April-July, 2016

Have you seen animals which want to become photographers? Well, we have couple of foxes visiting our garden and we must admit they are quite comfortable with camera gear.  But first, let's start from the beginning. 

The whole experience photographing red foxes was very excited and of course rewarding. During that time we did not have time for anything else; after work we used to rush straight to the garden for the evening with the foxes.

Close-Up of Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) On discovering camera equipment, foxes were excited as much as we were seeing them around it.​

At the beginning they acted a bit shy and cautious.

But later they tested every piece of equipment.

Foxes were ready to take some images.

These are the best shots :)

European Robin Reflection of Male Chaffinch

Foxes seemed pretty happy with the results. Sometimes no degree is required to become a photographer... 

It was a really special experience to see and photograph foxes and their emotions from such a short distance just in our back garden.

February, 2017

I have become increasingly interested in black and white images. When colour is stripped away, it leaves a true character of an animal.

Black and white images let me show wildlife in an artistic, different way. I really like photography by David Yarrow, David Lloyd, James Warwick and the way they use light and shadows, lines and shapes to show an animal or nature scene. Black and white landscapes by Ansel Adams and architecture by Julia Anna Gospodarou are wonderful.

Black and white photography works very well with portraits. In addition to black and white, I love adding a dash of colour for specific areas for more artistic, authentic look.

King Penguin Feeding a Chick in the Falkland IslandsFine art image of a King penguin feeding a chick in Falkland islands. Close-Up of Rockhopper PenguinBlack and white image with a dash of colour of a Rockhopper Penguin was taken in Saunders island, Falklands Portrait of a King PenguinBlack and white image of a close-up king penguin with a yellow-orange coloured beak By combining these elements I try to create a memorable image.

How to photogrpah

Not all images look good in black and white. It is important to look for the subject or scene that looks better in black and white than in colour. If an image does not have interesting light, contrasts, interesting textures or lines it could be quite a challenge to create a good black and white. The best moment to capture an image that will cover a large tonal distribution after converting it to black and white, is when there is not too many contrasts in the scene. It could be a cloudy day, or semi-cloudy, when the sun is showing through the clouds.

I always shoot in RAW and convert images to black and white in Photoshop later.

Musk Ox Running in the Mountains in NorwayBlack and White Musk Ox image taken in Norway during the winter in mountains.

How to convert to Black and White

There are lots of ways how to convert image to black and white. It could be done by using plug-ins, playing with the channels, by changing Saturation bar, or by using the 'Black and White' adjustment.

Desaturating and converting images to Greyscale are the worst methods which give a flat and washed out looking image; the entire photo is transferred to middle grey. 

Channel mixer is a good way to change image to black and white. By ticking the box “Monochrome” in the channel mixer dialog box and adjusting sliders labelled Red, Green and Blue quite good results can be achieved. Black and White adjustment layer gives  the same controls as the Channel mixer and also gives an option of presets, and allows to add a tint to an image.

My favourite method is to use NIK Silver Efex Pro plug-in as a starting point. NIK provides 29 presets and gives ideas how the image can be transformed. Then I use a mix of filters by using masks and selections to hide or reveal certain areas of the image. For final touches, I use Curves or Levels, Dodge and Burn.

Close-Up of King Cormorant, Falkland IslandsBlack and white photo of King Cormorant taken in the Saunders island, Falkland islands. White Tailed Eagle Catching FishBlack and White image of a white-tailed eagle with some colour for artistic look. Barn Owl in Flight Catching PreyFine art Barn owl image showing owl catching prey.

Vasaris, 2017

Su dideliu nekantrumu ir jauduliu laukėme kelionės į Islandiją. 2014 m. šioje gamtovaizdžiu išsiskiriančioje šalyje lankėmės vasarą, kur Westfjord pusiasalyje esančiame Hornstrandir gamtos draustinyje fotografavome poliarines lapes ir jų jauniklius. Įspūdžius ir nuotraukas iš šios kelionės galite rasti čia. 

Šiais metais nutarėme grįžti į Islandiją fotografuoti šias lapes žiemą. Nuoširdus ačiū žmonėms, padėjusiems suorganizuoti šią išskirtinę kelionę ir išpildyti mūsų svajones. Išties nedaug žmonių iki šiol lankėsi šiame atokiame, o kartais ir itin atšiauriame, vėjuotame, sraunių upelių ir grėsmingų uolų išraižytame gamtos kampelyje žiemą.

Prieš išvykdami į Hornstrandir, stabtelėjome Sudavik gyvenvietėje prie Isafjordur, kur aplankėme Poliarinių lapių centrą; tai muziejus ir tyrimų bazė, su nedidele paroda, kavine ir pora poliarinių lapių, laikomų aptvare.

Centro vadovas ir gidas Midge suteikė daug vertingos ir įdomios informacijos apie šiuos gyvūnus bei atliekamus tyrimus.
Kelionė nedideliu laivu į Hornstrandir truko apie 1 val. Apsistojome sename name, iš kurio gyventojai išsikraustė 1943 m. Nuo tada namas, buvęs fermos dalimi, buvo paliktas likimo valiai. 2012 m., nusprendus pradėti renovacijos darbus, namas buvo itin blogos būklės, tačiau jau dabar šiame name galima apsistoti.

Paprastai vasario mėnesį Hornstrandir būna nuklotas sniego sluoksniu, tačiau mums atvykus, tik kur ne kur matėsi nedideli sniego lopinėliai. Kadangi naktis buvo giedra ir vis labiau spaudė šaltukas, kartas nuo karto pajuokaudavome, kad pamatysime Šiaurės pašvaistę, tačiau išties daug vilčių neteikėme. Mūsų nuostabai, apie 22 val. išvydome nežymias žalsvas juostas danguje. Jų intensyvumas, išryškinantis tai vieną, tai kitą spalvą, nuolat kito.

Su nuostaba ir susižavėjimu žvelgėme į dangaus platybes iki 3 val. nakties, o jau 8 val. ryto ruošėmės pusryčių stalui. Tą rytą nutarėme eiti krioklio link bei tuo pačiu atidžiai apžvelgti apylinkes. 
Poliarinę lapę išvydome saulei leidžiantis.

Nakčiai nusprendėme palikti kamerą su judesio jutikliu (camera trap).

Poliarinėms lapėms būdingos dvi spalvinės atmainos. Islandijoje paprastai sutinkamos rusvo–melsvo atspalvio poliarinės lapės, prisitaikiusios gyventi pajūrio zonoje. 

Žiemą jų kailis būna rusvas su melsvu atspalviu, o vasarą įgauna tamsiai rudą spalvą. Tik baltųjų lapių kailis žiemą tampa baltas, o vasarą patamsėja ir įgauna palšą atspalvį. Šiaurės Amerikoje tik apie 1% lapių yra mėlynosios, Grenlandijoje apie 50 %, o Islandijoje apie 90 %.
Islandijoje baltos atmainos lapių išties mažai, tad labai nustebome, o tuo pačiu ir apsidžiaugėme pastebėję vieną jų. Atoslūgio metu ši lapė ieškojo maisto pakrantėje ir ilgai prie mūsų neužsibuvo.
Kitos dienos laukėme su dideliu nekantrumu. Orų prognozė žadėjo sniegą. Tad ryte pašokę iš lovų, iš kart žvelgėme pro langus. Veidai nušvito pamačius kalnus  padengtu sniegu. Nusimatė puiki diena. Kupini lūkesčių išskubėjome į lauką. Poliarinę lapę pastebėjome po poros valandų pradėjus snyguriuoti.

Po valandėlės kitos dangų dar labiau aptemdė debesys, sustiprėjo vėjas atnešdamas pūgą.

Paprastai žiemą poliarinės lapės miega ir ilsisi gulėdamos ant sniego. Atradusios užuovėją, jos susiriečia į kamuoliuką ir pasitiesia po savimi pūkuotą uodegą.

Per itin dideles pūgas ir šaltį jos išsikasa urvą pusnyje ir gali išgyventi temperatūrai nukritus net iki -70°C. Beje be maisto poliarinės lapės gali išgyventi net keletą savaičių.
Ši lapė buvo ką tik pabudusi iš miego ir dar nespėjo nusipurtyti sniegu padengto kailiuko.

Kuo daugiau laiko praleidome su lapėmis, tuo labiau pažinome jas. Beje, poliarinių lapių elgesys labai panašus į rudųjų, kurias stebėdami praleidome daugelį įdomių valandų. Vienos lapės smalsumas ir drąsumas buvo itin panašus į mūsų "Pėdutės" charakterį. Apie ją ir kitas mūsų rudąsias lapes galite skaityti čia (anglų kalba). Gebėjimas suprasti ir numatyti gyvūno elgesį labai padėjo fotografuojant poliarines lapes. Beje, mes itin kruopščiai ruošėmės šiai kelionei, rinkdami pačią įvairiausią informaciją apie poliarines lapes, jų ypatumus, padėtį pasaulyje ir Islandijoje, analizavome kitų fotografų darbus, stilių bei atlikimo techniką.
Kaip minėjome, gyvūnų charakteriai skiriasi, tad fotografuodami visada stengiamės atskleisti to būdo ypatumus; šiam tikslui paprastai naudodavome teleobjektyvą. 

Ši lapė iš ties atrodė žaismingai...

Tuo tarpu lapinas atrodė labiau panašus į vilką. Norėdami pavaizduoti poliarinių lapių gyvenamąją vietą bei supančią aplinką, jei tik įmanoma, rinkdavomės plataus kampo objektyvą.

Kitą dieną vėjas nurimo, tačiau vis dar džiugino žiemiškas šaltukas.

Poliarinės lapės paprastai poruojasi kovo mėnesį. Šiais metais poravimosi sezoną lapės pradėjo vasario viduryje. Tai mums buvo puikios naujienos.

Pajūrio zonoje gyvenančios mėlynosios lapės paprastai atsiveda 6-8 jauniklius; metai iš metų vados dydis mažai kinta dėl maisto prieinamumo. Tuo tarpu tundroje gyvenančių lapių vados dydis itin varijuoja ir priklauso nuo tundrinių žvyrių bei graužikų gausos. Pastarųjų populiacijai būdingas cikliškumas. 
Paskutinę kelionės dieną praleidome laukdami poliarinių lapių netoli kranto. Šios lapės paprastai būna aktyvios ryte ir vakare, mat maisto paieškos itin priklauso nuo  atoslūgio laiko.

Minta poliarinės lapės žuvimi, paukščiais, moliuskais, iš jūrų išmesta gaišena. Maistui jos neišrankios. Lapės, gyvenančios arčiau pakrančių, galėdamos lengviau susirasti maisto, paprastai užsiima mažesnes teritorijas, palyginus su tomis, gyvenančiomis kalvotoje tundroje.

Beje, poliarinės lapės neblogos plaukikės, gebančios plaukti ilgiau nei 45 minutes ir daugiau nei 2 kilometrus. 
Paskutinę kelionės dieną kiek įmanoma greičiau susikrovėme kuprines ir likusį laiką skyrėmę lapių fotografijai. Apie 5 val. vakaro išplaukėme Isafjordur link, palydėdami akimis šį nuošalų kampelį, pamėgtą žmonių, mylinčių gamtą ir ieškančių iššūkių.

