Double Whooper

Monday June 11´th I was working with my Eurasian Hobby project. Another thing caught my attention. Some whooper swans miscalculated the needed length of the "runway". It became a double whooper :)

Whooper Swans - Cygnus Cygnus - Sangsvaner
Canon EOS 1D mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS - EF 1.4 EX mk III
Photo: Espen Reite

More falcons hunting dragonflies

Eurasian Hobby hunting Dragonfly - Falco Subbuteo - Lerkefalk med fanget øyestikker
Canon EOS1d Mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM at 500mm - 1/8000 sec - f/4.0 - ISO 250

Spent "some" hours in my "doghouse" blind this morning. Working on my Eurasian Hobby- (lerkefalk) project. Hoping for some more dragonfly hunting pictures. After several hours, my patients paid off :) Dragonfly hunting only 15 meters away. Also spotted some Western Marsh Harriers(Sivhauk) and an Osprey(Fiskeørn) today.

Eurasian Hobby hunting Dragonfly - Falco Subbuteo - Lerkefalk
Canon EOS1d Mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM at 500mm - 1/6400 sec - f/4.0 - ISO 250

Hovering falcon - More Eurasian Hobby pictures

Eurasian Hobby - "hovering" - Falco Subbuteo - Lerkefalk
Canon EOS 1d mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM - EF 1.4 EX mk III at 700mm - 1/1250 sec - f/6.3 - ISO 250

Here are some more pictures of Eurasian Hobby from fridays photo-shoot together with Tom. My favorite is perhaps the Falcon spreading out it tail-feathers hovering in mid air.

Eurasian Hobby  - Falco Subbuteo - Lerkefalk
Canon EOS 1d mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM - EF 1.4 EX mk III at 700mm - 1/2000 sec - f/5.6 - ISO 250

Roe Deer - Gjennestadvannet

Roe Deer female - Capreolus capreolus - Rådyr
Canon EOS 1D mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM - at 500mm - 1/320 sec - f/4.0 - ISO250

Spent some hours at Gjennestadvannet today too. My pop-up "doghouse" was perfect today. Hoped for some close up pictures of the Western Marsh Harrier hunting. It was a day with heavy rain showers. A roe deer came approximately only ten meters away from my hide. 


Both the male and the female Marsh Harrier flew past several times, but they did not flew where I wanted. Next time......
Spottet a couple of Eurasian Hobby too, but the dragonflies were sitting in the vegetation.

Todays weather - Heavy rain - poring down - Tung regnbyge
Canon EOS 1D mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM - at 500mm - 1/320 sec - f/4.0 - ISO250

Photoshoot together with wildlife photographer Tom Schandy

Incoming Eurasian Hobby, low altitude, high speed - Falco Subbuteo - Lerkefalk i lav høyde og høy fart
Canon EOS1D mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM - EF 1.4 EX mk III at 700mm 1/1250 f/5.6 ISO 250

Today I have been so privileged that I have been working with wildlife photographer Tom Schandy. We were hoping for more pictures of the Eurasian Hobby (Lerkefalk) hunting dragonflies at Gjennestadvannet. We spotted three falcons, a couple of Western Marsh Harriers (Sivhauk), Common Buzzards (Musevåk), Europeean Honey Buzzard (Vepsevåk) and a couple of Ospreys (Fiskeørn). Happy to share this location with Tom. More pictures to come.

Visit Tom´s page at : www.tomschandy.no

I´ve had a fantastic day. Thanks Tom!!

Wildlife photographer Tom Schandy
Canon ESO 1D mk IV - EF 24-70 f/2.8L at 24mm 1/200 sec f/6.3 ISO 250

Wildlife photographer Tom Schandy in action, photographing an Eurasian Hobby
Canon ESO 1D mk IV - EF 24-70 f/2.8L at 24mm 1/2500 sec f/6.3 ISO 250

European Honey Buzzard

European Honny Buzzard with "frog lunch" in claws - Pernis Apivorus - Vepsevåk med froskelunsj i klørne
 Canon EOS 1D mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM at 500mm - 1/800 sec - f/6.3 - ISO 320

Got some more pictures from mondays fieldtrip to Gjennestadvannet. As I mentioned in my former post, I spotted the European Honey Buzzard this day. Here are some pictures. If you look closely, you´ll se the lunch in its claws. Game over for mr Frog :)

European Honny Buzzard - Pernis Apivorus - Vepsevåk
Canon EOS 1D mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM  - EF 1.4 EX mk III at 700mm - 1/2000 sec - f/8.0 - ISO 320

European Honny Buzzard with "frog lunch" in claws - Pernis Apivorus - Vepsevåk med froskelunsj i klørne
Canon EOS 1D mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM at 500mm - 1/1250 sec - f/6.3 - ISO 320

Dragonfly hunting - Eurasian Hobby

Eurasian Hobby, eating a dragonfly - Falco Subbuteo - Lerkefalk spisende på en nyfanget øysestikker
Canon EOS 1D Mk IV EF500 f/4L IS USM  EF 1.4EX mk III - at 700mm 1/1600 sec,  f/5.6, ISO 320

