22:06:00.003+02:00

Have been many grey days the last 2 weeks but thats ok with me, making the hides ready for Eagle start the first week of Nov, (Still some plases available).

But this morning 20th October was just what you are looking forward to. Superb light, snow, minus 2 and some sun now and than. The first winter day.

This was a day all photographers find difficult, where shall I start. I do not make my money out of photos so I can just hang around and take funny pictures.

But as I said, I have been starting feeding Goshawk, Golden Eagles and Sea Eagles now so I have a serious job to do as well , but I could stop and take some pictures during driving to different hides.

In the radio I heard that we also in Norway have some trouble with the first winter day, lots of cars out of the road.

I am a man of the seasons, i love all this changes of condition and you would NEVER find me in the hotsports like Rhodos or the the riviera! NEVER!!

Come on winter, we are ready!!

Just get in touch if you want to do some photos. Ole

Just a Gull

2010-10-10T21:36:00.003+02:00

No, they are just like me and you, they have their own personality.

Some looks good
Some looks fat
Some looks like they are smiling

Some looks sad
Some looks angry

Some likes me
Some likes you

Some are lonly riders
Some joins the party, every night.
I love this birds.
I meet them tonight and some reminds me of Andy or Peter or Danny or Pål or Kjartan or.....

They are all my friends.

Ole Martin

"Getting personal"

2010-09-20T22:17:00.004+02:00

This winter i will be alone with my dog and my guestes. Not all off the time, but during the weekdays.

My boys are at the highschool this year so they have to stay away from home from Sunday evening to friday afternoon. My wife Wenche will also be away all this year but she will be doing the same as my two boys. Away at the university from Sunday til Friday.( Old lady!!!:-) )

To be honest, friday is a good day for me and Troj:-)

But as I say, if my fam is doing well i feel good.

This Saturday afternoon/evening Wenche and I had a mountain walk, the day was so nice and the light wonderful. 6 hours in the mountains, cofe over open fire, rest and peace and the best view you can imagine.

I love this view and my fam. Have a nice week and a wonderful autumn.

PS! My guest from Belgium got their bull moose pictures."

How long?

2010-09-14T21:56:00.004+02:00

This summer have also been a Red Fox summer, and they are still around!!

Two months ago a young RF just walked into a local house, he when into the kitchen and took some breed. The people in the house was just standing looking!! What a bold young Fox.

This RF have been around all summer, also inside my guesthouse and my guests have had lots of fun.

Some weeks ago they killed my brothers childrens Rabbits. - "Uncle!! you must shoot them".
No, uncle will not shoot them!! You should take better care of your Rabbits and your shoes, and things around. I should also take care of my shoes and other things who is lost now.

It's fun with humans, we like the animals when they are something new and makes no trouble, but when they drop the excrements at your lawn they have to be shoot. I am ok with hunting but when we can have this daily smile from two, just amazing beautiful creatures, I rather take care about what I dont whant them to steal.

I am guite sure they will be around this autum and winter. But you newer know. But I will try to keep people away from killing them.

Fore me this is a smile in the daily life. But its not for my dog, Troj!!!! He hates them, togetter with a few neighbours.

Splendidi

2010-08-23T18:02:00.006+02:00

Ole Martin! Thanks for these 4 great days. It was a pleasure to enjoy the beauty of Flatanger nature and fjord. Sea eagles, gulls, skuas, terns, seals, foxes and also a beautiful moose. What ask more?

It was a big pleasure to meet you and enjoy the boat trips. You're a great nature guide, Ole Martin. Your deep knowledge of the area let us see stunning moments, allowing us to have great photography chances. You always tried to let us photograph in the perfect light position, either in the sunrise as in the sunset, during the day or in the fog we had the last day. Thank you!

And all you did was always done respecting deeply nature and animals. It's nice to see you enthusiasm and how you respect nature and how you love this area.

So, "takk" for all the photography chances we had and also for fun! Very nice nice days. I will come again!
See you next time!
All the best
Alessandro Bee (Italy)
www.pasevents.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ole Martin! Grazie per questi splendidi 4 giorni. E' stato un vero piacere godere della bellezza della natura di Flatanger e del suo fiordo. Aquile di mare, gabbiani, skua, sterne, foche, volpi e anche uno splendido alce. Cosa chiedere di più?

E' stato un grande piacere conoscerti e fare le escursioni in barca. Sei una bravissima guida naturalistica, Ole Martin.
La tua profonda conoscenza della zona ci ha permesso di vedere scene spettacolari e ci ha permesso di avere delle ottime possibilità fotografiche. Hai cercato sempre di farci fotografare nelle posizioni con la luce migliore, sia all'alba che al tramonto, durante il giorno così come nella nebbia dell'ultimo giorno. Grazie!

E hai sempre fatto tutto rispettando profondamente la natura e gli animali. E' bello vedere il tuo entusiasmo e il rispetto che hai per la natura e come ami questa zona.