February, 2017

We were very excited to come back to Iceland to photograph the Arctic Fox. In 2014 we had a great adventure in summer. Check out it here. This year we had a superb opportunity to photograph arctic foxes in winter.

Hornstrandir, as it hosts the highest density of the Arctic Fox in Iceland, was our destination and home for 6 days. 

Travel info. We took a flight to Reykjavik Keflavik International airport. The transfer to the city centre takes about 45 minutes. There are several companies offering transfer service but most popular are Airport Express and Flybus. As we arrived to Reykjavik in the afternoon, we decided to stay overnight in the hotel and in the morning we took a 40 min flight from domestic airport to Isafjordur. It's possible to make both flights the same day.

Isafjordur is small town and a great place to buy something you forgot before heading to Hornstrandir - the most northerly part of of the Westfjords. In winter the boat to Hornstrandir has to be booked in advance. Borea Adventures offers great service as well as accommodation in Hornstarndir. It took us about an hour by boat to get to this isolated and unspoiled place.

Accommodation in Hornstrandir. We stayed in an old farm house which was abandoned in 1948 and renovated in 2012. It is very basic but has almost everything you need: electricity, heating, indoor toilet and shower, even sauna. Great hot meals are  provided as well. There is no Wi-Fi and telephone signal should not be relied upon.

Equipment. We brought various lenses, ranging from 16mm to 500mm. Most of the time 300mm and 500mm were used. We don't like working with tripods but if you are a fan of them, of course bring them. By the way, there was no problem at all to bring heavy gear in the hand baggage with a domestic Icelandair flight. The important thing that it has to fit in the designated space (under the seat or in the overhead).

 Photography. Day 1 and 2

When we arrived, in Hornstrandir there were just few patches of snow here and there. First day we saw one arctic fox far in the mountains. Nevertheless we were not disappointed because dropping temperatures and clear skies gave as unique opportunity to witness Northern Lights. At the beginning there were couple greenish streaks in the sky but later the intensity changed and faint streaks became more prominent.

The next morning we woke up with no sign of snow... Now the good news! Even the percentage of white arctic foxes is very low in Iceland, we were very lucky to have a short encounter with this beautiful animal.

Early afternoon, we decided to explore the area and headed towards the waterfall. On the way back we spotted a blue morph arctic fox. 

Iceland is one of the very few places in the world where it is possible to see and photograph the Blue Morph Arctic Fox.

 Photography. Day 3

The following morning we hopped off the beds and poked heads out the window. The mountains were covered in snow. It turned out to be one of the best days. That day we've spotted foxes early afternoon and the falling snow was a huge help to deliver more appealing images.

Later heavier winds arrived giving another pattern to the already beautiful winter scene.        Later that day we spotted a fox which could definitely be called as a snow fox as it just woke up after the blizzard and was covered in a layer of snow.

They are particularly tough and hardy animals. Surprisingly, a healthy Arctic fox can be without food for several weeks and can cope with temperatures below -40°C without increasing its metabolism to stay warm.

Photography. Day 4

The following day we awoke to a bit more snow, temperature stayed around -5 C degrees. 

For a better idea of where images were taken and where the foxes live, we used wide lenses.  Arctic Foxes are by their nature very curious animals and on many occasions approached within just a few feet from us.

During the breeding season Arctic fox pairs are strongly territorial. Most of the time Arctic foxes form mating pairs in March. Luckily, we've managed to spot couple of playful courtship moments which involved tail erection and wagging, ear drooping, chasing and play-fighting.

 
Photography. Day 5 - 6.

On the 5th day we stayed on the coastal area. We've noticed earlier that foxes used to scour the shore during low tides looking for shellfish, sea urchins and other shore animals or seabirds.

 We were surprised to find out, that Arctic foxes are proficient swimmers able to swim more than 45 min and for distances more than 2 km.

 On our final day we quickly packed the bags and stayed with cute arctic foxes for the rest of the time. 

We are really happy and delighted to have had the opportunity to visit such an isolated and unspoiled place. Heart-warming sight of an Arctic fox on the shore looking at the boat while we were leaving Hornstrandir is one of the most memorable encounters which we brought back home with us.

Interesting facts about Arctic Fox

• Arctic fox has two naturally occurring color morphs: blue and white. In continental North America only 1% of arctic foxes are blue, whereas in Greenland about half of the foxes are blue, and in Iceland most are blue.
• During the breeding season Arctic fox pairs are strongly territorial. They mark territory boundaries with urine, use their vocal abilities and demonstrating postures.
• Arctic foxes are proficient swimmers able to swim more than 45 min and for distances more than 2 km. The fur is oily and easily repels moisture from the fox's body. In addition, in the limbs the arteries and veins are very close. As blood flows down the artery, heat energy passes from it to the cooler blood which is returning in the opposite direction in the vein. It means that the arterial blood has already been cold by the time it reaches the end of the limb, so relatively little heat energy lost from it. In addition, it warms the venous blood before it gets back to the main part of the body.
• When the winter storms are at their worst, the Arctic fox lies down in a sheltered place and let itself be covered by snow, or it digs itself into a snowdrift.
• A healthy Arctic fox can cope without food for several weeks and can cope with temperatures below -40°C without increasing its metabolism to stay warm. Those that live in extreme Arctic environments can sometimes have to withstand temperatures as low as -70°C.
• Arctic foxes are well adapted to extreme weather condition: thick waterproof fur, dark skin, small ears and legs, padded paws, thick, long tail and etc. Even the eyes are golden/orange colour and pigmented much more than the average eye which helps to decrease the reflection of light off the snow. 
• When arctic foxes rest in the freezing conditions, they curl their long, bushy tails around their bodies to conserve heat and at that moment they look like a ball of fluff.

Idėja keliauti fotografuoti avijaučius kilo spontaniškai. Tų metų žiemą planavome ir ruošėmės išvykai į Japoniją, tačiau kylant vis naujiems trukdžiams ir kėblumams, nutarėme patraukti į Norvegiją. Avijaučiai per tūkstančius metų prisitaikė prie itin atšiaurių klimatinių sąlygų ir šiauriniame pusrutulyje jau tada gyveno kartu su mamutais.

Pasaulinė avijaučių populiacija siekia apie 130 000 gyvūnų, iš šių didžioji dalis gyvena Kanadoje ir Grenlandijoje. Norvegijoje avijaučiai išnyko prieš 2000 metų. Idėja atgaivinti jų populiaciją kilo 1913 m., kuomet, statant geležinkelį, buvo rastos avijaučių kaulų liekanos. 1931 m. buvo nutarta įvežti dešimt gyvūnų iš Grenlandijos. Po septynių metų, siekiant genetinės įvairovės, buvo reintrodukuoti dar du gyvūnai. Deja, Antrojo pasaulinio karo metais, avijaučiai buvo išžudyti dėl maisto ir drabužių. 1947- 1953 m. laikotarpiu vėl buvo bandoma sugrąžinti šiuos gyvūnus į Norvegiją. Šį kartą sėkmingai; bandą šiuo metu sudaro apie 300 avijaučių. Visgi dėl šiltėjančio klimato šių gyvūnų išlikimas nėra garantuotas.

Avijaučius fotografuoti planavome dviejose skirtingose vietose: Oppdal ir Dombas. Šie maži miesteliai įsikūrę skirtingose Dovrefjell kalnyno pusėse.

Iš Oppdal kalnų link pajudėjome ankstyvą rytą. Sunki foto technika ir įvairūs daiktai, reikalingi nakvynei, itin vargino, bet statūs kalnų ruožai apie vidurdienį buvo įveikti.
Pirmuosius avijaučius pastebėjome ankstyvą popietę. Žiemos metu, siekdami taupyti energiją, didžiąją laiko dalį jie praleidžia ilsėdamiesi.

Vidutinis avijaučių ūgis 1.35 m, ilgis - 2.45 m. Sveria šie gyvūnai apie 300 kg. Avijaučiai išvaizda labiau primena jautį, tačiau visgi jie giminingesni avims.

Avijaučiai minta samanomis, kerpėmis, viksvomis, asiūkliais. Žiemą jie buriasi aukštikalnėse, kur vėjas neleidžia susidaryti storam sniego sluoksniui. Maistą avijaučiai kanopomis atsikasa iš po sniego. Taip, tenkindamiesi skurdžiais maisto ištekliais, jie sugeba išgyventi itin atšiauriomis sąlygomis. Beje, avijaučių priekinės kanopos yra platesnės nei užpakalinės; tai palengvina sniego nukasimą. Vasarą avijaučiai renkasi prie vandens kur augalija būna turtingiausia. Avijaučiai gali išgyventi iki 20 metų.   

 Avijaučiams gulint, mes kelias valandas lūkuriavome kartu su jais iki vėlyvo vakaro.

Musk Ox at Sunset, Dovrefjell

Saulei beveik nusileidus, suskubome leistis į pakalnę, statyti palapines ir rengtis nakvynei.

Naktis buvo rami ir be vėjo, tačiau šaltis neleido užmigti. Puiki kompanija, dangus su begalybe žvaigždžių, geliantis šaltis ir šilti pusryčiai giliai įstrigo atmintin.
Prieš patekant saulei patraukėme vėl aukštyn į kanlus.

Musk Ox, Dovrefjell National Park Musk Ox, Dovrefjell National Park Avijaučiai, nutarę pasigalinėti, suteikė puikių foto akimirkų.

Įnirtingesnės kovos, paprastai tarp 6 - 8 metų patinų, vyksta vasarą bei rudens pradžioje. Avijaučiai įsibėgėja ir vidutiniškai 40 km/val greičiu trenkiasi galvomis. Smūgiai gali kartotis iki 12 kartų, kol vienas iš avijaučių atsitraukia. Kaulėta ragų dalis kaktoje bei oro pagalvė tarp smegenų ir kaukolės, sumažina smūgį ir teikia apsaugą. Tokios kovos retai kada baigiasi mirtimi.
Pasigalinėjimui nurimus, įsispyrėme į sniego batus ir pajudėjome tolyn kito kalno link. Neužilgo pradėjo snyguriuoti.

Musk Ox, Norway Musk Ox in Blizzard Manėme, kad atstumą įveiksime per 1-1.5 valandos, tačiau stiprėjanti pūga lėtino mūsų ėjimo tempą ir sekino jėgas.

Tik laimingo atsitiktinumo dėka pastebėjome nedidelę grupę avijaučių. Šie gyvūnai puikiai prisitaikę gyventi itin atšiauriomis sąlygomis. Jų kailį sudaro išorinis ilgų plaukų ir tankus povilnio sluoksnis. Povilnis šeriasi kartą per metus. Sakoma, kad ši jų vilna, dar vadinama "qiviut", yra keletą kartų šiltesnė nei avies. Be to, ji lengvesnė, o išplauti šios vilnos drabužiai nesitraukia. Avijaučių vilnos kepurės kainuoja apie $150, o megztiniai $600.

