Golden Eagle photography in Oulu and Kuusamo

Description

The best time to photograph Golden Eagles in Finland is midwinter, from December until early March. The shortish winter days and cold weather force the birds to visit feeding sites actively. Eagle activity at the carcass is at its best when the days are shorter, but they make daily visits even in March.

This is trip for serious photographers, since we will spend three full days in eagle hides. Length of the day in hide depends on time of the year and in January one need to be in hide about 8 hours, but at the end of February day in hide will be already 12 hours long!

Golden Eagle feeding site near Oulu was established in 2005. Already the first winter at least six Golden- and two White-tailed Eagles visited the site! Winter 2006/2007 there were at least 8 different Golden Eagles visiting the baits. That winter also Gyrfalcon was daily visitor! Winter 2007/2008 there were more than 10 Golden Eagles visiting the site and during best days about 10 Eagles landed to feed on baits. Winter 2008/2009 was again very good for Golden Eagles and more than 10 Eagles were visiting the baits!

In Kuusamo Golden Eagle feeding station during winter 2008 we saw more than 20 times mating couple in front of the hide (distance 50m). You will photograph the Eagles from different distances (from 20meters up to 50meters) to give you a variety of shots.

Species Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Raven. Other birds from the eagle hide Siberian Tit, Siberian Jay, Willow Tit,Great Spotted Woodpecker, You will be able to get really close to these birds and a wide angle lens with remote contol will be great for these photos.

Winter is beautiful time in Kuusamo, since early part of the winter forest is covered with snow. Also there is fair chances for Aurora borealis images during the nights!

If there is a good owl situation one should book more days to concentrate on them.

Species

Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Raven, Siberian Tit, Willow Tit, Siberian Jay, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Yellowhammer, Bullfinch, etc.

Photos

Golden Eagles

Winter in Finland

Operation time

Golden Eagle photography from mid January until end of February (in Oulu) and until April (in Kuusamo).

Hides

Our hides are well-insulated and even if there is -30 °C outside, it will be warm and cozy inside the hide! Hides are designed by photographers so one will be able to take also flight shots and images where eagles perch in trees or in snow. If possible, we always use natural baits e.g. arctic hare (road kills) and eagles are very eager to feed on them!

Lenses

For flight shots of Eagles 300 mm lens is ideal. For portraits 500 mm lens is better. Converters can be used as well. For possible Northern Lights wide angle is the best choice.

Tripod

There is no need to bring tripod. However, please bring your tripod head with you. You can attach your tripod head in board in our hides. Also bean bags can be borrowed here.

Golden Eagle workshop itinerary

Day 1. Arrival in late afternoon or evening at Oulu airport. Finnature guide will meet you at Oulu airport on your arrival.

Drive to Utajärvi situated about 70 km distant from Oulu airport. Dinner and accommodation at Manor Merilän Kartano in Utajärvi. Introduction of the following days' program.

Days 2.- 3. Two full days Golden Eagle photography in Utajärvi. Early breakfast followed by transportation close to the Golden Eagle hides. We should be in the hide well before sunrise to avoid disturbance of eagles. Days will be devoted to photographing Golden Eagles. Departure is allowed from the hide well after sunset. Other species possible to photograph from the hides are Raven and Red Fox. With good luck White-tailed Eagle, Goshawk or Gyrfalcon can be visiting the baiting site.

On the evening of day 3 drive to Kuusamo.

Days 4.-5. Two full days in Golden Eagle hide in Kuusamo, close to Oulanka National Park. This is the best place to photograph mating Golden Eagles. Adult pair is daily visiting this site and they are mating fairly regularly in front of the hide! Other speciality is the passerine feeder in front of the eagle hide, so you will be able to photograph Siberian Tit and Siberian Jay while waiting eagles to arrive!

Day 6. Transportation back to Oulu. Or if you have your flight back from Kuusamo, there will be some time to photograph in Kuusamo in the morning.

Departures for Golden Eagle photography workshops in 2010

Special conditions

Reasonable fitness is required. Walking through forest about 700 meters one way. Flat ground and track on snow which is easy to walk. One need to be prepared to sit fairly long day in hide (length of the day depends on time of the year!)

Price includes

• Transportation from Oulu airport
• Finnature guide services throughout the trip
• Four days in Golden Eagle hides (2 pro-hides for max 3 photographers each)
• Warm sleeping bags and heater in pro-hides
• Full board (breakfast, packed picnic lunch, dinner)
• Accommodation at Manor Merilän Kartano for 2 nights and Oulanka National Park research station for 3 nights

Group size

Min 3 persons and max 6 persons.

Methods of payment

1. If you wish to pay by credit card, please fax your credit card details to +358 8 381 914 or call to +358 45 129 4264. In this case please advise credit card number, expiry date/ year and security number (three last digits/numbers from back side of your card where your signature is)
2. Bank transfer is also possible. When payment will be settled by either of the above methods, you will receive electronic Confirmation of Order by e-mail. Please take your Confirmation of order with you. Payment will be settled after the trip.
3. Payment is possible in cash on site.