Had a pretty awesome day at Gjennestadvannet today. A lot of birds. Whooper Swans, Temmick´s Stint, European Honey Buzzard, Western Marsh Harrier and todays favorite attraction: Three Eurasian Hobby (Lerkefalk) hunting Dragonflies. This is nature´s Formula1! We are talking Highspeed! More pictures to come :)

Todays lunch - Dragonfly - Øyestikker
Canon EOS 1D mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM - at 1/3200 sec,  f/4.0, ISO 320 , Handheld 

Eurasian Hobby - Falco Subbuteo - Lerkefalk
Canon EOS 1D Mk IV EF500 f/4L IS USM  EF 1.4EX mk III - at 700mm 1/2000 sec,  f/8.0, ISO 320

Western Marsh Harrier

Western Marsh Harrier - Circus Aeruginosus - Sivhauk
Canon EOS1D mk IV - EF500 f/4L IS - EF 1.4 ex mk III at 700mm - 1/80 sec - f/5.6 - ISO 640

Went to Gjennestadvannet last evening. A fantastic area for wildlife. Many different biotopes meet at this location. Marshland, forrest, cultivated areas and a lake. A lot of species, and a "guaranteed" location for birds of pray. Spotted a couple of Whooper Swans, Mallards, Eurasian Teals, Tufted Ducks, a Gray Heron, Eurasian Coot and some Common Red Buntings.  I was especially exited to spot an Eurasian Hobby (Lerkefalk) and a Western Marsh Harrier (Sivhauk). Not quite happy with the crispiness of my panning picture of the Harrier, but it is a start. I think I will explore this location more.

 Whooper Swan - Cygnus Cygnus - Sangsvane
Canon EOS1D mk IV - EF500 f/4L IS - EF 1.4 ex mk III at 700mm - 1/250 sec - f/5.6 - ISO 320

Behind the scenes - Mountain shoot - Migratory birds

Got some nice pictures from photographer Geir Solberg taken at last weeks mountainshoot. Quite fun to have a dedicated photographer covering behind the scenes. I am very happy with the Ameristep popup "doghouse". Looking promising, and it´s very easy to use.
Btw.... Yes, it was a heavy backpack :) 

Photo: Geir Solberg

Check out Geirs page at flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/61143137@N03/

Bird observation tower - Barn Swallows fighting

Barn Swallow - Hirundo Rustica - Låvesvale
Canon EOS1D mkIV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM - EX 1.4 mk III at 700mm 1/500 sec at f/5.6 ISO 100

Together with my father I went to the bird observation tower at Ilene nature reserve yesterday. It was a freezing wind and it didn´t at all feel like june. However, a couple of Barn Swallows put up a major display just in front of the observation tower.

Barn Swallow - Hirundo Rustica - Låvesvale
Canon EOS1D mkIV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM - EX 1.4 mk III at 700mm 1/500 sec at f/7.1 ISO 200

Barn Swallow - Hirundo Rustica - Låvesvale
Canon EOS1D mkIV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM - EX 1.4 mk III at 700mm 1/500 sec at f/7.1 ISO 200

Barn Swallow - Hirundo Rustica - Låvesvale
Canon EOS1D mkIV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM - EX 1.4 mk III at 700mm 1/500 sec at f/7.1 ISO 200

Hardangervidda - Moutainshoot - Migratory birds

Common Kestrel - Falco Tinnunculus - Tårnfalk
Canon EOS1d mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM with 1.4 ex mk III at  - 700mm  - 1/1250 sec - f/6.3 - ISO 160 

Spent a lot of time outside photographing this week. Wendsday evening, photographer Geir Solberg and I went to Hardangervidda. Hoping for some shots at common Cuckoos, Common Kestrels, other migratory birds, perhaps a moose and even a Golden Eagle. Started early thursday morning. Trying out famous photographer Arne Nævras saying "TTT" - Tålmodighet - Telt - Telelinse - which in english meen something like patience - tent - big telly lens. Found a location about 1200 meters above sea level overlooking a marsh and some mountaintops. Spotted Common Cuckoos (Gjøk), Northern Wheatear (Steinskvett), Common Reed Bunting (Sivspurv), Common Raven (Ravn), Willow Warbler (Løvsanger), Meadow Pipit (Heipipelerke), Spotted Flycatcher (Gråfluesnapper) and Common Kestrel (Tårnfalk).

Willow Warbler -  Phylloscopus Trochilus - Løvsanger
Canon EOS1d mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM with 1.4 ex mk III at  - 700mm  - 1/125 sec - f/6.3 - ISO 160

Meadow Pipit -  Anthus Pratensis - Heipipelerke
Canon EOS1d mk IV - EF 500 f/4L IS USM with 1.4 ex mk III at  - 700mm  - 1/640 sec - f/5.6 - ISO 160