"Takk" per le possibilità fotografiche che ci hai permesso e per il divertimento di questi giorni! Giorni davvero molto belli. Tornerò di nuovo!
Ci vediamo la prossima volta!
Un caro saluto
Alessandro Bee (Italia)
www.pasevents.com

Last day of holiday

2010-08-17T20:31:00.004+02:00

Early Aug is the time to look for Cloudberry. This is a tradision in lots of Norwegian families, so do we. The last 3 years I haven't got time to do this trips because of guiding people. This year I could.

It's always nice to be in the mountains this time of the year, not only for searching the great tasting Cloudberry but also to have a walk, looking for different things, flower etc and the good smell of clean mountains and forest. Great!

The Cloudberry is a high listed berry to have in the house, some years it's a lot of them and other years difficult to find, this year it's ok. We use this berry in christmas and in the dark , cold winter you can feel the tast of late summer. Close your eyes and dream on.

So lucky to live here!! Eagleman.

A blast!

2010-08-02T14:55:00.003+02:00

I have been visiting Ole Martin three times now, and still I get surprised by the enthusiasm shown by this marvellous nature guide.

This time I went together with the product specialist of Nikon Norway and representatives from pro dealer “Stavanger Foto”. They wanted to see how Norway Nature is run, as well as learning about the challenges (and joys!!) nature photographers are facing in their work. We spent three days with Ole Martin, and had a blast!

The first eagle swept down in a steep dive very close to the boat – setting the standard for the rest of the stay. We met all the familiar eagles in Flatanger, the cheeky Gulls and even a juvenile eagle sweeping down grabbing fish in front of well established birds - this guy will be a classic!

Extremely cooperative eagles, shifting light and stunning landscapes were served on silver plates by the best nature guide I know.

The short hours of darkness were spent outdoors photographing a nearby fox litter, giving very little time for sleep. Thanks Ole Martin – I will be back!

Roy Mangersnes
www.wildphoto.no

Holiday

2010-07-30T00:11:00.001+02:00

Now I need some days with my family. Have been a long early summer, mixed weather but always something to do. Eagles have been very good also this summer, working with about 12 pairs and the best days this summer we have had about 30 dives in two sessions. Also other things like Gulls in nice conditions, Otter, some easy Red Fox and Seals. You must be out to get pictures.

Last week before our holiday we had some great weather, sunseth and just flat water. I feel i meet all the nicest people on this planet, i am very glad to meet you all.

Last days I had Tom Dyring and his wife Ingebjørg, Markus Varesvuo and his wife Minna, Staffan Widstrand and his daughter Mimi and Mimi's friend Julia.

The Editor from the magazin NATURFOTOGRAFEN - Svein Wik, a magazin for biofoto in Norway,Sweden and Finland, www.biofoto.no had a meeting with Staffan Widstrand www.wild-wonders.com.

Read the next number.

If you want to see Markus Varesvuo's great picture from last week , look at www.birdphoto.fi , Common Gull riding Sea eagle!!!

So take care all of you, I will mybe go out with the eagles in my 10days looooong holiday to do some pictures, but than I will bring my family. So eagles, dont worry, i'll be around!

Ole -Eagleman-

Filming in the rainforest

2010-07-11T20:28:00.002+02:00

Some weeks ago I did a new sesion with a filmcrew from Germany NAUTILUSFILM. They are doing television program about Scandinavia.

So Jan and his crew have been here many times the last year. This day we when up to a local Boreal Rainforest, this forest is protected now and that is great. There is not many plases left with such numbers of rare life, it's just a pleasure to be in such a forest.

They have found out that the air in such forest is the cleanes in the world. So I was out the with Julius for some shots and I think he got something:-)

Eagleman

Eaglman and singer!!!

2010-06-24T22:58:00.003+02:00

Yes. that's true, now it's here.

From 1976 to 1992 I was a singer in a local band called "Zeus". We did never make any records and it's hard to find a picture from that black and wite time. So this spring I found out, I had to have some fun. I picked out 13 songs.

1. Wanna Marry You.( Bruce Springsteen) Vocal Ole M
2. This is my life (Gasoline) Vocal Ole
3.Det beste til meg og mine venner( Gasolin) Vocal. Ole
4.Route 66.(Bobby Troup) My son Odin is the singer.
5. Dansa på min grav.(BO Kaspers Orkester) Vocal Wenche, my wife.
6.Delilah. ( Les Reed and frindes) Vocal Ole
7.Gutta på by'n( Terje Tysland) Vocal Ole
8.Røta. Hellbillies. My son Vetle and his nies Tora. Vocal
9. Wonderful tonight. (Eric Clapton) Vocal Ole
10.Du. (Fark) Vocal Wenche and Ole
11. Make me smil.(Steve Harley) Vocal Ole
12.14.Pages.( Prudence) Vocal Ole
13.Oppna landskap. ( Ulf Lundell) Vocal Ole
All instruments and I gald to say I'm his uncle. ANDREAS DAHLE AAGÅRD. This boy is just a great lad!!
All of you need this CD:-) It's for sale this saturday.
And to Mark Sisson, now I'm ready to sing for Stoke City.

This is funny and I would love to singe at Wembly when Norway meet England in the final, world cup:-)
As you know, that would never happend.

Rock'n Roll.

Have a great summer and hope to see you all back for more pictures.
And I will never do any songs in the boat, need the birds around!!