Stiprus vėjas ir sniegas labai apsunkino fotografavimą, tačiau kartu ir džiaugėmės ekstremaliomis oro sąlygomis.
Musk Oxen in Snowstorm Musk Ox in the Snowstorm

Kitą dieną laukė nauji adrenalino pripildyti nuotykiai ieškant avijaučių haskių pagalba.

Labiausiai atmintin įsirėžė pirmosios akimirkos, kai patys pasikinkę aliaskos haskius ir gavę trumpą "vairavimo" pamokėlę, visu greičiu leidomės pakalnėn ir ritomės iš rogių į purų sniegą. Tolesnė kelionė ėjo sklandžiau: žinojome, kur reikia stabdyti, kada paraginti bei padėti haskiams.

Oras tądien buvo permainingas. Saulėtas akimirkas keitė pūgos, per kurias negalėdavome matyti vienas kito ekipažo ir orientuodavomės tik haskių lojimo dėka. Keletą avijaučių pastebėjome pakalnėje aprimus pūgai.

Musk Ox, Norway Avijaučiai išties mėgsta pasikasyti šonus į akmenis. Prie kai kurių akmenų susidarydavo netgi eilės.

Kiek tolėliau pastebėjome keletą jauniklių. Jie turėjo virusinės ligos (Orf (angl.)/Munnskurv (norv.)) padarinius - skaudžias kraujuojančias žaizdas lūpų bei nosies srityse.

Paprastai gyvūnai pasveiksta nuo šios ligos, bet galimi ir mirties atvejai. Kiti matyti jaunikliai atrodė sveiki ir guvūs.

Juvenile Musk Ox

Juvenile Musk Ox in Winter Avijaučių patelės paprastai veda vieną jauniklį kasmet ar kas 2-3 metai balandžio - gegužio mėnesiais. Pastarieji svera apie 10 kilogramų ir stiprėja itin greitai, priaugdami po 0.5 kg per dieną.

Trys dienos, pilnos nuotykių ir išbandymų fotografuojant avijaučius, praėjo akimirksniu. Kaip ir buvome planavę, iš Oppdal važiavome į netoliese esantį Dombas miestelį, įsikurusį priešingoje Dovrefjell kalnyno pusėse. Ryte spūstelėjo šaltukas, tačiau lipant į kalnus to nejutome. Avijaučių bandą, kurią sudarė patelės su jaunikliais, pavyko rasti po 2-3 valandų.

Nebuvo lengva išbūti lauke spaudžiant -20°C laipsnių šalčiui, tačiau karšta arbata ir rankų šildikliai gelbėdavo šalčiausiais momentais. Avijaučiams nepavojingi tokie šalčiai; jie gali išgyventi temperatūrai nukritus net iki -70°C.

Paskutinę dieną fotografuoti avijaučius nusprendėme sugrįžti į Oppdal. Užlipus į kalnus pastebėjome keletą avijaučių.

Musk Ox, Dovrefjell National Park Nutarėme pasilikti su grupele vienas kitą besivaikančių avijaučių. Beje, bandų dydis varijuoja vidutiniškai nuo 10 iki 20 gyvūnų. 

Prireikus, avijaučiai gali bėgti 60 km/val greičiu. Paprastai žmonių jie nepuola, išskyus atvejus, kai jaučia pavojų ar yra netikėtai užklupti. Rekomenduojama laikytis 200 metrų atstumo. Pranešama, kad 2015 m. Norvegijoje buvo užpulti vokiečių, o 1981 m. italų turistai. 1963 m. vienas žmogus žuvo. Beje, 2008 m. Kauno zoologijos sode žuvo avijaučio užpultas zoologijos sodo prižiūrėtojas.

Avijaučiai išties stiprūs gyvūnai, tad fotografuojant būtina įvertinti situaciją ir stebėti gyvūno elgesį.

Male Musk Ox Fighting Musk Ox Fighting

Musk Oxen Fight

Tai buvo puiki išties įsimintinos ir išbandymų kupinos kelionės pabaiga. Grįžome kupini neišdildomų įspūdžių.

October - November, 2017

If you want to see the Red Fox, there aren’t many better places than Netherlands. We’ve spent couple of years successfully photographing foxes in our garden in a suburb of London but there has been a lot of hype around this “Dune Fox” site recently, so we decided to visit the place.

Getting there. We booked a flight from London to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. From there we took a train to Amsterdam Sloterdijk, and then changed for Zandvoort. The journey takes around 50 min. Really easy!

Equipment. We took 70-200mm, 300mm and 500mm lenses. Sometimes even phone camera was useful as the foxes were very relaxed and easy approachable. We photographed using all three lenses depending on the situation, but 300mm and 500mm were used most of the time. Telephoto lenses were very handy for portrait and close-up shots.

Portrait of Mr. Fox Cute Fox Portrait of a Young Fox Close-up of Red Fox If you decide to take your 500mm, bear in mind, it is a long walk to and from the nature reserve. Be careful that your heavy bag does not wreck your back.

Best part – Photography. We’ve spent six exciting days photographing red fox. There are certain “hot spots” where foxes are most likely to be seen. 

The weather was on our side most of the days, so we enjoyed soft warm light with a mix of autumn colors. 

Autumn Colors Foxes in Dispute

At the end of autumn foxes look chubbier as they get ready for winter.

Fox in Autumn Mr. Fox Fox in Winter Coat

Cubs, which are born in March, by the end of October, are much more mature but not quite adults.

Dune Fox Bushy Tail We call them “teenagers”. Nevertheless, they are quite playful and it’s a joy to observe their behavior.

Sunny Afternoon Fox Chase Playful Foxes Naughty Foxes

 We’ve witnessed some fights between foxes. Most of the time it was young adults fighting older foxes for territory.

Fox Fighting Fox Fight Fighting Scene Hot Dispute In Huge Argument Fox Fighting

 What we like most about the place is the possibility to catch golden colors of beautiful sunsets.

Sunny Afternoon Fox at Sunset Fox at Sunset Golden Colors Fox Silhouette Fox Silhouette

Conclusion. Well, you would probably ask: “Was it worth visiting Dune Foxes?” Of course, yes. It’s an adventure, excitement, memories and most important people you meet. Thank you very much Menno and Ruud.

24 August, 2018

If you follow our work, you most likely know that we love photographing foxes. Last week images of our adorable fox was published in 'Daily Mail' and 'Guardian' newspapers and 'Daily Mail Online'

We thought it would be great to share the article by Tom Witherow from 'Daily Mail' with you.

Outfoxed! Adorable moment clever rascal turns the table on photographer who's been snapping it for years and gets behind the lens

Wildlife photography normally involves the animal being in front of the camera and the photographer behind it. This fox, however, had other ideas. Balancing a careful paw on the tripod, it appeared to look through the viewfinder.

Looking through the Lens Through the Lens Curious Fox Nosy Fox

The animal is a frequent visitor to the garden of wildlife photographer Giedrius Stakauskas in Orpington, London. Mr Stakauskas has been photographing the friendly fox for two years in his home. The 42-year-old has even found himself on the other end of the lens as the inquisitive animal investigated his camera.

A Photographer Ready to Photograph Ready for a Photo Photo Session 'Paw' the fox decided to turn the table on wildlife photographer Giedrius Stakauskas and step behind the camera.

November - December, 2018

Ethiopia may not be the first place you think of when deciding your wildlife photography holiday destination but this corner of Africa offers home to a number of endemic species that cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.

Our two – week trip in Ethiopia was mainly dedicated to photograph two endemic mammals: the worlds rarest canid, Ethiopian wolf and the magnificent Gelada Monkey. This blog is about Gelada monkeys - one of the most terrestrial of the non-human primates.

Gelada’s main distinctive feature is hairless patch of skin called “bleeding heart” displayed on the chest as a sexual signal. It is an evolutionary adaptation because Geladas spend a lot of time sat down feeding. Other monkeys show sexual signals on their backside. Ethiopia's highest peaks are home to Gelada monkeys with large populations found in a stunning Simien Mountains National park. In 1978, UNESCO recognized the park's significance and made it the world's first natural World Heritage Site.

The Geladas are often mistaken for baboons but they are actually the last members of their own genus, Theropithecus, ancient grass - grazing primates. An extinct relative was the size of a gorilla and  in large numbers roamed over much of Africa. 
Surprisingly Geladas are vegetarian and feed almost exclusively on grass. In fact, 90 proc. of their diet consist of grass blades. They graze all day long, up to 10 hours every day occasionally stopping to pass gastric wind from the fermenting grass.

Geladas need to eat up to a quarter of their body weight every day. Their short, powerful fingers help them dig down for the juicy, nutritious roots. In fact, Geladas have  highly opposable index fingers and thumbs.

As it is typical for highly social animals, Geladas are really vocal, they mutter and groan constantly. They have over 30 different vocalizations. For us, gum-bearing yawn accompanied by a loud call  was one of the most impressive displays.

Males have especially vampiric canines, which they frequently bare at each other. These canines are used when fighting, threatening other males, or defending themselves against predators. If an intruder is spotted, females and even babies may join males.

Gelada monkeys may look quite aggressive but actually they are very relaxed around people. 

Geladas let you sit in the middle of a troop and observe their behaviour; monkeys are so relaxed that after a while they might even start snoozing in front of you.
Geladas' eyes are full of curiosity. They are also used for communicative expression.

Grooming is a big part of Gelada life. It is useful not only for picking off parasites but also for keeping family alliances strong and stress levels low.

Young monkeys stay close to their parents. From birth, infants are carried on mother’s belly. After 5 weeks old an infant is mainly carried on mother's back, sometimes with its tail entwined with hers.

We were very lucky to get some lovely encounters of a baby monkey suckling milk from his mother.

By 5 months of age, infants are more likely to be moving independently than being carried. At this age they are really curious.

And of course spend a lot of time playing and chasing each other.

As evening approaches, Geladas start moving towards the cliffs. At night they sleep deep down in steep cliffs which are their best protection against predators. For short moments just before sunset they enjoy sitting down on the edge of the cliff, stare into the horizon and take-in the beauty of the surrounding landscape. As photographers, we were particularly fond of sunrises and sunsets. From our experience the best time to photograph Geladas in beautiful light is at sunset. In the mornings Geladas are late to appear from the cliffs where they seek refuge from predators during the night.  In our case, Geladas made  their way up from the cliffs to bask in morning warmth around  8 am; the light at that moment is already quite strong as the sunrise is around 6.30 am. We mainly used wide angle lenses. 16-35 mm lens was used most of the time, but 24-70 and 70-200 mm were handy as well. We really want to thank our guide Fenta Adane and driver who were very flexible and willing to wake up early in the morning and did not complain to stay with us photographing Geladas till sunset.

