When autumn meets winter

November again. Days are getting shorter but there is still enough light for modern digital cameras. But where to go to take your photos? In Flatanger this is the time when autumn and winter fight with each other about who is in command. Rainy days are mixed with some sun and the possibility of snowfall is never far away. This variation in weather together with the varied locations provided by nature guide Ole Martin Dahle makes for fantastic opportunities when it comes to bird photography. This year, I spent a small week in Flatanger at the end of November, - and what a week!  Demanding – yes! Fun – Yes!

The first day was after a heavy storm and it was impossible to be in the hide. A ride along the coast revealed damaged house and in two cases where small storage houses simply blown away. Some gulls stood for today’s entertainment.

The next day was in the mountains with some rain. We had both a grouse and ptarmigan as extra treats so the golden eagles where happy, as well as we.

 In the late afternoon the snow started to fall and completely changed the landscape and our photos.

The snow continued during the night and the next day everything was covered in snow. The light turned better and the snow provided both backdrop and extra motion to the situations when the golden eagles where fighting. God bless the snow! 

 A sunny day provided a golden foundation for a shot of a landing eagle or a magpie taking off. 

After another night with snowfall,  Ole Martin offered a boat trip. Well dressed we went out in dull whether. Dull weather is Gull weather so the first shot was of a young gull. A flash with some CTO filters and a white balance on tungsten light gave some interesting effects.

Further out, the sun welcomed us and there was wonderful action. For me, the most interesting thing was the snow covered islands that gave a fantastic backdrop to the white tailed eagles. 

The very last day. A heavy snow fall was forecasted by yr.no. Ole Martin stretched the limit and we went off with the boat again. The snow fall was really heavy and gave the autofocus a hard time in the vanishing light. A shot with a shutter speed of about 1/100 s provided some speed in the shot of the diving WTE.

While the falling snow made an shot of an ordinary gull an interesting picture. 

As an example of our guides outstanding dedication, a couple of purple sandpipers where spotted on a small skerrie. With no hesitation, the boat was put to the shore and we could crawl out and take some shots of this very tough little bird.

I would like to thank my company during this week for some outstanding times in the hides, on the boat and not at least during the evenings in the nice house were we lived. Thanks to Minna and Markus, Mira and Dick, Frode, Kenny, Tom and last but not least, Ole Martin for a fantastic week when autumn meets winter.

Gunnar Aus

Sävedalen, Sweden

Alarm!!

A friend called me , “we saw a sick Sea Eagle on topp of a small island, just  moving the head a litle bit, can you do something about this?” I called the police and they asked me to do the job. I know what i had to do if the eagle was realy bad. Dont like it at all but someone have to do it.

My boys Odin and Vetle was ready to help me  so in a hurry into the boat and drive about 20 min.

Beautiful day and it’s hard to go out to take a birds life when you are so into the life with the eagles like i am. I am out 140 days with this birds. We found the island and the birds, a beautiful Orcide close to the bird with Cloudberries painting the ground.

As always, my son Vetle never climb the easy way, always find something steep. A call from him “ Father, it’s lots of feathers here, looks like a nest”

Now i understand and also see, this is a young bird , the nest is on the ground so the young Sea Eagle can easy walk around away from the nest.

I throw the stick away and hade a few min with this new generation Sea Eagles. Amazing to be so close!!

 

It became a wonderfull day with the boys and eagles, again!!

Pine Martin

For many years i have been feeding Pine Martin but the logisticc have not been good. Have to think how fare to drive, how long to walk and so.

Last autum i found a nice place on my own ground and it looks very good. Could get the early morning light from 0300-0600 and the warm evening light for many hours.

So than i started feeding. Just a few days later the food was gone!! YES!! So all winter i have been feeding and the Pine Martin have been very regulary.

But i had to find out when he came for food. My good friend Zenno from Holland came over for a few week to help me. He used cameras in the trees and different thing, you ALL know that i hate this technical stuff.

But Zenno found out. The Pine Martin is there from early morning and also in lunch time. He is also back in early afternoon so this was enough.

I had to build a new hide. So this days i am doing that - and before mid June it will be my new product. I would hope it can be possible to photograph the Pine Martin from April –Sept.

Could be lots of good combination trips. Pine Martin and Seas Eagles. Pine Martin / Sea Eagles/ Musk Ox. Pine Martin/ Great Snipe/ Sea Eagles/Moose/Artic Skua............

So i am realy looking forward to have something new for my guests.

Cross fingers.