Eaglman.

Fishing

2010-06-10T20:47:00.004+02:00

During the summer I have to go out to do some serious fishing for the eagles.I have a few hundred fish as a back up, and I always bring with me about 25-30 every day on a eagle trip.

So you know, life is hard for the Coalfish ( Pollachius Virenes)

This summer it's just amazing how much fish it's in the sea! Lots of my guests like to try and a few also making a good dinner in the afternoon.

So this day my wife went with me, two gets more than one so after one hour we had 140 Coalfish. We gave the Gulls some, Gull are just great birds.

So nice!!

Sea Eagle came for a look and we had to give them as well. And we could also have a nice dinner ourselves. Fresh and healthy dinner.

So this year will be very good for the Terns, Gull, Sea Eagles and other sea birds. I love to see the living sea.

Thank you nature!!

Woodcock

2010-06-01T21:18:00.003+02:00

One evening I hade to stop for this nice bird. Middle of the road a bird!!. I was thinking a nice picture and turned back with my car. I laid down to get a picture before the Woodcock whent away. But there was no reaction.

I approaced the bird, but no sign of take the wings and fly away. Now I could see blood from the beak and also from his eyes. A car had hit this bird, but the driver had mybe something "important" to do. Lots of birds and animals meet their death on the roads. If someone hits a moos the police will be called. But a small bird will not effect "normal" people. Please stop next time, this is a life and needs your help. The help for this bird was that I had to take his life as fast as possible.

Spring in Norway ???

2010-05-24T18:17:00.003+02:00

Spring means: nice whether, some sunshine and + temperatures, but we had it all, some sunshine, lots of rain, hale, snow, -temperatures and of course the wind. This is a little bit different then the spring in Holland :-) But anyway it was a good trip with lots of pictures.

This trip i went for the Caper, Black Grouse and Slavonian Grebe and you will allways have a surprise bird or mammal :-)

I started with the Caper in Flatanger and I will never forget the first night,because this is more then just making some pictures and listen to the sound of the male, I can not explain what it is, you have to Feel This!! I liked it and did it 3 times, I can do this for a week or more :-)

On our way to Tunnsjø, we found the Slavonian Grebe in a huge Lake near Steinkjer. These birds are not shy when you are silence and have patient, they come close, between 10 and 20 meter, perfect distance for little birds.

We also did 2 days Caper in snow in Tunnsjø (north from Flatanger) you didn't have to walk that much, because they bring you with the Cool snowmobile, it was very cool to go with that brutal machine!!

In the snow I did some new photography, making pictures with a frozen lens, I never did that before and I will try it again this winter :-) the last night it was -7 in the tent and it started with a little bit sunshine, but very soon the fog came and my lenses started to freeze, I clean them, but it didn't work and I had to wait till they where clean again, so I miss the big fighting with the 2 males, well missed ?? I got some frozen images...

We also find Black Throated divers on a Lake, that was a easy choice for me, do them or not ?? The sound is awesome, but they are shy and keep their distance, 40/50 meter is normal for those birds.

Ole Martin told me that the Siskin was a new species at the Goshawk hide, he sayd was it a greenfinch or ??? nope it is a Siskin and i was able to take a couple pictures of the birds.

Again i had a great trip and see you next time.

Zenno Bloemendal,
Netherlands

Funny week

2010-04-22T22:13:00.003+02:00

They dont know about the vulcano!! (I think)

It has been a funny week. Sunday and Monday LOTS of snow. Should be spring by now i hoped.

But it is easier to see the tracks of the Caper when it's snow on the ground. And the Caper is leking!!

This week I have been doing film with a german filmcrew, filming Sea Eagles from boat is not easy but we had good luck with the weather, snow on Monday and than sping again!! They were very pleased. Eagles in snow and Eagles in sunset. Good for me!!

For some weeks I have tryed a Nikon D700 with a 200-400mm lense, I am getting sharp pictures!! Thank you to www.stavangerfoto.no, i´m having good fun now, even if I am not a good photographer.

So now it's time to guide people to the Black Grouse, Capercaille, Sea Eagles and lot more. Spring is not easy, you want to be everywhere at the same time, that's not possible but I will do my best to help the photographers to get the best.

I also love the Gulls!! It's so funny!! Greetings from Arnold and Charlie.

So lets hope the vulcano is not doing to much trouble for us.

Ole

Arnold is still alive!!!

2010-04-08T21:20:00.004+02:00

For those of you who have seen "Arnold" the Eagle in Flatanger, I have a message, he is still alive!!

After a long ,cold,snowy and hard winter it was great to see that Arnold is still alive. We called him Arnold because of his bad looking face (could be me or Arnold from California).

Look at this beak, it was like this also last year. I was realy afraid that this winter would be his last so I was just so happy to see him picking fish again, good man!!

As me, he has a beautiful wife, the other picture, lovely girl to have in the cliffs. I am not sure they are nesting this year, but I hope his chicks will look better if he success. So we have to keep him going, mybe he need a fan club?

As you also can see, Charlie is back in buisness, eating from the hand already.Amazing after 5 months away, think he knows me from last year. Good friends to have.