We stayed four nights in three campsites in the Simien mountains: two nights in Sankaber, one in Chennek and one Buyit Ras. At Sankaber Geladas could be found about an hour walk from the campsite. A location is really good. A car is recommended; your feet and your back will be thankful for that. Buyit Ras probably is our favourite spot.  It is close to the campsite, so you do not need a car, less tourist, views are amazing. Geladas at Chennek are very close to the campsite. In this location Geladas are easy approachable but they like to keep a distance comparing to Sankaber and Buyit Ras. Besides Channek is quite busy with locals and tourist. For us, in particular this location highlighted how important is to preserve the Gelada Monkey - the last surviving species  of grass-grazing primates. Human - induced habitat loss is a primary threat to geladas. 
A trip to Ethiopia was challenging but at the same time excited and rewarding. Getting close to a truly unique animal as the Gelada Monkey was an extraordinary and undoubtedly the best primate experience that we have had to date.  

A blog about  more detailed travel information will follow soon.

November - December, 2018

Ethiopia is one of the best kept secrets in the world seeing extraordinary range of wildlife. This corner of Africa offers home to a number of endemic species that cannot be found anywhere else on Earth. Our two – week trip was mainly dedicated to see and photograph this astonishing wildlife including two endemic mammals: endangered Ethiopian wolf and magnificent Gelada Monkey. 

Getting to and around Ethiopia

We booked an evening 8 hour direct flight from London Heathrow to Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital. Ethiopian Airlines were really good and comfortable.

The first week of our trip was planned to photograph Africa's most endangered carnivore - Ethiopian Wolf. The Bale Mountains in the southeast Ethiopia, 400 km from capital Addis host the largest population of this rare and truly unique animal.
Easy and efficient way to get around Ethiopia is by plane.
 

Domestic flight from Addis to Goba  Robe airport (commonly known as Bale Robe airport) took us an hour. Goba  Robe airport is very basic but a new building is under construction now. Entrance to airport area is restricted, so people who do not fly are not permitted to enter the airport premises. Anyone waiting to meet you will be waiting near entrance to the airport.
Besides, if your international flight to Addis is with Ethiopian airlines, you qualify for a 50 % discount on all domestic flights. If you want to go by car, the driving distance from Addis to Goba is around 400 km which takes 5 - 6 hours. Road infrastructure, though greatly improved in recent years, is still rudimentary. Self-drive car rental is very rare. In most cases vehicle is rented with a driver. An average cost per day is  $130. 

After a week in and around Bale mountains, we flew back to Addis and took another flight to Simien mountains for Gelada monkeys. Domestic flight from Addis to Gondar (for Simien mountains) took us an hour. It is quite common for the domestic flights to be late. Sometimes it is an hour but it could be up to 3-4 hours. Driving distance from Addis to Gondar is around 700 km.

Visa requirements

Visa is required to enter Ethiopia. We applied for e-visa online from home which was easy and hustle free. The cost is $52.  A list of countries eligible for the Ethiopia e-visa can be found on https://www.ethiopiaevisa.com

Vaccination

We had vaccination for Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio. The risk of Malaria is high in areas below 2000 metres in Ethiopia. As we stayed in the highlands of Ethiopia, we did not require malaria vaccine.

Insurance

We did take insurance before traveling to Ethiopia but it’s entirely up to everyone’s decision.

When to visit

There are two seasons: the dry season, October - May, and the wet season, June - September. The best time for green landscapes is from mid - October to January.

Bale Mountains for Ethiopian Wolf and other endemic wildlife

The largest population of Ethiopian wolf can be found in the Bale Mountains in southern Ethiopia.  After arriving to Goba  Robe airport we were picked up by our driver who took us to a nearby town of Goba where we stayed in Wabe Shebelle hotel. It’s a basic hotel but best in the area.

Before heading to Bale mountains where altitudes rise up to 4000 m above sea level, for the next two days we wanted to acclimatize and explore lower areas around the Bale mountains national park headquarters in Dinsho and Gaysay grasslands. Both locations are full of wildlife and they host several rare animals. One of them is endemic and endangered Mountain Nyala. 

We even managed to spot a Serval Cat.

During photography breaks we enjoyed drinking lovely Ethiopian coffee, playing games with local guide and riding tuk tuk to a local restaurant for injera with shiro. 

Playing Draughts in Ethiopia

After couple of days we were ready to move to higher altitudes and start looking for Ethiopian wolf which is recognized as one of the rarest canid species in the world and the most threatened carnivore in Africa.

Habitat loss and dog-related disease are the most pressing. There are teams of dedicated people working to save the Ethiopian wolf through vaccination programmes.

Before entering Bale mountains national park, you must pay entrance fee, along with vehicle entrance, camping  and camera fee. While driving to the Web valley in Bale mountains, there is good chance to spot various wildlife. For us the best encounter was with an Augur Buzzard.

Accommodation-wise there are very limited options inside the Bale Mountains national park. In the Harenna forest there is a high-end Bale mountain lodge. Cost per night is around $200. Elsewhere is camping. 
Ethiopian wolf population is around 500 individuals. Bale mountains national park which occupies an area of 2150 square km hosts around half of this population. Wolves are well suited for seeking mole rats and other rodents out from their underground burrows with their long muzzles.

They typically eat several rodent species a day. The highest chance to photograph Ethiopian wolf is by driving a car.

We would highly recommended a car in Web valley as in this location wolves keep a distance and they are not easy to approach. From our experience in Sanetti plateau wolves are a bit easier approachable. They seem to mind their own business and did not pay too much attention to us. Web valley and Sanetti plateau host most of the wolf population. Both locations are worth visiting as they offer different settings.

By the way the views from high peaks of Sanetti plateau are breathtaking. Further down a mystical Harrena forest, famous for its impressive trees and Colobus monkeys, is not to be missed as well.

Small villages where you can witness everyday life of the locals are found on the edge of the Harrena forest. In one of them we were greeted by a lovely group of children.

After a week in Bale mountains we headed to Simien mountains to photograph magnificent Gelada Monkey.

Photographing Gelada Monkeys

Gelada monkeys, often called 'Bleeding - heart' monkeys, are one of the most terrestrial of the non-human primates. They are the last members of their own genus, Theropithecus, ancient grass - grazing primates. An extinct relative was the size of a gorilla and  in large numbers roamed over much of Africa.

Ethiopia's highest peaks are home to Gelada Monkeys with large populations found in a stunning Simien Mountains National park. Gondar is the closest town to Simien mountains which can be reached by domestic flight from Addis Ababa. 

In Gondar we stayed overnight in Mayleko lodge which is very close to the airport.

The following morning after collecting our missing luggage from the airport, we were met by our guide. Our journey started by driving 100 km to a small but busy town of Debark where the National Park Administration is located. In administration office it is necessary to pay for a permit to stay in the Simien Mountains, and for a mandatory armed scout/guard. There's really no danger in the Simien Mountains. It's more of a job creation scheme. Guide is not mandatory but recommended. 

Entrance gate to Simien National Park is located near Buyit Ras, around 15 km east of Debark.

Accommodation in Simien Mountains is limited as well. There is Siemien Mountain Lodge situated close to the entrance to the park. The price per night is around $200. It is a good location to see some of the mountains and wildlife. However, if you want to really see the wildlife and high alpine landscapes, camping is the solution.
There are nine campsites in the Simien Mountains National Park as well as three community lodges which are not really recommended for tourists. Campsites are basic.

We stayed four nights in three campsites: two nights in Sankaber, one in Chennek and one in Buyit Ras.

We had our own tent and sleeping bags. If you want, you can rent this equipment from your guide. If you rent a sleeping bag, sleeping mat and tent you will probably be forced to hire a mule or a porter to carry your stuff. 

The food for us was prepared and cooked by a cook and his assistant in the campsites. Dishes mainly made from pasta, vegetables, eggs, are really delicious, adapted to European taste. If you like chocolate, biscuits, sweets, crisps, nuts or dry fruit we would advise to bring them from home. We brought as well freeze dried meals which were handy on several occasions.

In Simien mountains, guide and a guard accompanies everywhere you go. We want to thank our guide Fenta Adane and guard who were willing to go the extra mile in fulfilling our wishes.

Every location in Simien mountains offers different opportunities and different styles of pictures. At Sankaber Geladas could be found about an hour walk from the campsite. A location is really good. A car is recommended; your feet will be thankful for that. Geladas at Chennek are very close to the campsite. In our experience, Channek was quite busy with locals and tourists. Buyit Ras probably is our favourite spot.  It is close to the campsite, so you do not need a car, less tourists, views are amazing.

As we stayed in Bale mountains before coming to Simien mountains, we were not too much bothered about altitude sickness. But if you just came to Ethiopia, we would recommend to start camping at Buyit Ras or Sankaber (3250 m above sea level) and not to go straight to Chennek (~ 3620 m above sea level), so your body is able to adjust and adapt to new conditions.

Overall a trip to Ethiopia was fascinating, chaotic, emotionally challenging but at the same time excited and rewarding. Getting close to truly unique animals was extraordinary and undoubtedly unforgettable experience. 

Thank you for visiting and if you have any questions or queries then please drop us an e-mail.

Blog about magnificent Gelada Monkeys could be found here. 
 

Lapkritis - Gruodis, 2018

Etiopija - viena seniausių šalių pasaulyje, skaičiuojanti daugiau nei 3000 metų istorijos. Per ją driekiasi dalis aukščiausių Afrikos kalnų masyvų. Ne veltui Etiopija vadinama Afrikos stogu. 

Etiopija suteikia namus nepaprastai gyvūnų įvairovei, įskaitant 31 endemines žinduolių rūšis, kurių nepamatysim niekur kitur pasaulyje, o tik ten.

Dviejų savaičių kelionės metu, didžiausią dėmesį skyrėm dviem endeminiams žinduoliams: itin retam Etiopiniam vilkui ir įspūdingai Geladai.

Kelionės maršrutas

Į Etiopijos sostinę Adis Abebą skridome tiesioginiu 8 valandų skrydžiu iš Londono Hitrou oro uosto. Skrydis su Etiopijos oro linijomis buvo išties patogus.

Vietiniai skrydžiai lėktuvu yra vienas patogiausių būdų keliauti po Etiopiją.

Jei jūsų tarptautinis skrydis į Adis Abebą yra su Etiopijos oro linijomis, tai vietiniams skrydžiams taikoma 50 proc. nuolaida.

Pirmąją kelionės savaitę paskyrėme Etiopinio vilko fotografavimui Bale kalnuose. Iš Adis Abebos į Goba Robe oro uostą skridome apie 1 valandą. Šis oro uostas pradėjo veiklą 2018 m., tačiau jo statybos dar nėra baigtos.
Skrydžiai patogūs, tačiau gali vėluoti valandą ir daugiau.

Jei nutarėte važiuoti automobiliu, 400 km atstumą iš Adis Abebos į Gobą įveiksite per 5-6 valandas. Kelių infrastruktūra, pastaraisiais metais nors ir pagerėjusi, vis dar yra blogos būklės. Automobilio nuomos paslaugos yra retos. Paprastai nuomojamas automobilis kartu su vairuotoju. Vidutinė dienos kaina $130. 

