HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH WILD GOLDEN EAGLES

Golden Eagle is a beautiful eagle but also very shy species. Therefore the best chances to photograph one well in wild is from a hide at the feeding site. One of the best Eagle feeding sites in Finland is close to Oulu, where 10 different Golden Eagles have been feeding on baits on the best days. The winter feeding has been regular here from the year 2005, and the Eagles have got to used to coming to this site regularly. It seems that the Eagles don´t need to eat every day, but the best Eagle days have always been after a really cold period when the weather gets slightly warmer.

The Golden Eagle feeding site near Oulu was established in the autumn 2005. The first winter already at least six Golden and two White-tailed Eagles visited the site! In winter 2006-2007 there were at least 8 different Golden Eagles visiting the baits. That winter also Gyrfalcon was a daily visitor! In winter 2007-2008 there were more than 10 Golden Eagles visiting the site and during the best days about 10 Eagles landed to feed on baits. Winter 2008-2009 the best days saw 5-10 Golden Eagles and 2-3 White-tailed Eagles coming to baits. Gyrfalcon visited the site occasionally again, causing some panic amongst the Ravens! 2009-2010 winter was very harsh and many Golden Eagles visited the baits and many happy photographers got excellent images of Golden Eagles!

There is also Golden Eagle feeding site in Kuusamo, close to Oulanka National Park. We also use this place for our Eagle photography workshops. One will get very different photos of Eagles than from the feeding site close to Oulu. Speciality of this place is mating Golden Eagles! There is adult pair regularly visiting this site and from February onwards until late March they have been photographed many times mating in front of the hide! From mid March onwards until early May this site is also visited by migrating White-tailed Eagles.

The best time to photograph Golden Eagles in Finland is midwinter, from December until 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. January and February have been the best months for Eagle photography in the feeding site close to Oulu.

Golden Eagle photography is for serious photographers, because one needs to be prepared to spend a full day in an eagle hide. The length of the day in the hide depends on the time of the year: in January one needs to stay in the hide for about 8 hours, but at the end of February a day in the hide will be 12 hours long already !

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

Other species possible to photograph from the Eagle hide are White-tailed Eagles, Raven, Magpie, Jay.

Lenses

For flight shots of Eagles 300 mm lens is ideal. For portraits 500 mm lens is better. Converters can be used as well.

Tripod

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

Weather

The 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.

Clothing

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

SOME INSTRUCTIONS FOR BIRD OF PREY PHOTOGRAPHERS

You need to be in the hide well before the sunrise, whilst it is still dark, and remain until after the sunset, until all the birds have left the site. If the birds get any indication of human presence near the carcass or in the hide, they 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;  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! Also remember that  the Eagles have very sharp eyes. They may be present but not visible from the hide, perched behind the hide or on the other side of the clearing, for example. 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 taking off the Eagle will often give you some visible signs that it is about to leave the carcass, or to fly from its perch to the baits. It will ruffle its feathers or raise 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 relax and start feeding 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, and 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 your boots and clothes before entering the hide. This cuts down on humidity and resulting 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!