Did also see one Black- headed Gull, not a common spices in Flatanger.

So to all of you, spring is back, Capercaillie is leking from the sound of Black Grouse. Feels great to be a part of this nature. We have to fight for it!!!

All wishes fulfilled!

2010-03-09T22:41:00.006+01:00

Winter at it’s best in Lauvsnes! Snow-capped trees all around, crispy cold and a perfect mixture of snowfall and sunshine. Eagles, Goshawks, Jays and many small bird-species could be photographed as well as moose in heavy snowfall and several predators at a visit in the enclosures of a zoo.

Ole-Martin did a perfect job: He knows “his” animals and he knows the needs of the photographers. Every photo-place is prepared for the highest demands. Perfect background, perfect perspective from the hides, perfect distance to the animals, that’s really something special in the “wildlife-photography-business”!

His good sense of humor makes you feel happy even when the day should not have been the best from the photographic point of view, what could happen, because it is still nature what we are taking pictures of. And to arrive at the cosy, warm guesthouse at the sea after a long cold day makes you feel like coming home. A fantastic stay in a winter-wonderland that ended with a brilliant Aurora borealis over Lauvsnes.

All wishes fulfilled!

Werner Bollmann - www.wernerbollmann.de

Vømmøls condom

2010-02-20T22:13:00.003+01:00

A few of you know about my ugly beard. I told a friend some years ago that I will let it grow until we are 1500 people living in Flatanger. We are now 1107, we need a few more as you can se. So you know,we would like more people to move to our beautiful place and one option to increas the population is using this condom.

Some info about this condom:

-100% wool

-environmentally friendly

-economical

-unshrinkable

-can be washed by machine

-EU-adjusted

-Neutral

Fore recycling

Not treated with chlorine

Can be used in cold conditions

SO: Think environment before safety. Help us to increase the population of Flatanger!!!

I'll recommend it.

Ole M

You’ll fall in love

2010-02-12T21:04:00.005+01:00

Another visit to Ole’s and you know what to expect ….its hard bettering perfection but again he comes up trumps… It’s were all the stars go you know !

Eagles in winter was the quarry with ‘Charlie’ the Arctic fox a personal goal for me ,something I’d waited 12 months for. The images played over and over in my mind all to become a reality progressively over the week.

The week had started hard with temperatures as low as -21 according to the digital readout in the car . I’m going to need some thicker gloves was my concern. I recalled a friends comment 2008, Andy Astbury, who said: "don’t go to Ole’s you’ll fall in love with the place and you will never want to come home."

Well he wasn’t far wrong even at these temperatures I wasn’t going to be found sleeping over for the warmth of the duvet. These sojourns to Lauvsnes become second nature now. The vistas from the windows as welcoming as at home and always beckoning.

Another epic adventure and a chance to touch nature in its skin. Life is enjoying the passage of time. What a place to enjoy the ride.

Du vil elske Ole, du vil elske hans ørn og stedet hvor de bor. Men mest av alt, vil du elske hans føtter.

Alles aller beste venn

Takk skal du ha for å holde troen!

Mark Davies

I’ll be back soon .( if you will have me .)

You be good now and have a great time this summer.

Look after Charlie for me .

Aurora Borealis - the silent symphony

2010-02-07T23:28:00.002+01:00

A few weeks ago I had a group from Hungary. In the evening I saw there was something going on in the North direction of the night sky. I went down to the guesthouse and told them to have a look outside. Some of them had never seen in before, and it has to be seen!!

Amazing evening.

Ole

The smile

2010-01-27T22:15:00.003+01:00

This is what a guide are looking for, the smile. I know it´s been a good day, my guests had a wonderful day.

It is not alway like this, yesterday the meteorologist told us to stay inside, a big storm one it's way.Today we had to stay inside, maybe they took a look at what they have got the first 3 days.

But the weather is changing fast, cold and nice weather is coming back and hopefully the smile. I love the smile, even if it's not sharp, I love this job!

Biofoto

2010-01-24T22:57:00.002+01:00

BioFoto Central Norway’s yearly weekend in Flatanger

(Written by Edvard Bergene)

The weekend 15-17. January a group from the local chapter of the nature photo organization BioFoto visited Ole Martin in Flatanger for the 6^th (or 7^th?) time. Some of the participants have been returning on this joined tour every year and some were first timers. To fill all places this year we also had BioFoto participants outside the Trondheim area. During the latest years the success rate among us have increased considerably both due to experience and also improved equipment such as high ISO capable DSLRs. This year’s tour was the most successful so far and every participant got good images of eagles. Some of us also had great success in the relative new hide for goose hawk.

Goose hawk (Photo: Edvard Bergene)

Of course it is easy to utilize Ole Martins hides without doing much ourselves, but those who claim it takes no effort at all to take good photographs of eagles and hawks from hides should try themselves. The best scenes often arise in a split second and if you are not ready you miss the shot. It is also very fascinating just to observe these large birds at close range.

White tailed eagle landing to feed on moose leg (Photo: Sylfest Myklatun)

The advantage of going relatively early in the year is that the chances of fights and action among young birds is high, but the down side is that there is less light available. This year we were quite lucky with the weather conditions, but as long as there is birds to photograph all conditions may yield good shots.

