Golden opportunity

Golden Eagle - Aquila Chrysaetos - Kongeørn
Canon EOS 1D Mk IV - EF500 f/4 IS USM - at 1600 sec - f/5.0 - ISO 320

Spotted a Golden Eagle today. It was sitting on a mountain top while the snow was pouring down. A lot of "sneakiness" and battling in knee-deep snow paid off. I guess we both got surprised. Suddenly it was sitting only ten meters in front of me. My 500mm lens became almost a bit too much ;)

Golden Eagle - Ringmarked "113E" - Aquila Chrysaetos - Kongeørn
Canon EOS 1D Mk IV - EF500 f/4 IS USM - at 1600 sec - f/5.0 - ISO 320

Golden Eagle - Aquila Chrysaetos - Kongeørn
Canon EOS 1D Mk IV - EF500 f/4 IS USM - at 1000 sec - f/5.0 - ISO 320

Golden Eagle - Aquila Chrysaetos - Kongeørn
Canon EOS 1D Mk IV - EF500 f/4 IS USM - EF1.4 EX mk III - at 700 mm - 1600 sec - f/5.6 - ISO 320

Finaly some birds - Hardangervidda

Willow Ptarmigans - Lagopus Lagopus - Liryper
EOS 1D mk IV - EF 500 f/4 IS USM - Handheld at 500mm - 1/640 - f/7.1 - ISO 320 

Had a wonderfull day at Hardangervidda today! Spotted 7 Willow Ptarmigans(Liryper) and a golden Eagle. (Kongeørn). A light rain shower added magical colors to the already wonderful autumn mountain colors. Please like my page at Facebook

Rainbow - Mountain gold
EOS 1D mk IV - EF 500 f/4 IS USM - Handheld at 500mm - 1/2500 - f/6.3 - ISO 320 

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

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