Prabėgus savaitei Bale kalnuose, sugrįžome atgal į Adis Abebą, iš kur išskridome į Simieno kalnus fotografuoti įspūdingų Geladų. Skrydis į Gonderą truko 1 val. Automobiliu reiktų įveikti apie 700 km.

Vizos

Viza reikalinga įvažiuojant į Etiopiją. Mes pateikėme prašymą internetu. Procesas lengvas ir patogus. Vizos kaina $52 asmeniui. Šalys, kurių piliečiai gali prašyti e-vizos, nurodomos internetinėje svetainėje https://www.ethiopiaevisa.com

Skiepai

Prieš išvykstant skiepijomės nuo hepatito A, vidurių šiltinės, difterijos, stabligės ir poliomielito. Maliarijos rizika žema teritorijose, esančiose aukščiau 2000 m virš jūros lygio, tad maliarijos tablečių negėrėme.

Kelionės draudimas

Prieš išvykdami į Etiopiją, įsigijome kelionės draudimą, tačiau tai nėra būtina ir priklauso nuo kiekvieno žmogaus apsisprendimo.

Geriausias laikas aplankyti šalį

Bale kalnų nacionaliniame parke, įsikūrusiame pietryčių Etiopijoje 400 km nuo sostinės, aptinkama didžiausia reto ir unikalaus Etiopinio vilko populiacija. Jie sutinkami aukštai kalnuose, apie 4000 m virš jūros lygio. Prieš kylant į tokį aukštį, dvi dienas nutarėme praleisti tyrinėdami apylinkes prie Bale kalnų nacionalinio parko būstinės Dinsho ir netoliese esančiame Gaysay Grassland apie 3200 m aukštyje. Tai padėjo organizmui adaptuotis prie pasikeitusių aukščio sąlygų. Abi minėtos vietos puikios ne tik laukinės gamtos, būdingos Afrikai, bet ir endeminių gyvūnų fotografijai. Kalninė nijala, įrašyta į Tarptautinę raudonają knygą, randama tik šioje Etiopijos dalyje.

Netgi pasisekė pastebėti grakštųjį servalą. 

Trumpomis poilsio minutėmis nenuobodžiavome: gėrėme aromatingą, puikaus skonio Etiopijos kavą, žaidėme šaškėmis su gidu bei važiavome tuk tuku į vietinę užkandinę valgyti tradicinio patiekalo injera (vietinis duonos paplotėlis) su shiro (avinžirnių troškiniu). 

Playing Draughts in Ethiopia

Po trumpos dviejų dienos aklimatizacijos, patraukėme į Bale kalnus ieškoti endeminio Etiopinio vilko.

Už įvažiavimą į Bale kalnų nacionalinį parką, automobilį, stovyklavietę, foto įrangą būtina susimokėti parko būstinėje Dinsho.

Apgyvendinimo paslaugos Bale kalnuose labai ribotos. Vienintelis viešbutis yra pietinėje Bale kalnų nacionalinio parko dalyje, Harena miško teritorijoje, kur paros kaina siekia apie $200 asmeniui.

Žygių mėgėjams kalnuose yra numatyti maršrutai ir atitinkamai įrengtos stovyklavietės.

Bale kalnų parkas, užimantis 2150 kvadratinius kilometrus, turi skirtingas ir unikalias buveines. Etiopinius vilkus mes fotografavome Web slėnyje ir Sanetti plynaukštėje, kadangi ten jų sutinkama daugiausia.

Norint praleisti daugiau laiko bei turėti didesnių galimybių fotografuojant Etiopinius vilkus, geriausia apsistoti stovyklavietėse. Mes atsivežėme savo palapinę, miegmaišius, miegamuosius kilimėlius. Jei norite, galite šią įrangą išsinuomoti iš savo gido, tačiau greičiausiai būsite priversti išsinuomoti mulą ar porterį šiems daiktams nešti. Stovyklavietėje maistas buvo ruošiamas asmeninio virėjo. Patiekalai, paprastai gaminami iš makaronų, daržovių ir kiaušinių, buvo skanūs ir sotūs. Tokius užkandžius, kaip džiovintus vaisius, riešutus, sausainius, traškučius ar šokoladą, patartumėme atsivežti iš namų.  Mes taip pat buvome pasiėmę keletą sauso dehidratuoto maisto pakelių.

Vilkų fotografijai skyrėme keturias dienas. Juos fotografavome daugiausia iš mašinos, nes jie gana baukštūs, linkę laikytis atstumo.   

Etiopinių vilkų populiacija siekia tik apie 450 individų. Daugiau kaip pusė jų sutinkama Bale kalnuose.

Etiopiniai vilkai ne tik itin reti, tačiau ir nykstantys gyvūnai. Tai įtakoja nuolatinis gyventojų skaičiaus didėjimas šiame parke bei atitinkamai augantys ūkinės veiklos plotai. Itin didelę žalą daro pasiutligės proveržiai.

Pastaruoju metu Etiopinių vilkų populiacija stabilizavosi dėka vakcinacijos programų ir dedikuotų žmonių veiklos.

Etiopinių vilkų meniu 96 proc. sudaro graužikai. Didžioji dalis endeminės Etiopinės bambukyninės žiurkės.

Bale kalnų nacionalinis parkas siūlo įvairovę gyvūnų. Auguras lydi tiek Web slėnyje, tiek Saneti plynaukštėje. Abisininės gverecos, gyvenančios aukštai medžiuose, dažnai pastebimos Harena miške ir jo apylinkėse. Harena miško pakraščiuose išsidėstę nedideli kaimai, kuriuose galima pamatyti vietinių gyventojų kasdienį gyvenimą. Viename jų susitikome su miela vaikų grupe. Savaitei prabėgus Bale kalnuose, grįžome atgal į sostinę Adis Abeba. Iš ten kitu vietiniu skrydžiu išskridome į Gonderą, kur Simieno kalnuose fotografavome Gelada beždžiones.

 

Simieno kalnai su Geladomis

Gonderas - artimiausias miestas skrendant lėktuvu į Simieno kalnus.
Kadangi į Gondero oro uostą atvykome vėlai vakare, pernakvojome netoliese esančiame Mayleko Lodge.

Kitą rytą išvažiavome į Debark miestelį, kuriame įsikūrusi Simieno kalnų nacionalinio parko administracija. Atstumas apie 100 kilometrų.
Parko būstinėje susimokėjome visus privalomus mokesčius, įskaitant ir už privalomą ginkluotą sargybinį. Simieno kalnuose nėra pavojinga. Tai labiau darbo vietų kūrimo schema.

Įvažiavimas į kalnus yra netoli Buyit Ras, maždaug 15 km į rytus nuo Debarko.
Simieno kalnų nacionaliniame parke erozija suformavo įspūdingas reljefo formas su milžiniškais skardžiais bei stūkstančiais kalnais. Parko teritorijoje yra aukščiausias Etiopijoje kalnas - Ras Dašanas, siekiantis 4620 m.

Simieno kalnų nacionalinis parkas 1978 m. buvo įrašytas į UNESCO paveldo sąrašą ne vien dėl įspūdingo kraštovaizdžio, bet dėl to, kad jame  gyvena ypatingai reti gyvūnai: Gelada beždžionė, Etiopinis vilkas ir Etiopinis kalnų ožys (lot. Capra Walie). 1996 m. parkas buvo įtrauktas į pavojuje esančio pasaulio paveldo sąrašą dėl vis didėjančios neigiamos žmogaus įtakos gamtai, tačiau situacijai pagerėjus 2017 m. jis buvo išbrauktas iš šio sąrašo.

Simieno kalnuose praleidome 5 dienas, didžiausią dėmesį skirdami geladų fotografijai. 

Apsistojome trijose stovyklavietėse: Buyit Ras, Sankabere bei Chenneke. Nacionaliniame parke žygiaiviams siūlomos 9 stovyklavietės bei trys bendruomenės namai, nors pastarieji turistams nerekomenduojami. Tik įvažiavus į nacionalinį parką, galima apsistoti Simien Lodge. Kaina parai apie $200.

 

Gelada yra vienintelė išlikusi Theropithecus genties atstovė. Šiai genčiai priklausę, bet dabar jau išnykę, gelados giminaičiai buvo gorilos dydžio ir gausiai paplitę didžiojoje Afrikos dalyje. 

Skiriamasis gelados bruožas - raudona dėmė ant krūtinės. Dėl to ji neretai vadinama kraujuojančia širdimi.

Gelados, ypač iššiepusios įspūdingus dantis, sudaro agresyvaus ir grėsmingo gyvūno įvaizdį.

Visgi tai yra žoliaėdis gyvūnas, 90 proc. mintantis žole, taip pat augalų sėklomis, šaknimis, vaisiais. Maistą renka iki 10 valandų per dieną.

Jauniklis palaiko glaudų kontaktą su motina, kuri jį iš pradžių nešioja ant pilvo. Kiek paaugęs mažylis persikelia ant motinos nugaros.

Kaip ir visi jaunikliai, beždžioniukai guvūs, judrūs ir smalsūs.

Žmogaus atžvilgiu gelados neagresyvios. Lengvai įsileidžia į savo tarpą ir kramsnoja žolę visai šalia, nekreipdamos dėmesio. Kivirčų ir nesutarimų pasitaiko tarp pačių geladų. Tada priverčia įspūdingi dantys. Įdomu pažymėti, kad gelados taip pat abejingai reaguoja į Etiopinius vilkus. Mokslininkai siekia nustatyti, kas įtakoja šių dviejų gyvūnų toleranciją vienas kitam.

Vakarėjant gelados nakvynei uolų šlaitais leidžiasi žemyn į saugų prieglobstį. Kartkartėmis jos trumpan prisėda ant skardžio pakraščio ir svajingai žvelgia į tolį.

Laikas, fotografuojant geladas, prabėgo greitai ir turiningai. Norėtume padėkoti mūsų gidui Fentai Adanei ir sargybiniui už geranoriškumą ir rūpestį.

Įsimintinos dvi savaitės Etiopijoje suteikė galimybę pamatyti ir nufotografuoti unikalius ir itin retus gyvūnus. Kelionė, kuri kai kada buvo chaotiška, stulbinanti ar net šokiruojanti, tuo pačiu suteikė progą atrasti kitokį gyvenimo būdą, kultūrą, gamtą. Ši kelionė puikus potyris gamtą mylintiems bei skirtingos patirties ieškantiems žmonėms. 

 

Plačiau apie geladų fotografiją galite rasti čia (anglų kalba).
 

Jei turite klausimų, pastebėjimų ar Jums reikia daugiau informacijos, rašykite e-mailu. 

Liepa, 2012
 

Mintis pamatyti, o jei pasiseks ir nufotografuoti Eurazijos rudąjį lokį (Ursus arctos arctos), vis knibždėjo galvoje ir nedavė ramybės. Galiausiai nusprendėme, kad laikas įgyvendinti svajonę ir susiruošėme į Suomiją. Miškingame Kainuu regione esantis Martinselkonen gamtos draustinis yra bene viena geriausių vietų Europoje pamatyti Eurazijos rudajį lokį. Čia nutarėme atvykti liepos mėnesį, kada ūgtelėję rudųjų lokių jaunikliai, vedini motinos, po truputį išeina į atviresnes vietas. 