Terms and conditions of booking

The trip should be booked latest 7 days before the trip. If the minimum group size requirement of 3 persons on set trip won´t be realized, the particular trip will be cancelled. You can change the trip to another, if your provisionally booked trip won´t materialize.

Flights to Oulu

• www.finnair.com
• www.blue1.fi
• www.airbaltic.com

Accommodation

Manor Merilän Kartano

Meriläntie 1
91600 Utajärvi Finland

Manor Merilä is situated by Oulujoki River only a thirty-minute drive from Oulu.

The comfortable, well equipped and spacious rooms accommodate from 1 to 7 persons. All the rooms have private facilities and shower, TV, and in some rooms there is a kitchenette.

Tel +358 (0)8 542 1128

Oulanka research station in Kuusamo

Weather

Temperature can get as low as –30 °C, but the average temperature is usually between –10 and -15 °C. If there is rain, it should be snow, which looks nice in photos. There should be snow cover on the ground and on trees.

The length of the winter day at Oulu latitude

Althought in early part of the winter days are shorter the light in sunny days is beautifully red the whole day. Later in winter the red light appears only early in early mornings and late afternoons.

Sunrise and sunset in Oulu latitude

Clothing

Warm clothes are essential. Especially warm boots, woolly hats & cloves are recommended. Also warm underwear layers are recommended. ”Donkey jacket” filled with down is warmest of all jackets. 

Some Instructions for Bird of Prey Photographers

You need to be in the hide well before sunrise, whilst it is still dark, and remain until after sunset, until all the birds have left the site. If the birds have any indication of human presence near the carcass or from the hide, the birds will become very wary, and may not come to feed at all.

Birds

Ravens can be very wary. So let them start feeding before you take any shots. If you scare them away, let them come back, and let them come down, since if you scare them twice, they may not come back on the same day! Please remember that Ravens are good indicators to the eagles that it is safe to come!

Remember, eagles have very sharp eyes. Eagles may be present but not visible from the hide, for example perched behind the hide, or on the other side of the clearing. They will be looking and assessing how safe it is to come to feed. If they see movement or sense any disturbance from the hide, you can be sure they will not come.

Before take off the eagle will often give you some visible signs that it is about to leave from the carcass, or from its perch to the food. It will ruffle its feathers and rise and shake its head several times or it might drop a shit.

If the feeding eagle gets nervous and you notice that it is looking at your lens. Take a break from photography, allow it to start to feed and relax again. If an eagle becomes alert, it can be clever and give a couple of feeding pecks, but still be looking at your lens, and listening for the sound of the shutter. You have much better chances for prolonged photography, by respecting the eagles ability to detect potential danger.

Before Entering the Hide

Dress lightly for the walk. Walk slowly, so you avoid sweating too much. It will take around 15 minutes to walk to the hides. You may want to put on some extra layers of clothing once at the hide.

Try to remove all snow from boots and clothes before entering the hide. This cuts down on humidity and thus lens steaming problems once inside.

Have a pee before entering, it's a long day and you will not be able to leave once inside! However pee bottles are provided.

Use of the Heater

Our guide will show how to use the heater in hide (we can heat the hides either with candles, gas or alcohol!)

Keep the heater on full power, until the air feels warm and dry. Then turn it down, so that it will last the whole day. If when you turn it down the light goes out you will need to re-light it, with a match.

Be careful not to touch the top of the heater, it can get very hot. You can however warm your toes and hands on the top of the heater, but be careful - you have been warned!

How to Work From the Hide

Your legs and feet will feel the cold the most, so we recommend to take off your shoes and go partly into the sleeping bag.

Please avoid all sudden movements. Although the windows are small, birds can still see quick movement, particularly if a sudden movement follows a noise.

Remember birds have ears, and when you need to communicate with your fellow photographer,
try to do so in whispers, never speak loudly.

Please remember that when you look through your cameras viewfinder or when you look the display of the camera, to be careful not to move your lens – eagles as already stated have acute eyesight.

When using a zoom lens be very careful to limit the movement created by zooming.

If you use a lens that is not internally focussing, then be very careful with the movement of the lens barrel as it moves in and out.

If you wish to photograph eagle or hawk perched in a tree, then you need to select the tree and focus before the bird arrives. Or it is also possible to move the lens when the bird is not looking! But please notice that when they are perched and they see the movement, they will fly away and that can spoil the chance to get the photos.

If you want to take pictures of birds in flight, avoid quick movements and resist following the bird with your lens for too long, try and photograph them in part of their flight, waiting for them to fly into the viewfinder. Best chances for flight shots you have when they leave perch or when they are just landing to carcass.

Preferably use silent or single shot mode of your camera. Long bursts of shutter sound can cause too much disturbance!

Drink as little as possible during the day, since it is not allowed to leave the hide during the day, for the conveniences!

Please notice that smoking is strictly forbidden in our hides!

Please visit these web sites for weather in Finland

http://www.foreca.com/eng/weather/
http://www.fmi.fi/en/index.html

Please visit this site for different cities/ locations in Finland

http://www.gaisma.com/en/dir/fi-country.html

Times for Oulu

http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/oulu.html
http://www.worldtime.org/