The Golden Eagle of Kalvträsk

The preparation for the Golden Eagle workshop weren´t the best because I woke up around 3 am and it was impossible to go to sleep again. Still I felt relaxed, but I suspect that more sleep would have done me good.

The breakfast was healthy with porridge, sandwiches and salmon. Not a traditional breakfast for me but I didn´t leave the house hungry, that is for sure.

It had started to snow during the night so that would bring some light to the scenery if it wasn´t for the overcast that kept the sun away during the whole day. We had to use flashlights to navigate to the hide that is situated on a bog, just like the hides in Finland earlier this year. That is all similarities between the hides because this one is really solid, built out of timber, and you have a wood burner inside that will keep you warm and cozy.

I sat up my 2 cameras in different directions with hope of possibly catching foxes and Ravens in one direction and the Golden Eagle in the other direction where most of the bait is. It was now that it dawn upon me that the Golden Eagle probably will end up just a few meters from the hide. It couldn´t have been more than 7-8 meters from the hide.

I was at least there and I was ready for the Eagles. I had enough would to keep me warm for the 12 hours but would I have the stamina to survive?

I thought I had run out of luck when I started to eat lunch. I had seen an Eagle early on but it just flew past and spooked the Ravens, Jays and Great Tits. So for the first 6 hours I had just broken my back waiting for the Golden Eagle to appear but then luck turned.

It seemed like it knew I was occupied by food myself and thought it could sneak in an eat while I eating myself. I sat there eating some spoons of the yoghurt and muesli watching the Golden Eagle landing and then starting to feed. I let it feed for a minute or two so I would case it away and when I started to take photos I kept them to a bare minimum. It is never good to pray and spray because the wildlife will certainly be disturbed and go away.

This photo is from the first appearance from the male Golden Eagle. It’s a traditional Eagle picture and one that I. The light was really tricky today and I had to take many picture on high ISO but I hope I can do something good out of them when I get home. The second appearance that the Eagle did was just at sunset and the light was worse then. Still I think that I can save a picture or two from that occasion but for now this is the only one I publish at this moment so enjoy it.

Tomorrow seems to bring clear skies and that will mean hard light. It is good to be out in different situations and test the equipment to try and bring the best out of it.

Arriving in Kalvträsk
Expedition Golden Eagle day 2
Expedition Golden Eagle day 3
The Golden Eagle workshop

To the Photo Album:

The Golden Eagle of Kalvträsk 2012