Nusileidome Kuusamo oro uoste, o vėliau dvi valandas riedėjome vingiuotais Suomijos keliais.

Slėptuvę pasiekėme apie 4 val. popiet. Namelis maždaug 1,6 metro aukščio, 1,5 metro pločio ir 2,5 metro ilgio tapo mūsų priedanga iki ryto. Vakarėjant nukrito keletas lietaus lašų, tada miško aikštelę apšvietė besileidžiančios saulės spinduliai. Neužilgo pamatėme iš miško glūdumos atsliūkinantį didžiulį lokį. Šie gyvūnai atrodo nerangūs, bet prireikus gali bėgti maždaug 35 km/h greičiu. Palyginimui grizliai - 56 km/h, baltieji lokiai - 30 km/h. Greičiausias žmogus yra Usain Bolt. Jis 100 metrų distancijoje pasiekė 44.7 km/h greitį.

Po poros valandų iš tankmės išniro lokiukai, lydimi motinos. Mažieji nestygo vietoje, lipo į medžius ir ėjo ristynių.

Visi lokiukai buvo mieli ir žaismingi, bet daugiausia mūsų simpatijų gavo pats mažiausias, vis mėginantis imtis su didžiuoju broliu, bet kas kartą pralaimintis. Ramesnės veiklos jis ėmė ieškoti tik tada, kai visiškai išseko jėgos.

Jam draugiją palaikė ir didysis brolis.

Apie vidurnaktį likome vieni, apsupti baltosios nakties prietemos. Nors akys ir merkėsi, tačiau įspūdžių kupinos mintys nedavė ramybės. Taip sulaukėme ir pirmųjų saulės spindulių.

Apie 7 valandą ryto gavome ženklą, kad saugu išeiti iš slėptuvės. Netrukus pusryčiavome ir smaguriavome naminę suomiškų mėlynių uogienę. Vėliau dar keletą valandų fotografavome alksninukus, genius, sibirinius kėkštus, sniegenas bei paprastąsias voveres.

Numigus keletą valandų, popiet pajudėjome link antrosios slėptuvės. Šnekučiuodamiesi su gidu išmokome skaičiuoti lokius suomiškai, sužinojome, jog šių gyvūnų Suomijoje priskaičiuojama daugiau kaip tūkstantis. Lietuvos miškuose rudieji lokiai gyveno iki XIX amžiaus pabaigos. Dabar jų į mūsų šalį tik retkarčiais užklysta iš Baltarusijos. 

Antrąją dieną oras buvo permainingas. Slėptuvę pasiekėme lyjant, tačiau po pusvalandžio jau švietė saulė. Kaip ir vakar, pirmuosius išvydome didžiulius patinus, klampojančius per pelkėtą pievą. Suaugęs rudasis lokys vidutiniškai sveria iki 300 kilogramų. Rudenį kaupdami atsargas šie gyvūnai per dieną gali suėsti iki 40 kg maisto.

Nenuoramas mažuosius ir jų motiną pamatėme po keletos valandų.

Iš pradžių lokiukai nedrąsiai žvalgėsi, bet paskui ėmėsi įprastos veiklos - žaidimų ir grumtynių.

Maždaug pusė rudųjų lokių jauniklių nugaišta pirmais gyvenimo metais. Vienus užpuola ligos, kiti neatlaiko badavimo, trečius užmuša patinai. Tarsi jausdamas motinos nerimą, mažiausias lokiukas laikėsi kuo arčiau mamos.

Vakarėjant akis ėmė lipinti malonus nuovargis, tad nutarėme nusnausti, bet labai greitai pašokome kaip įgelti. Tik pavojus nebuvo tikras. Tarsi prašydamasis į svečius mūsų duris krebždeno vienas lokiukų. Pakrebždeno ir nuėjo ieškoti drąsesnių draugų.

Kitą dieną patraukėme link ežero, kur įrengta trečioji slėptuvė. Ją pasiekėme skabydami į avietes panašias oranžines tekšes. Lokių laukėme gal tris valandas. Vėl pirmuosius išvydome didžiulius patinus.

Lokiai buvo nusiteikę taip agresyviai, kad mažyliams vis tekdavo kabarotis į medžių viršūnes.

Kartą net motina ne juokais išsigando, todėl į ne itin tvirtą pušį užsiropštė greičiau už vaikus.

Visiems pavojams išsivaikščiojus, tvenkinio pakraštyje pamatėme du meškučius prigludusius prie mamos. Ji buvo labai rūpestinga, vis glostė ir glaudė mažylius arčiau savęs.

Vėliau teko laimė pamatyti net žindančius jauniklius.

Jau po vidurnakčio visa šeima tarsi atsisveikindama praėjo vos už poros metrų nuo mūsų slėptuvės ir dingo Suomijos miškų glūdumoje. 

Tai buvo išties įsimintina kelionė.

May, 2012
 

For days we were watching the wildlife through the windows of our house before one day we decided to take our cameras and spend some time photographic visitors of our small garden. We transformed our shed to a hide, covered a garden fence with some grass for a better background and of course filled  feeders with sunflower seeds, nuts, suet and dry worms. With a cup of tea and comfy cushions we were ready for some action. 
During the first couple of days Starlings were the most frequent guests. Their numbers have fallen drastically over the last years  in England, so it was nice to see them in our garden.  

Starlings were a little bit noisy and greedy, they used to descend on food in large numbers and eat most of it leaving not a lot for the other birds. It was interesting to watch how juveniles chase after the parents asking for food or fight each other over a bigger and tastier piece; there was a lot of action by the feeders.

We made an additional feeder for Goldfinches, Dunnocks, House Sparrows, Robins, Blue Tits and other small birds, so the presents of fighting starlings would not bother them too much. They seemed to be pleased with the idea.

Light was not always great but it was a pleasure to capture our little friends. 

We were thrilled to see Great Spotted Woodpeckers in our garden. At the beginning there was a male Woodpecker regularly visiting a suet feeder but later a juvenile spend some time with us. Luckily he did not react to a clicking noise of our cameras and wasn't too shy to pose.

One day we spotted a Stag beetle next to the flower bed. 

Neighbors' cats used to check out our garden from time to time. 

While spending time in the garden or scanning it through the windows we noticed that a Fox likes to turn up in evenings.

In couple of month she even brought two cubs for us to see. One of them  is still enjoying our garden and gives us a visit every evening.

Foxes like to visit a garden at night.

Couple of weeks ago we were very surprised to see a Sparrowhawk on the fence of our garden. We haven’t seen him since, but we are sure he scans the feeders from time to time. Hopefully one day we gonna manage to take a picture ...

More news ... we had a Fieldfare visiting our garden this winter. Apples have done a trick. He stayed for three days but departed as soon as snow melted. Good life was back to normal for Blackbirds as the Fieldfare was a bit aggressive and didn't let them near the apples.

Recently we had a nice encounter with a Wren which decided to visit our garden too. So every morning we are treated to a nice and loud Wren's song.

March, 2012
 

We've spent some time watching kingfishers in Rye Meads, Rainham Marshes, Sevenoaks and even in the Bushy Park, London, but Mark Hancox’s kingfisher site gave a much better opportunity to enjoy and photograph this beautiful and elusive bird.

By 7.30 a.m. we settled down in a hide, prepared our gear and waited for kingfishers to turn up. First the call of a kingfisher reached our ears and then we saw this magnificent bird.

It was a male as the male's bill is all black while the female is with a "lipstick" - red /orange colour on the lower mandible.

 It looked like the kingfishers were busy digging a nest as they used to turn up with muddy beak and feet.

Of course the purpose to land on a perch was fishing and most of the time the hard job was done by the male.

But several times a female turned up and she was as good as the male in fishing.

It was nice to watch how the kingfishers dive, seize the prey, carry it back to the perch, beat it against the perch and once dead, swallow head-first. That day we saw the male kingfisher swallowing several fish but most of the time he used to catch and carry the prey head first to the female which most likely was somewhere near a nesting area. But once we were very lucky to witness the male passing a fish to the female as an “engagement” present.

And at the end his efforts were rewarded...

It's easy to spend hours watching and photographing the activity of brightly coloured Kingfishers.

It's easy to spend hours watching and photographing this amazing bird. Our day seemed so short, it was coming to dusk and we had to head home...

June, 2012
 

Once we didn’t know where Shetland Islands were and now it is one of our favourite destinations.  For this we have to thank two people – photographer Danny Green, who convinced us to go there and photographer Dr. Richard Shucksmith who showed us the beauty of the islands and helped us to discover fascinating inhabitants of Shetlands – Eurasian Otters. The days we've spent with this shy and elusive mammal were the most exited but at the same time it was one of the most challenging photographic experiences. But we just loved it; we loved every minute of it. Even now we get excited when we think about it. 

Shetland Otters are active during the daylight and they tend to fish on low tide. Every day we checked tide times and according to it arranged our day. In general, we used to photograph otters from early morning till 10-11 am and then in the afternoon after 5 pm. The pattern of a photographic day was the same -  a long walk by the coast looking for spraint, scanning the water, kelp beds and banks where otters have their holts. It's quite difficult to spot the animal  and it's very easy to overlook especially in the kelp beds.

We've spotted a female Otter with a single cub first. 

Males do not assist with raring cubs, so mothers look after the little ones and feed them for a year. Fish is the main food, but they also take crabs, crayfish, birds, mammals.

We carefully followed the Otters for couple of hours. It was a tough but fun activity. We believe it looked a bit weird: three adults with huge cameras crawling on the grass, ducking down behind rocks and running on the pebbles in slouching position. The efforts paid off and we were rewarded with a rare mom and cub playing scene.

Sadly, by the coast we spotted a dead gannet trapped and strangled in a fishing line.

User comments

Otters have bad eyesight; they can only really detect movement or unusual high silhouette. That day by sitting still close to the rocks and fresh water stream where possible otters wash their fur from salt, a female appeared no further than two meters (6.5 feet) away in front of us; we could even hear her sniffing; as the wind was blowing from the sea towards us she couldn't really detect our smell. We couldn’t fire the shutter as it would have scared her away. But it was so so tempting...

Not all the days were so lucky but they still had a very happy ending. We remember we came to the coast before 5 am. We kept  scanning the water and kelp beds for otters with no luck till 10 am. We felt so tired that could barely put one foot in front of the other. Back at the hotel the spirits were low but lovely images from yesterday brought back a tiny smile on our faces. The smile became extremely big after Richard's call and his magic words: “Let’s go ottering.” Tiredness was gone in a second. It was getting darker and drizzling from time to time, but Otters did not disappoint us this time. We saw a male Otter, a female with two cubs and the same Otter with one cub, which we managed to photograph again.

Photographing otters was truly one of the best experiences.

The rest of the days in Shetland islands we spent in Hermaness NNR, Fetlar, Sumburgh Head RSPB and Bressay.

Shetland islands are rich in wildlife. Over one million birds of 70 different species breed here. One of the loveliest and cutest birds without a doubt is Atlantic Puffin which could be easily found in Sumburgh Head and Hermaness NNR.

