AN OSPREY ON THE MOON / FISKEØRN PÅ MÅNEN

D4, 600 mm 4,0 + 2x converter = 1200 mm, f/8.0, 1/400, ISO 2500

Can you imagine what it takes of happy coincidence, strategic planning and superoptimistic attitude (this is where my friend comes in !) ... to shoot this picture ? You need an osprey to perch on a solitary branch .. in a very special and critical moment, you need a low horizon to allow that low glowing moon to appear, you need the moon to pass by in the very appropriate hight (which will only happen a short period each month), you need a super clear evening with no absolutely clouds, you need a full moon phase ... and you need to be able to position yourself according to the surprisingly quick moving planet ... without scaring away the shy osprey. OK, a chlichè maybe, almost like a logo, but this is real life ... and it has NOT been "photoshopped". This is a low resolution copy, but if you zoom in on the moon around the bird you should be able to get an impression of mosquito density in a warm norwegian summers evening ! 

The picture as shot in Norway in late July this year. A warm thank you to a good friend !!

The main thing for me this time was to show you this single picture. The other pictures are just a "fill ups" from previous years ... and have been blogged before.  

  

ADDERS WITH PREY / HUGGORM

D4, 200 mm 4,0 Micro, f/9,0, 1/200, ISO 800 

For those who know me it is no secret that I have a deep interest for snakes. This summer I have focused exclusively and continuously on adders (huggorm).... no other snake species this year. I have presented similar pictures last year, but in my own eyes I have managed to take adders a little bit further this year, .... so I`m proud to present a couple of situations with adders swallowing mice. 

What happens when the adder takes a prey (which in 99 % will be mice) is that it strikes, injects the venom and then lets the mouse go. It will not take the chance to hold the mouse because of possible bites & injuries from sharp rodent teeth. Accordingly the mouse escapes ... but quickly dies. After a while the adder will start smelling with the tongue, trace down the prey by the scent that was planted in the escape and slowly start the swallowing prosess. 

Some of these pictures took me a lot of work and were really hard to do. Hope you like `em ! 

A warm thank you to a good friend. Without his knowledge, dedication and help I would never have managed to shoot them.

Sweet dreams !!

The long poison fangs are normally folded backwards in the snake`s upper jaw. When it strikes the fangs swing out, but they are still hidden within soft skin folds in the snake palate. The skin folds are easily retracted as the fangs sink into the prey.

D4, 105 mm 2,8, f/8,0, 1/640, ISO 1600 

 A black male adder has just found it`s dead mouse and clumsily tries to start swallowing from the back

D800E, 200 mm 4,0,, f/8,0, 1/320, ISO 1250 

The fangs are now folded up backwards and can be seen in the upper jaw

D800, 200 mm 4,0, f/8,0, 1/320, ISO 2500

D4, 105 mm 2,8, f/8,0, 1/400, ISO 5000

D800E, 200 mm 4,0, f/7,1, 17200, ISO 6400

D800E, 200 mm 4,0, f/10,0, 1/160, ISO 720

D800E, 200 mm 4,0, f/10,0, 1/160, ISO 800

D800E, 200 mm 4,0, f/11,0, 1/160, ISO 1400

D800E, 200 mm 4,0, f/11,0, 1/160, ISO 1600

APOLLO ... ENDELIG

Male Apollo

D4, 200 4,0 micro, f/11,0, 1/400, ISO 1250

Måpende svenske : "Snälla !!! Hva i allsinna da`r fot`ar `u för nå`n ting ??"

Jeg, anpusten : Sommerfugler !!" .... og på dårlig svensk : " Eh ... fjärrilar !! Apollofjärrilar !! Väldigt sällsynta !!

Svensken : "Jaha ...."

Lang pause ..... "Ja, hej då"

Han må jo ha trodd jeg var splitter pine gal : i det ene øyeblikket vilt byksende gjennom ondsinnede slåpekratt, i det neste urørlig frossen i en eller annen underlig stilling med blikket flakkende etter et eller annet (imaginært ?) bevegelig motiv, for så å krype på magen gjennom gress og tisteltuer. Stort sett var de jeg så sky og vanskelige å komme innpå. Albuer og knær fikk seg en alvorlig omgang ! Jeg har vært "mer enn gjennomsnittlig" interessert i sommerfugler siden jeg var guttunge (og dèt er lenge siden !) .... men jeg har aldri før sett en apollosommerfugl. Jeg måtte altså til Gotlands bugnende, kalkelskende sommerenger for å oppleve dette. Utryddingstruet, rødlistet og totalfredet i både Norge og Sverige, for meg selve symbolet på artsmangfoldet som blir borte mellom fingrene våre ..... mens folk flest tilsynelatende gir blaffen., 

English : Pictures of the rare, endangered and red-listed Apollo butterfly (Parnassius apollo) were shot at Gotland island, Baltic Sea, in Sweden in July this year. The butterfly is protected by law in both Norway & Sweden. This was my first Apollo sighting ever.

Male Apollo

D4, 200 4,0 micro, f/11,0, 1/1000, ISO 1400

Female Apollo trying to lay eggs on dead Juniperus (!!)

D4, 200 4,0 micro, f/11,0, 1/1000, ISO 1250

D4, 200 4,0 micro, f/11, 1/1000, ISO 1250

Female Apollo

D4, 200 4,0 micro, f/11,0, 1/400, ISO 1000

D4, 200 4,0 micro, f/11,0, 1/1000, ISO 2800

Male Apollo

D4, 200 4,0, micro, f/11,0, 1/400, ISO 1100

D4, 200 4,0 micro, f/11,0, 1/400,ISO 1250

Detail of female Apollo

D4, 200 4,0 micro, f/11,0, 1/400, ISO1600

Detail of Apollo wing

D4, 200 4,0 micro, f/11,0, 1/400, ISO 900

Sølv-blåvinge, liten, men likevel kanskje en av de vakreste i sommerenga ?

D4, 200 4,0 micro, f/6,3, 1/500, ISO 1100

Svaberg-ringvinge, vanlig og lett å se i lufta, men når den slår seg ned er det som om den forsvinner

D4, 200 4,0 micro, f/6,3, 1/1000, ISO450

Graphosoma lineatum er en liten tege i rød pysjamas som ble oppdaget på Gotland første gang i 1916. den forsvant etter dette helt, men er nå tilbake

D4, 200 4,0, f/11,0, 17800, ISO 1400

Roadkill I

Roadkill II

Roadkill III