A VERY ANGRY BIRD / KVINAND

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1250, ISO 1600

In Finland April this year I met a polish photographer who asked me why I don`t do much blogging anymore. I told him the truth : Nobody wants to read blogs anymore. It takes too much effort for people. However my polish friend said some very nice things about my blogging, …. so Piotr : thank you, this blog is for you !!

The local golden eye male was defending his "old lady" and his little territory around the open lane of water in the ice …. and did so with determined, ruthless anger !! 

All pics are shot in Mid Finland late April 2016. 

Thanks to Eero Kemilä for essential assistance …. and to Markus Varesvuo for great company in the box !! 

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1250, ISO 1600

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1250, ISO 1600

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1250, ISO 800

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/400, ISO 640

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/2000, ISO 450

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/2000 ISO 450

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1250, ISO 1800

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/2000, ISO 2000

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1250, ISO 2200

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1250, ISO 1800

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/1600, ISO 4000

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/2000, ISO 450

Mating

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/500, ISO 360

The female`s low head position indicates invitation for mating … but he seems to be "somewhere else"

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/500, ISO 250

Mr. & Mrs.

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/640, ISO 1800

Show off

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/400, ISO 1250

Although beeing a "brownie" at first glance, she`s a real beauty at a closer look
D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/400, ISO 2800

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/500, ISO 1000

Bonus : whooper swan at close range (sangsvane)
D4s, 600 4,0, f/5,0, 1/400, ISO 280

APRIL LOVE .. AND OSPREY FLIGHTS (FISKEØRN)

D4s, 600 4,0, F74,0, 1/2000, ISO 800 

All pictures of ospreys are shot in Mid Finland April 25th to 28th, 2016.
I am proud !! Hope you like `em !!

 Thanks to Eero Kemilä & Markus Varesvuo.

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/2000, ISO 800

April love !
D4s, 600 ,0, f/4,0,, 1/2000, ISO 1000

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/2000, ISO 1000

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/200, ISO 2500

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/2000, ISO 1800

D4s, 600 4,0, f/5,0, 1/2000, ISO 2500

D4s, 600 4,0, f/5,0, 1/2000, ISO 2500

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/2000, ISO 1100

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/2000, ISO 800

D4s, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/2000, ISO 1250

D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/2000, ISO 1000

Male osprey on the favorite perch. 

The snow pulled back just a few days ahead of this situation and the color on the withered heather on the ground offers special challenges with color editing …. to avoid a touch of magenta

D4s, 600 4,0, f/6,3, 1/400, ISO 1250

Double ospreys I
D4, 600 4,0, F74,0, 1/2000, ISO 1100

Double ospreys II
D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/2000, ISO 720

Double ospreys III
D4s, 600 4,0, f/4,0, 1/2000, ISO 800

D4s, 600 4,0 + 2,0 converter = 1200 mm, f/9,0, 1/400, ISO 2000

D4s, 600 4,0 + 2,0 converter = 1200 mm, f/9,0, 1/400, ISO 2200 

3 ADDER MALES IN COMBAT / HUGGORM

My award winning shot from 2014 was up to May this year the only time I have been able to shoot fighting adder males in the mating season. Compostion-wise, light-wise and color-wise is hard to do it better than this 2014 shot, but my experience from My 5th this year still offered a very special situation.  

It was May 5th this spring. I was slowly & carefully checking around my local "adder field" hoping to find adders in a mating related situation, and spotted a grey male down in the tall, dry grass. I sat down quietly and waited, and after a while I saw the brown female too (very hard to spot in the brown grass). He was trying to seduce the old lady by his characteristic staccato movements over her body. Sitting completely still I then spotted another male, and another and another and another, …. altogether 5 males in the situation and hoped that at least one of them will challenge the casanova with the female…. and patiently waiting is the key to photographic success with these animals : Finally one of the males find the romantic couple and a fight between the rivals starts immediately. This is not a mean battle with bites and dirty tricks, it`s a gentleman's wrestling match where the main issue is to press the rival to the ground from their common entwined, upright positions. It`s hard to shoot because this is happening very quickly in the tall, dry grass and the focusing business is "complicated". The light is also hard on the light surfaces of the dry vegetation.

Then suddenly a third male is entering the combat and for couple of magic minutes I have :

3 males in one fight !!

Never saw this before 

All pics are shot with D4s, 200-400 4,0 at 400, f/6,3, 1/1250, ISO 280-640

    

Deep in the dry grass a male adder (grey) is busy trying to seduce a female (brown)

A second male in entering the stage and the rivaling males starts fighting  

Suddenly a third male is joining the combat 

Cheers !