Young white tailed eagles in afternoon sunshine (Photo: Eli Tellefsen)

Young white tailed eagles fighting (Photo: Edvard Bergene)

Saturday evening we joined a common meal at the nearby Zanzibar Inn at Lauvsnes. The local caught cod was excellent.

Happy photograpers leaving the hide after a succesful day (Photo: Edvard Bergene)

We will be back. The date for next year’s tour is already set!

Death of a moose

2010-01-18T19:53:00.005+01:00

It´s a beautiful winter in Norway, cold, snow and a time to take photo-trips around in the snow-covered landscape.

In this condtion with cold weather, snow and short days the Moose are activ early in the morning and in the evening, serching for food. In the early morning and evening it's hard to see them and there have been lots of Moose"killing" this winter.

You know a Moose, more than 400kg, is not a healty meeting for the the car or the animal, sometimes even people are killed.

So if you are driving in Norway this time of the year you need to drive carefully. But it means I have very good bait for my eagles!

But nobody likes this to happen and it's a lot of pain for this beautiful animal. So take care moose, we like you around, but stay away from the road even if it's easier to walk there!!! We have not made it easy for you, animals.

Great start Vetle

2010-01-06T10:01:00.004+01:00

New Year and it looks great. I love winter, cold, calm, snow and open fire!! And when you do it with your own children, than it's even better. They still like my company, funny:-) Not always!!! But Troy, the Dog, is also good company.

I think this is the best time of the year for some birds as well. Like the Ptarmigans. There are no Gyr Falcons around, they can make their Iglo under deep snow and it's easy to find what they need. I think this is also a very good time of the year for the Norwegian national bird Dipper. Crazy litle beauty.

In Flatanger we have real winter for 2 weeks now and the forecast say more winter.

It's rock'n roll at the hides and people are doing well. Had 7 from UK this christmas, great people as always.

Take care and all the best for 2010. Keep in touch.

Ole

Marry Christmas

2009-12-24T16:10:00.005+01:00

I know you all are coverd in snow, mybe it's cold as well.

Have got e-mails from Spain , London and other plases and you have the same weather as Flatanger.

I like it, and we hope we will have a normal winter in 2010 as well.

From me and my fam, Wenche, Odin, Vetle and Ole we hope you all will have a peaceful Christmas time, come down and find the good feeling. All the best for 2010 and thank you to all who have been here during 2009.

See you back and you are welcome!!

Ole M

2 hours in the hide

2009-11-30T09:05:00.005+01:00

This was the day when nature changed from something between autum and spring in few hours.

But Sunday morning, the advent Sunday , was just fabulous!! Meant to take a mountain walk with the boys and the dog,but it was to much snow, and it was still snowing!!

I let the boys sleep, I am heading to the small bird hide, could be nice to get small birds in snow.

Into the forest, dark realy, but good enough for me:-) This is always fun, fast small birds, asking for more speed but this is the light i have., take it or leave it.

Hade a nice sesion with Coal Tit, Eurasian Jay, Great Tit, Willow and Crested.

Heard from the lad sitting with the Golden eagles, four GE in the snow!! Bastard!! :-)

But when I whent out the light was very dramatic, and when you want to do everything you are just doing everything wrong!! And i am not good at this.

Forecast say more snow!!

I need some more pictures for my blog. I'll try to get some more landscaps.Take care!

Ole m

Crazy photographers

2009-11-24T20:28:00.003+01:00

- "I'll sleep in the hide tonight," crazy photographers. Kjartan called me 2300.

- "Ok, I will see you tomorrow morning, Stian and I will be there about 0700. Say hallo to Bjørn Oddvar".

I am not using the hides a lot, 2-3 times every winter, have no time. So I took my 30D and 300mm 4.0 and a thermos of coffee. Look like it would be a nice day, not snow but spakling star above us.

0700 we arrived the hide, Stian Holmen and I. On the floor Kjartan and Bjørn O. still sleeping.

Good to sit like this, have a joke and some coffe. Good to have this crazy photographers as friends.

See the light as the night disappears, feel the morning, hear the first Eurasian Jay, its just great!

After 2.5 hour, a sound of big wings and something landing at the bait, that's what we where waiting for, adult Golden Eagle, this beauty of a bird, power, beauty and the EYES!!! Looking around for a few minuts, than a pice of the food. Cameras start to play, and this is just rock'n roll. A few hundred pictures, Golden Eagles had enough after 70 min. Ohh!!

Now we can have a break!! A few hundred shots of the Eurasina jays and THAN, a new juv Golden Eagle appear on the scene. We were to slow to get the great inflight! Shit!!

But now we have this Beauty of a juv. Golden Eagle, and it stayes for 2 hours.

What a day! Good laughs, good friends and real Golden Eagles outside.

Hmm - Maybe I should be a photographer:-)

Ole M

Redwing

2009-11-18T23:13:00.002+01:00

Not the 16.Nov. You should not be here litle beauty, you should be south, prepairing for next years comeback!! My car could not stop on this ice coverd roads before it was to late. In the mirror I could see something lying on the road.