Hermaness on Unst is the most northerly inhabited island in the UK. It holds a large and noisy gannet colony with over 10 000 pairs of birds. The sounds are heard and smells of thousands of birds are sensed before the colony is visible. 

By walking along the cost towards the lighthouse we've spotted a dead sperm whale.

Hermaness holds world's third largest colony of Great Skuas which are also know as bonxies or flying pirates. They are very territorial birds and will attack anyone entering their domain especially during the breeding season to protect their chicks.

Fetlar, to the South of Unst and not far from Hermaness, is the fourth largest island in Shetland. It holds 90% of the British population of Red-necked Phalaropes. They are brightly-coloured and remarkably tame birds.

Shetland Wren, Northern Wheatear and vocal Oystercatcher are fairly common on Shetland islands and quite easy approachable. We took the images just simply walking along a farm road near Sumburgh Head Nature Reserve.

The last day of our trip in Shetland Islands we planned to spent with a large and noisy gannet colony in Noss NNR. Unfortunately the weather was not on our side; a small dinghy could not take us over to the tiny island because of poor weather and rough sea. We had all day ahead of us, so we made a decision to stay in Bressay.

The weather was very changeable, rather cold and windy, with scattered showers and sunny spells. Walking along the coast we were away from modern world and the sense of freedom and remoteness simply fascinated us. Calmness and harmony didn't last for a very long time though. It was disturbed by an attack of Arctic Terns and Bonxies. We mistakenly stepped into their domain. Away from their colonies we had a brilliant walk along the coastline with a good view of Fulmars - Shetland's commonest seabird.

As it was an early summer it wasn't too difficult to spot some juveniles exploring new areas.

Walking along the moorland we had an amazing encounter with a Golden Plover. Luckily at that moment we got some decent light to work in.

It had already been a great day but soon it got even better as we've spotted a Red-throated Diver in one of the lochs. Our time was short as we only had 1.5 hours left before the departure of our ferry.

The time passed so quickly, that we realized we have to run and sometimes even sprint to catch the ferry. With heavy gear on the back it was not easy...

Our journey in Shetland islands was over. It was an amazing experience, full of laughter and good energy. We are left with a feeling of wanting to go back already ... even with sore legs.

If you are interested in wildlife photography we wrote couple more blogs from our other trips in Shetland islands

• Wildlife in Shetland islands, UK

http://www.dgwildlife.com/blog/2014/8/shetland-islands

• Atlantic puffins

http://www.dgwildlife.com/blog/2014/8/shetland-puffins

July, 2012
 

It was such a great feeling to realize that we are deep in the forests of Finland ready to watch and photograph Eurasian Brown bears (Ursus arctos arctos). This magnificent mammal could once be found across most of northern Eurasia but intensive hunting, habitat destruction reduced their numbers or caused extermination in many countries, including England. Finland on the Russian border has a healthy population of brown bears and Martinselkonen Nature Reserve is a perfect place to witness this elusive mammal. We've chosen to come in July as there is a good chance to see female bears with cute and adorable cubs.
We landed in Kuusamo airport and later drove 2 hours to the reserve. The first bear photo session started the following afternoon. We headed towards a hide which overlooked a forest with some open space. A wooden hide was for two, just enough to move around.  We didn’t waste our time, quickly prepared our cameras and were ready for some action. Just minutes before our arrival, the rain had stopped and the sun was covering everything in a beautiful glow. We didn't wait long for our first encounter with a large male bear which was slowly moving out of the woods. Bears look slow but they are able to run up to 35 km/h (21.7 mph). In comparison grizzlies run 56 km/h (34.8 mph), polar bears - 30 km/h (18.6 mph). The fastest human is Usain Bolt who has clocked 44.72 km/h (27.44 mph) in the 100 meter sprint.  

Couple of hours later it was such a thrill to see a bear mum with four cubs coming out of the forest. There was plenty of action from the little ones all evening. We had to take many images just to produce some sharp ones because of the poor light in the woods. It was a bit of a challenge but it was well worth it.

All the cubs were so cute and funny but particularly playful and most adorable was the smallest one. Strange enough but he had chosen to play-fight with his biggest brother despite the fact he was losing all the time. After exhausting play-fighting he used to take some quiet time and rest.

Sometimes his bigger brother used to give him a company.

It was an amazing experience. The excitement from such a nice encounter kept us awake all night. Around 7 am we left the hide and headed back to the Wilds Centre for breakfast and some rest.

At 4 pm we were ready for another evening with bears. This time we headed to a swamp. On the way we had a great conversation about bears with our guide and of course he taught us how to say "a bear" in Finnish. To make the task a bit difficult we decided to count: "yksi karhu, kaksi karhu, kolme karhu". 

Our hide in the swamp was very similar to the one in the forest. With our gear and sugary snacks ready, we were eager for action some from bears. The first bear came out of the forest in the light rain which lasted about half an hour. 

After the stage was taken by big males which weigh up to 300 kg (661 lb). The largest Eurasian brown bear recorded was 481 kg (1060 lb).

Early evening when adult males were gone was a time for cubs. They followed their mum and were a bit shy and cautious at the beginning.

But later they simply couldn't stop playing...

Nevertheless they had to remain vigilant.

While others were playing, sweet little one preferred to stay in mum's company ...

We could spend hours watching and photographing adorable bear cubs. It's such a shame that quite often we are restricted for time.  Nevertheless the day was brilliant. We even had a bit of luck of seeing a White-tailed Eagle on the top of a pine tree. The night was spent in the hide again. This time we had a surprise visitor... Naughty cub was scratching the door of our hide and was eager to get inside...

Back at the Wilds centre we had another tasty breakfast. We couldn’t resist a temptation to try Finnish blueberry jam which was packed full of fruit and flavour. We must admit the food during our stay was really delicious thanks to Markku wife's efforts.

The last afternoon with bears was spent in the hide near pond. This time we had to wait nearly three hours for the bears to turn up.

There was plenty of action and most of it was from fluffy bear cubs which kept climbing up and getting down the trees all evening. Once we have witnessed a female bear on the top of the tree. An aggressive male was around and quite clearly badly scared the family.  

A bear mum with two cubs stayed by the pond until 12 am.

She cuddled them all the time and was very protective, but  when it was getting darker and there were no other bears around we had a possibility to witness a sweet moment of a suckling cub...

Later this family passed our hide couple of feet away and disappeared into the wilderness of Finland…

Back to London we feel happy that we had a chance to experience such a wonderful encounter with Brown bears and a smile doesn’t fade from our faces when we look through the photos. 

October, 2012
 

We’ll always remember that dark and cold October morning when for the first time we've witnessed an impressive annual Red Deer rut. The time when the largest wild land mammals of UK roar, bark and clash antlers does not last long and without a doubt is unforgettable. Our favorite time for Red Deer photography is dawn. Of course most of the mornings we ended up moaning about bad weather and cloudy skies, but on the odd occasions we were greeted by breathtaking mornings with beautiful golden light...

Early October mornings are quite often foggy because of cold nights and warm days. Three days in a row we ended up having such a thick fog that it was almost impossible to see each other, so we could forget about deer photography. On the fourth morning the weather was kind to us - we were greeted by a blanket of mist.

During the day the light is not the best but still there is a good chance to capture some great characters...

This red reed stag did not look too cool with a strangely hanging ear.

In the afternoon deer are less active; some are sleeping, others enjoy "spa treatments".

When deer are less active, it's a good time to photograph squirrels. Some tasty peanuts have done the trick attracting the attention of this grey-coated beauties.

Yawning Grey SquirrelThis yawning squirrel was captured on a sunny afternoon in the Bushy park, London. The little fellow was clearly sleepy and soon lied down on a log. Cute Grey Squirrel

Jackdaws, Green Woodpeckers, Ring – necked Parakeets, Jays, Grey Herons, Kingfishers, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Crows, Yellow Wagtails, Stonechats and other species of birds can be easily spotted in the Bushy park.

One day this little fellow we caught by surprise. The Fallow deer calf did not expect to see us hiding behind the tree, where possibly it was his favorite feeding spot.

In the afternoon we used to go back to deer photography and wait for some beautiful light. 

Deer at Dawn

Please check out other images of rutting deer.

Gruodis, 2012
 

Jau kurį laiką norėjome nufotografuoti paprastąsias voveres (Sciurus vulgaris) sningant, todėl vasario mėnesį nusprendėme keliauti į Škotiją, kur palyginti su kitais Jungtinės Karalystės regionais, yra didžiausia šių gyvūnėlių populiacija. Deja, sniego taip ir nesulaukėme. Tad nutarėme mėginti kitur. Po paieškų internete paaiškėjo, kad verta bandyti laimę Šiaurės Anglijoje. Vietos fotografas informavo apie kasmet čia didėjančią voverių populiaciją, o meteorologai pranašavo tinkamą orą. Taigi išsirengėme į Jorkšyro slėnių nacionalinį parką (Yorkshire Dales). Lūkesčiai buvo dideli, o kuprinės dar didesnės.
Apsistojome mažame Jorkšyro grafystės miestelyje. Pabudus ryte paaiškėjo, kad orų prognozės nebuvo iš piršto laužtos. Sunkūs debesys slinko nešdami geras naujienas. Mes nieko nelaukdami išskubėjome į mišką. Pirmosios snaigės iškrito ankstyvą popietę.

Po valandos sniegas jau dribte dribo. 

Juoduojantys žemės plotai akimirksniu užsiklojo baltu sluoksniu. Spaudė šaltukas, įsismarkavęs vėjas vis skaudžiau žnaibė skruostus, bet nuo minties, kad sena svajonė pildosi, darėsi kiek šilčiau. Didelės snaigės tapo gana rimtu iššūkiu fotografuojant, nes buvo gana sunku fokusuoti vaizdą. Negana to, vis mažiau klausė sustirę pirštai. Pūga šėlo pora valandų. Sušlapę voverių ausų plaukučiai styrojo lyg antenėlės, tačiau atrodė, kad jų toks oras nė kiek nevargina.

Heavy snow band had moved in and the whole scene in Yorkshire turned into a winter wonderland. Ear tufts of the red squirrels looked like sharp needles.

Iš miško grįžome šlapi, sušalę, bet laimingi. Viešbutyje mūsų laukė staigmena – dėl įsismarkavusios pūgos dingo elektra. Tad vakarieniavome ir rytojaus dienai ruošėmės žvakių šviesoje. 

Išaušęs rytas teikė tikrai daug vilčių - spaudė šaltukas ir sniegas netirpo. Išskubėjome pas voveres. Jos kaip ir vakar buvo guvios bei aktyvios. 

Deja, nuotaika subjuro paaiškėjus, kad vienas mūsų fotoaparatų per vakarykštę pūgą sudrėko ir nustojo veikti. Kad ir kiek bandėme, jo atgaivinti nepavyko. Laimė, nejučia šovė mintis, sugedusiajam paieškoti kitos paskirties. Netrukus tragedija tapo gerąja naujiena.

