articles/Nature/regaleagles-page4

Regal Eagles - part 4 of 1 2 3 4

by Andy Astbury Published 01/04/2009

With so much light about, all AF functions worked superbly on both our Canons and Nikons. However, the minute the snow starts to fall manual focus is the only option as the snow flakes are well illuminated and the size of dinner plates, so they easily lead both Nikon and Canon AF systems astray.

My only disappointment, other than having to leave on 28 February, was that the big, male golden eagle didn't appear at all that week - speculation is that something may have happened to him. Though we did get a few visits from a younger one, he was very aware that he was in another eagle's territory, was very nervous, and only turned up in periods of reduced visibility and then just for a few brief seconds; most likely in fear for his life, as if the female had caught hold of him she would most likely kill him.

But for me the 'stars of the show' were the white-tailed sea eagles, and the male bird especially as he has a bit of a 'goofy' way about him and just reminds me of 'Big Bird' from Sesame Street.

By way of a break midweek, Ole Martin arranged a trip to Namsskogan wildlife park so that we could photograph arctic fox and European lynx - actually getting inside the enclosures enabled us to obtain some great images; getting this close to a large female Lynx, especially when it's her coming to you, if quite an experience - she's one very big pussy-cat!

Sadly the park director wouldn't let me in to the wolf enclosure - even the offer of a total waiver that if I was killed I wouldn't sue didn't bring forth the desired response!

But with the arctic fox and lynx images I got I was very happy with the day nonetheless.

The last two days of the trip were spent back in the eagle hide in an attempt to get a good image or two of a male golden eagle.

On the last day of photography, Friday, the temperature inside the hide was a balmy -12 Celsius and -17 Celsius in the loo - that's the only time in my entire life that I've seen cigarette smoke fall to the floor!

I never did get the shots of a male golden eagle; but instead got the best shots of 'Big Bird' and his lady from the entire trip together with some very nice ravens and hooded crows.

Was it worth the effort and cost - absolutely!

All things being equal I plan to return in the early autumn to photograph the white-tailed eagles catching fish in flat-calm glassysurfaced fjords; surrounded by those awesomely dark and mysterious geological monoliths that seem to stand in timeless honour to the Nordic Gods.

Utrolig!

• Regal Eagles page 1
  
• Regal Eagles page 2
  
• Regal Eagles page 3
  
• Regal Eagles page 4
  

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