I stoped the car and walked back. I could see the last convulsions from this litle Redwing and feel the heat of a litle dying bird. I feel sad, you had no chance litle Redwing. YOUR song will not be heard anymore. That's because of me.

Is it only a bird?

Ole M

Walking around

2009-11-10T20:03:00.005+01:00

After a successful workshop, with my good friend Brutus Øsling and 7 Swedish photographers, I had Monday 9-11 off.

I told my wife Wenche that I should use that day for some backup fishing.

But as you all know, if they know you have a day of, they want to make a plan!! :-)

She did not ask for cleaning the house!!!! She said: - "shouldn't we have a day together, let's have a mountain walk".

Plan was made for Monday. Beautiful morning when we started, minus 4 , sun and some mist, I do not take a lot of pictures but today I couldn't let it be.

In the shadow there was ice, lots of subjects, 7 Willow Ptarmigans was pushed out from some trees by our dog Troj.

Tracks of Moose everywhere. It feels so good to walk when the temperature is low, air is clean and you could walk for days, and a big man like me , I can tell you, was drenched in sweat!!!

After 4 hours walk we made a good fire, made our food over open fire, also this way of making cofe is the best way. It tasted great.

A day like this makes you feel VERY happy to be a part of this beautiful nature, I am normaly a happy "young" lad but this day was just what I needed with my wife.

Thank you Wenche and Troj, a great day togetter with you two. Boys was at School.

New group today and the Golden Eagles, Goshawk and Sea Eagles are as good as last year. Mybe we should make a 7 days workshop , just walking around:-)

With my new ice-filter

Ole Martin Dahle, www.norway-nature.com

Fanstantic week

2009-10-19T22:06:00.007+02:00

Again I had a good week in Norway with Ole Martin, I stayed with three other photographers; Marton Karsai, Philip Newman and Mark Hamblin, thank you for the good week we had !!

My goal at this trip was the White-Tailed Eagle, and we had lots of dives and the weather worked well, but there is more then only the Eagles in Flatanger. Lots of Gulls, beautiful scenery with the big clouds and the orange sunsets.

On my way to the Muskox i found some dippers in the river near the road, I had the luck to find a cleaning dipper.

I also wanted to try the muskox on my way back, I started in Kongsvoll and was very happy to find them quick and easy. A group of 11 animals, 9 adults and 2 calfs, and I was able to spend many hours with them, so this trip was also successful.

Thank you for the good week Ole Martin and see you next spring, for another session.

Zenno Bloemendal

The Netherlands

The best skipper!

2009-10-08T20:36:00.004+02:00

Norway was as breathtakingly beautiful as I had imagined it would be. Ole was the best skipper and host you could hope for and to share a small part of his incredible relationship with such magnificent birds was a true privilege.

I had a wonderful time and can't wait to go back.

Samantha, UK

For more of Samantha Durrants photos see: http://www.samazooki.co.uk

Lasting imprint

2009-09-22T18:31:00.001+02:00

Dear Ole Martin

You are not only providing excellent photo opportunities to professional photographers and keen amateurs, you bring about experiences that will make a lasting imprint on peoples' minds.

Photos and text from Anders Todal Jenssen, Trondeim.

Andy loves Flatanger

2009-09-07T19:59:00.004+02:00

Having sampled the wonder of Winter Eagles with Ole Martin I just couldn’t wait to get back to Flatanger for some summer photography.

I arrived in Lauvsnes at around 3-30pm – within 4 hours I was photographing my first summer eagle from Ole’s boat; and the action never stopped to be honest.

Over the course of the nest few days I obtained hundreds of images of eagles, their aerobatics, their dives for fish and their summer environment. Some of these eagles were most probably those I had photographed on my previous trip, in the winter, and I found it fascinating to see them in their element.

During the winter when they have to resort to scavenging inland they appear to be ‘pushed about’ by the Golden Eagles – being treated with little or no respect even by Ravens.

But here on the summer coastal margins they rule their kingdom from on high; and to have the opportunity to photograph these apex predators doing what they do best, and at such close quarters, really is a privilege.

The other real thrill for me was Arctic Skua – having never so much as clapped eyes on one before this little bird just left me speechless with its’ speed and agility.

Of course, like every other bit of wildlife in the area, they love Ole – they came so close they were nearly in the boat – not an easy shot to make with a 200-400mm f4, but we got there in the end!

After only two trips to Ole Martin Dahles’ I feel as if Flatanger is my second home and I would challenge anyone who experiences the place under Oles’ expert guidance not to feel some sort of deep connection with it.

“Det er noe helt med Ole's Flatanger opplevelser - takk min venn.!”

Thanks again Ole..

spesielt

Andy Astbury

Wildlife in Pixels

http://wildlifeinpixels.com

The Otter

2009-08-19T09:19:00.004+02:00

It’s early morning, 6 o’clock, mid of June, the sun is shining bright in the blue sky. Ole starts the engine of his boat, we are moving slowly out of the harbour with the opportunity to take photos in backlight situations of eagles and gulls. That’s the idea.