Vietos voverės mus matė jau antrą dieną ir buvo kur kas drąsesnės, todėl nusprendėme kiek paeksperimentuoti. Norėdami jas privilioti papozuoti prie neveikiančio fotoaparato, įdėjome keletą riešutų į objektyvo gaubtą. Nelabai ko tikėjomės, todėl tikrai nustebome, kai vienas drąsesnių ir smalsesnių gyvūnėlių po kiek laiko panoro apžiūrėti fotoaparatą.

... o vėliau net įsigudrino įsitaisyti kameros apsauginio gaubto viduje.

We photographed red squirrels in Yorkshire Dales. One ginger beauty was not shy at all and got inside a lens hood for a nice shelter.

Matydami, kad voverės tikrai nieko prieš taip su mumis pažaisti, padėdavome riešutų, o šios, supratusios, kad gardėsių vis atsiranda, pamiršo drovumą ir ėmė dar uoliau tikrinti aparatą. Nesutriko net tada, kai didįjį objektyvą pakeitėme į mažesnį.

Red squirrels are very curious animals. Even a small lens makes an impression to them.

Vėlų vakarą grįžome namo kupini neišdildomų įspūdžių. Na o fotoaparatą gerai išdžiovinus, jis pradėjo vėl veikti. 

December, 2012
 

A picture of red squirrel in the snow was in our minds for some time. Last year we headed to Scotland where the biggest population of UK red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) is found. Unfortunately we did not get a chance to photograph this ginger coated beauty in the snow. Unusually for Scotland, February was without snow. This year we've decided to head to Yorkshire Dales which is recognized as an important habitat for red squirrels. Upon arrival we've settled down in a small family run hotel. In the morning we had a very nice surprise as the weather temperature had dropped down and it felt that the snow was on the way. We headed up to the woods. The first snowflakes of the season arrived early afternoon and the ground was covered in white in no time. 

Heavy snow band had moved in and the whole scene in Yorkshire turned into a winter wonderland. Ear tufts of the red squirrels looked like sharp needles.

A real challenge began when a heavy snow band moved in. Big  flakes made focusing very tricky but we couldn't stop trying...

The whole scene turned into a winter wonderland. 

Late afternoon we headed back to the hotel. Dinner was served in the light of candles as there was no electricity due to heavy winds. 

Next morning  we headed back to the woods and there was still plenty of snow on the ground.

The squirrels were coming so close that we managed to make an image with a wide angle lens. This one is our favourite shot. 

To our big shock one of our cameras stopped working after yesterday's harsh conditions and high humidity. Without a doubt it was very frustrating. Luckily we found another way of using it ... We placed couple of peanuts inside the lens hood. We were amazed by one squirrel which was not shy at all and showed a lot of interest in the camera.

Couple of minutes later the squirrel have managed to get inside a lens hood.

We photographed red squirrels in Yorkshire Dales. One ginger beauty was not shy at all and got inside a lens hood for a nice shelter.

Even a small lens made an impression...

Red squirrels are very curious animals. Even a small lens makes an impression to them.

It was simply amazing but to tell the truth our faces looked a bit worried. Sharp nails and teeth of this brave little beauty could have easily scratched the lenses and cameras. Luckily the squirrel behaved and have not done any damage. 

It was simply an unforgettable experience. The journey was brilliant and we were left with a terrible heartbreaking feeling of wanting to stay much longer. Back at home, we dried out the camera properly and it started working...

February, 2013
 

We were fascinated by the pictures of Great Grey Owls we've seen in London Bird fair 2012. Since then we simply fell in love with this bird. Great Grey Owl also known as a Lapland Owl is distributed across the Northern Hemisphere and is the largest of the northern forest. Finland is a great place for Great Grey Owls (Strix nebulosa) especially in winter, as they are easier approachable this time of year. We kept checking information on the internet about any good sightings of this bird in Finland. Good news have reached us in February. Owls were performing well in Oulu region. We booked our holidays, packed up our equipment and headed to Finland. The first day with the Great Grey Owls turned out to be very challenging because of freezing weather temperatures. Before travelling to Finland, we've checked the forecast which was around 10-15 C below zero. To our big surprise we had to face -23 C. It was really tough to be outside all day. Press ups, excises and jumps helped our stiff bodies and numb feet to get a little bit warmer.  The first unmistakable sight of Great Grey Owl we have witnessed after a few hours of waiting.

It was the first and only owl we saw that day. Reduced activity of rodents due to high temperature drop possibly resulted such unusual owl behaviour. Luckily our immune system managed to cope with the harsh conditions. The only bad thing from yesterday was a painful and pale index finger with a light blister. Clearly it was frostbitten. Nevertheless we were ready for our second day with the owls. Temperature was not lower than –10 C, so it was a relieve. The first hunting Great Grey Owl we've spotted in the afternoon. 

Suddenly it swooped down and crashed into snow.  A second later it appeared with a prey in the beak.

Great Grey Owls have excellent hearing. With this super-powered sense they may locate and capture prey moving beneath 60 cm (2 ft) of snow. Large facial disks focus sound and the asymmetrical placement of ears assists owls in locating prey.

The Great Grey Owl gave us a really good performance for half an hour and our presence didn’t bother the bird at all.

Later that day we spotted three other owls. One of them was very tame and didn’t react to us standing five meters away. The light was very poor, so we couldn’t manage to get decent photos but it was fascinating to see such an incredible owl from such a close distance. We left the field with the owl still calmly perching in a tree overlooking a white meadow and enjoying a quiet winter evening.

Finland is a good place for Golden Eagles, unfortunately we managed to get only couple very average pictures of this beautiful and magnificent bird. Before our arrival possibly a snowmobile scared them off and the birds were avoiding the site.

After a long and not very successful day we had a surprise dinner. What a day... The lady prepared meal which looked really delicious, something like a beef stew. She didn't speak English, so couldn't explain what meat it was. The dish was perfect, the meat soft and very tasty. We even took an extra portion. The next day the mystery was revealed - we had elk for dinner.

Breakfast was nice and simple, without any surprises. As we wanted to get more photos of Great Grey Owl, on the departure day we decided to visit other owl location close to Oulu airport.

We were over the moon to spot two Great Grey Owls there. They preferred to sit on electric wires and stayed further away. 

Couple of hours later one of the the owls flew closer and gave us the most incredible show in the falling snow... It was simply amazing.

Unfortunately we were running out of time as we had to go to the airport to catch our flight. It was so difficult to leave this Great Grey Owl site.

Back in London Heathrow airport, our happy faces turned to very gloomy and worried ones as we realized that BA have lost our suitcase. Luckily there was a very happy ending. After three days of nervous waiting the bag was finally reunited with us.

March, 2013
 

We've just got back from an amazing and breath taking trip from a spectacular place in Norway. Physically we are back in London but all our thoughts are still with majestic Golden and White-tailed Eagles. This eagle adventure was beyond our expectations; all thanks to “Eagle Man” Ole Martin Dahle. 

He is a man with big passion and huge love for eagles and wildlife. He is also well known for his friendship with a gull Charlie who enjoys eating while sitting on his head. Unfortunately we haven't met Charlie as he visits Ole in summer. 

The first days of our trip were planned for Golden and White-tailed Eagle photography from a well-built hide in the mountains. Early start was a must as we had to get in the hide before the sunrise. In a pitch black hide we bundled up in the sleeping bags and sat patiently and quietly. Outside temperature was around -10 C but inside was fairly warm. With every passing minute it was getting lighter and we started seeing silhouette of mountains through tiny windows of the hide.

The first Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) swooped down from the sky around 7:30 am. It is a very powerful but at the same time very cautious bird. We patiently waited for the bird to feel relaxed before we pressed the shutter of the camera. 

Most of the time we used to see one Golden eagle at a time.  It was very protective and used to cover it's prey every time he heard a cry of another eagle.

In the afternoon the wind picked up bringing us grey clouds of snow. 

Golden Eagle

Ah hour later even heavier band of snow moved in dumping several inches of snow. There were no birds left around except a lonely Hooded Crow.

Hooded Crow in the Falling Snow

Fortunately, late afternoon the heavy snow moved away. As the nature haven’t decided what to give as weather wise next, we were rewarded with a mixture of snow and sunshine.

Golden Eagle

In the evening Ole took as back to the lodge. "See you tomorrow" he said walking away. Without a doubt we were very excited about tomorrow's session and seeing eagles again.

The following morning was bright and cold with a deep blue sky. The hide was a bit chillier than yesterday, so we quickly jumped into sleeping bags and placed flasks full of hot tea close to us.

There is lots of waiting involved in eagle photography. During a quiet period Eurasian Jays and Hooded Crows are brilliant companions.

Jay in the Falling Snow, Norway

Three hours later a Golden Eagle landed in a tree close to the hide. 

To our big surprise one more eagle swooped down on the ground.

They didn't stay long and flew away to the woods.

The peak of the day was a remarkable performance of a White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla).

Later on Golden Eagle swooped down for couple of minutes.

Golden Eagle

Afternoon was quiet. The temperature dropped and snow started falling down again. We were pleasantly surprised by the last visit by a Golden Eagle. 10 - 15 minutes later it flew away disappearing in the falling snow. 

The next day was planned for White-tailed Eagle photography from a small boat in the Norwegian Sea. For this journey we've dressed in red overalls and looked like hobbits in sumo wrestling suits. Such an outfit was very helpful in the sea when temperatures dropped up to -10 C.

During the first day White-tailed Eagles dived more than 20 times. Ole worked incredibly hard in positioning the boat in the best possible photographic position. White-tailed Eagle is a really large bird of prey with broad wings up to 245 cm (over 8 feet) wide. They may reach speeds of up to 60 miles an hour but dives up to 100 miles per hour.

White-tailed Eagle

White-Tailed Eagle in Flight70-80% of White-tailed Eagle's food is fish. It could be either dead fish floating in the sea or washed ashore, left over from otters or sea gulls. 70-80% of White-tailed Eagle's food is fish. It could be either dead fish floating in the sea or washed ashore, left over from otters or sea gulls. White-tailed Eagles even try to steal food from other birds such as gannets, herons, ravens, gulls, crows.

White-tailed Eagles can live for  more than 20 years. It's interesting to mention some data which could be read from the bird rings. For example blue ring on the right leg of the White-tailed Eagle means he was ringed in Norway. Red/silver ring means the eagle was born in 1989.

Overall it was a great day and sea sick didn't spoil the experience at all. 

The following day, as we planned to photograph eagles in the afternoon, the morning was spent with red squirrels and small birds.

In the afternoon we headed to the sea. This time the day was dedicated for creative "arty-farty" photography as Ole would say.

Silhouette of White-tailed Eagle

We could spend weeks at this location. Sadly but all good things come to an end. On the way to the train station, we made a short stop to photograph Common Eiders.

Overall it was a brilliant trip. Hopefully one day we’ll be back in this superb place with a single malt whisky for a great man Ole Martin Dahle. His whisky collection already contains 120 bottles so it’ll be quite a challenge to find something unique but we'll do our best.