Suddenly he stops the motor before the bridge of Lauvsnes – OTTER: he is whispering.

Everyone stops the moving in the boat and looks into the direction, Ole pointed out. Beside the pylon of the bridge in the dark water, the head of an otter is visible for one, two seconds. Then he dives – nothing to see. We are sitting in the boat, quietly, observing the area meter by meter – then again Ole is whispers: OTTER!: At the bank between rough stones.

The otter’s head is looking curious at 40 meters distance between the stones to our boat. Ole starts the engine for two, three seconds, smoothly we are approach the bank – he stops the motor and we are drifting slowly between the pylons of the bridge directly to the place where the otter is…. 30 meters, 25 meters, 20 meters, 15 meters, 10 meters… the otter is observing us permanently, he moves slowly and curious between the stones in the bright sun and looks always to us… one, two, three minutes, it seems never-ending, the camera with the 300 mm lens is clicking, it seems that this noise is not interesting for the otter - then it’s enough for him, he takes a half fish out of his hide and disappears slowly between the stones into the dark water for a undisturbed otter breakfast.

A unique experience! Awesome!! These are challenges which happens only one in life. That’s Norway-nature from Ole.

Thanks for that and for many other photographic adventures, like the eagle owls, Ole!! See you next year for more.

Cheers,

Peer von Wahl, Germany

Wonderful stay

2009-06-28T20:42:00.004+02:00

Dear Ole Martin

Thank you for a wonderful stay. I have now visited you four times, and every visit has offered new experiences.

This time the capercaillier and the black grouse were the main topics, apart from, of course, your sea eagles, that resulted in photos where light and situations are close to perfection.

– also I should of course not forget the sea gulls.

Thanks again.

Karl Ravn

Denmark

www.ravnfoto.dk

Thank you Ole Martin!

2009-05-23T22:52:00.007+02:00

The wildlife, especially the spectacular White Tailed Sea Eagle, have for me never bean better than this spring of 2009.

Mid May and perfect weather conditions gave us a lot of photography possibilities. The first evening we had about 30 eagle dives. That is overwhelming!

We had almost the same number of dives the second evening. The only limit to success under such conditions is the photographer's skills and willingness to work hard to get the special images.

Svein Wik, Norway

www.norfoto.no

Nature and hospitality in perfect harmony.

2009-03-21T13:06:00.004+01:00

As a travel photographer I am used to movement and action. I was uncertain whether I could sit still for hours in a hide, waiting for something to happen. I could - and it was great! The silence and the perceptible proximity of nature made it an experience of the special art.

I will never forget the moment, when the Goshawk silently approached. He was very shy and carefully looked around before he started to feed on the bait. That was the long waited moment to start taking pictures. He stayed for about an hour, before he left.

But there was also action. After a whole day without any visit of Eagles, we got rewarded the next day with a spectacular show of three fighting Eagles. It was an extremely fast event and lasted only a few seconds.

A visit to a natural park allowed us to photograph Lynx, Arctic Fox und Wolves in their natural environment. And on the way to the park we visited a hide in a clearing to photograph Moose.

I will certainly return to this wonderful place, at which nature and hospitality are in perfect harmony.
Thank you Ole Martin, for having made this wonderful experience possible!

Rudolf Hug, Switzerland

More pictures of Rudolf at:
www.rudolf-hug.ch

Regal Eagles

2009-03-19T09:31:00.001+01:00

23 – 28/02/2009

This was my first trip to Norway and to the realm of eagles and The Eagle Man Ole Martin Dahle.

I was not disappointed!

Yes there were times of bad light and too much falling snow, but what can you expect in February?

To sit in Ole Martins eagle hide at the “first knockings” of daylight and hear the sound of an eagle calling just meters above your head is to be communing with nature on another level!

For the first-time visitor, as I was, this was something of a heart-stopping moment; but nothing to compare with the visual spectacle I got when one of these awesome birds came in to feed, just a few meters in front of me.

From the first day to the last I was privileged to photograph wild White-tailed and Golden Eagle in the beauty of their natural surroundings – in short, Ole Martin gave me a most unique opportunity – which, to be honest, is the “stuff” of a wildlife photographers dreams.

Wild eagles in wild Norway exhibiting natural behaviour – what else can I say except “Utrolig!!!”.

After returning to the UK from my visit with Ole Martin Dahle the only question I ask myself is “When am I going back?”.

Andy Astbury, Wildlife in Pixels

http://www.wildlifeinpixels.com

andy@wildlifeinpixels.com

In the Realm of the Golden Eagle

2009-03-17T12:53:00.000+01:00

Observing a golden eagle in the wild is probably one of the most rewarding experiences any nature lover could have in Europe. After working intensively with common cranes and white-tailed eagles for a number of years, I made up my mind to photograph the golden eagle. However, in the past, projects like this proved to be goals almost impossible to accomplish, or projects which would last for quite a number of years. Besides, in many parts of Europe, the photographing of rare species and the protection of rare species seem to contradict each other.

For me, as a nature photographer, it is vital that photos are made with the utmost respect for the nature I move in. Therefore, it is of great value to have people such as Ole-Martin as a guide, who, through painstaking and thorough preparations enables us photographers to make unique shots, which, in the past, would have been impossible for most photographers.

It is interesting to see and at the same time forward-looking that the free and intact nature is growing in significance and that the encounter between man and nature helps protecting the rare species.

I’ve known Ole-Martin from when I worked on the white-tailed eagle project and I know that he cares for and respects nature. Like me he is fascinated by the eagle and is highly professional in his work. So, I decided to travel to the Norwegian winter in February to photograph the golden eagles in the deep snow of the mountains.

When the long winter descends upon the Norwegian mountains, days are growing cold and lonely. The countryside seems lifeless and it is quiet, very quiet. Most birds have moved in great flocks to the warmer regions of the south. Crows and grouse are among the few who brave the cold. The sky covering the grand Norwegian mountains now belongs to the king of the skies – the golden eagle. Now, towards the end of winter, the white-tailed eagle as well has moved from the fjords to the mountains.

Photographing eagles also means being extremely patient. One hour before sunrise I move into my hideout. Everything is well prepared. The hideout offers quite a bit of room. I spend my days bundled up in a sleeping bag sitting on a reindeer skin. Outside it is cold. With strong winds and -10º C I am very grateful that my hideout is extremely well built and keeps out the fierce wind. We had placed bait only about 20 metres from our hideout, but the eagles are cautious and a lot of patience is required.

It paid off – I’ve waited 60 hours, and everyday I was able to photograph golden eagles. I’ll never forget, how, on this trip, I saw my first golden eagle, one metre above the ground, swooping down from the snow-covered mountain side like an arrow to land on a pine tree. From there he observed the territory for a few seconds – hours to me. But when the eagle appears within the viewfinder of my camera, I suddenly feel warm inside and time does not matter anymore.

It isn’t only spectacular experiences like this that make a trip to wintry Flatanger worthwhile. The beautiful snowy landscape, the creeks, the ice and, finally, the fast starlit sky offer more than enough subjects for great photos.

Willi Rolfes, Germany

www.willirolfes.de

Beautiful!!!!!

2009-03-12T20:34:00.000+01:00

From 22-28 February I was one of the guests at Ole’s place. Of course I have been searching the Internet and asking people about their experiences but nothing could prepare me for all those things I saw, felt and captured.

As soon as I entered the guesthouse I felt at home. My eyes were drawn emediatly to all those photography books signed by the author during their stay at the same place. I couldn't wait to get in the hide the next day to see the eagles myself. First came the Raven and Hooded craws. Not long after that I heard the first White-tailed Eagle screeming in the mountains. After half an hour he landed right at the bait. Beautiful!!!!! You almost forget to push that shutter button. This is the real thing, this is wildlife as it should be. These birds are even more beautiful than I thought they would be.

I had it all. Golden Eagle, White-tailed eagle, Raven and Jays. All that in a beautiful setting and real snowstorms as well.

Oh, I’m going back, that’s for sure. I just want to thank Ole for his great help and understanding what nature photographers want. And that’s a lot, but I'm not lying when I say that Ole is a professional and very very helpful.

Edwin Kats, Netherlands

www.edwinkats-natuurfotografie.nl

4 days with the eagles

2009-03-12T20:24:00.000+01:00

I was lucky enough to spend four days in one of Ole-Martin's Golden Eagle hides. Even though I have visited Norway two times in the summer, it's even more beautiful in the winter. Ole-Martin really has located an amazing place in the mountains for photographing the Eagles. He has thought of everything - a nice background, real bait (not dead pigs from farms or meat from the shop) and a comfortable hide.

The first day in the hide was the most stunning. The night before it had snowed very hard so everything was covered in pristine white snow. The background was excellent and we were lucky with the light and the birds as well. Five adult or sub-adult Golden Eagles visited the bait as did two adult Sea Eagles and one young Sea Eagle. When such a crowd visits a single bait, there is bound to be some fighting. Every day we had three or four serious fights. Only the last day was quiet.

What I also liked was the absence of Ravens that usually ruin some shots. All the days we only had two crows. But they only dared to eat if a Sea Eagle was eating. The Golden Eagle is the king and likes to keep the food for itself. Only on the last day, when an adult Golden Eagle fed alone for hours, the crows were driven by hunger to overcome their fears and started nibbling at the Roe Deer carcass. The Golden Eagle sticked immediately. It was a funny display, which also made for some exciting pictures.

Sven Zacek - Desember 2008

http://www.zacekfoto.ee/

Great morning at the hawk-hide

2009-03-12T20:09:00.000+01:00

I arrived the hide in very nice winter weather, stars looking down from the dark and my eyes looking out the small window waiting for light and something to happen.

At about 0830 a beautiful young hawk landed on the bird that was put out in front of the hide. It stayed on the pray more than five hours!

During the time it was sitting there a adult male goshawk came by many times, but it just sat in the trees and screamed to the young bird. It was a incredible movement and nature-life outside.

While the two hawks was visiting it was two squirrels and a lot of birds on the feeding-station. A real adventure in front of my lens.

Stian Holmen - 24. November 2008

http://www.stianholmen-naturfoto.no/