SEASONAL VARIATION
What species you photograph, and what kind of circumstances you need to prepare for, are greatly influenced by the time of year.
Probably everywhere in the world, the time of year has an influence on what bird species you can photograph and what the circumstances are. As a rule, high season in the northern hemisphere is during the lighter months from March or April to October, whereas in the southern hemisphere there is more to photograph from November to March. This doesn’t mean that you can’t photograph birds outside the high seasons—on the contrary, annual migrations and winter can be the best times to photograph certain species.
In this chapter, I focus on opportunities in Finland in all four seasons. Finland is so far north that the same latitudes in Siberia are all tundra, but the beneficial effects of the Gulf Stream that help keep temperatures warmer in Scandinavia influence our climate, too. The most northerly conifer forests grow in Finland. The country’s far-north location gives photographers an advantage in bird photography because Finland has four distinct seasons, and each season yields different types of subjects.
Another advantage in a northerly location is that because the sun rises and sets slowly, the golden light lasts much longer than farther south. In winter you can work throughout the short days because the sun stays low, and in summer you can photograph birds throughout the night in great light, especially in northern Finland. And when it is at its darkest in November and December, a bird photographer in Finland can travel to sunnier climates or put some time and effort into browsing photos and archiving and handling selected image files.
Here is a review of what Finland has to offer bird photographers in different seasons.
Winter: December to February
From December to February, the weather in Finland is very wintery. At best, snow lasts from November well into March. A few years ago, everyone was talking about Finland having warm continental winters with very little snow, or even no snow, as was the case in southern Finland. But the past two winters have been very cold with record-breaking amounts of snow. Bird photographers around the country have been able to photograph in very snowy circumstances.
Golden Eagles and White-tailed Eagles, as well as Northern Goshawks, are popular subjects for bird photography in the Finnish winter. They are photographed at carcasses that are provided for the birds in specific spots in the woods throughout the winter. Gray-headed Woodpeckers and White-backed Woodpeckers are frequent visitors at other winter feeding spots, as are Black Woodpeckers and, in the north especially, Siberian Jays and Gray-headed Chickadees. In most years, Great Gray Owls and Northern Hawk Owls come out of the woods to more open areas to hunt, and every once in a while even rare Snowy Owls come to hunt on the open fields. Near the winter feedings that have been set for small birds, Eurasian Pygmy-Owls are often spotted preying on the feeding birds and small rodents.
Other good opportunities you should not miss, if they’re available, are grouses and partridges. One winter’s day I had the chance to work with a Western Capercaillie, and the temperature stayed at –30°C (–22°F) all day. The bird had settled at a location relatively close to people and was used to them. Every so often it would leave its snow burrow to eat needles in the pine trees nearby, eventually returning to snuggle deep inside the snow again. This way I got to shoot material that has rarely been photographed before: a Western Capercaillie peeking out of the snow.
People like to feed birds in the winter. Bird photographers set up feeding stations for the birds, but many people feed birds in their gardens for their own enjoyment. Birds have learned to come to the feeders, where they are easily photographed. Often birds that frequent the feeders get relatively used to people, and photography doesn’t always require the use of a blind.
In winter Eurasian Pygmy-Owls can be photographed in the vicinity of bird feeders in gardens (Glaucidium passerinum)
Canon EOS 5D, 100–400mm f/4.6–5.6, 1/320 second, 340mm, f/6.3, ISO 400, continuous focus with an extended central focusing point, handheld camera. Vaala, Finland, March 2006.
A Western Capercaillie in a snow burrow (Tetrao urogallus)
Canon EOS-1D Mark II, 300mm f/2.8, 1/800 second, f/4.0, ISO 400, one-shot focus with one focusing point, handheld camera. Vaala, Finland, January 2006.
Many nature photographers feed eagles and goshawks in winter with carcasses. In Finland, carcass feeding requires permission from the landowner, and it needs to be registered with the local veterinary authorities. At present, livestock carcasses that can be used for feeding include pigs and reindeer, and wild game animals that have been killed by vehicles on the road can be used, too. Many pig farms give their dead pigs to be used at bird feeding stations. Remember to check the local laws to find out about using dead animals for feeding; for instance, in the European Union all dead farm animals have to be recorded and reported to the relevant authorities.
November and December are usually bleak and gloomy, but if the snow comes early, and especially if the rowanberry crops are good, a bird photographer can have lots to photograph. Swans are still migrating in November, and some other birds might have delayed migrations, offering year-end opportunities to photographers.
In December the daylight is very short, but when the sun shines the light is gloriously beautiful all day. The best subjects for photography are normally found at feeders. In January the daylight hours start to lengthen, but winter usually tightens its grip. For me, January has often been the best time to photograph Golden Eagles, and at the end of the month Great Gray Owls start to appear at the edges of fields to hunt.
Even though the days are getting noticeably longer by February, it is still a true winter month, and in the north -30°C (-22°F) is more the rule than an exception. If a large high-pressure area reaches far into Siberia and settles over Finland, extremely cold and clear weather can last for several weeks. This is a good time for a bird photographer to work from a heated eagle blind. On the other hand, with the daytime lengthening steadily, there starts to be enough light for photographing at feedings in the woods or targeting dippers by flowing rivers. February is normally the best time to photograph owls in winter.
A Northern Goshawk near a feeding (Accipiter gentilis)
Canon EOS-1Ds 500mm f/4.0, 1/80 second, f/4.0, ISO 200, one-shot focus with a central focusing point, Manfrotto 501 video head attached to a plank in a blind. Ajalankoski, Finland, January 2004.
Winter has a firm grip on northern Finland long into March and even into April.
White-tailed Eagles at a carcass feeding (Haliaeetus albicilla)
Canon EOS-1D Mark III, 70–200mm f/2.8, 1/250 second, 135mm, f/6.3, ISO 1600, manual focus, Manfrotto 501 video head attached to a plank in a blind. Vehmaa, Finland, November 2008.
Spring: March to May
Spring comes in March, and the days start to get longer faster. The snowy landscapes abound with light, which reflects off the snow and back into the air, casting the most beautiful light on the flying birds from below. March sees the arrival of the first migrators, such as Whooper Swans, White-tailed Eagles, gulls, Rooks, and Snow Buntings.
In April spring takes charge with a vengeance, and most of the migrating birds arrive in Finland. April is by far the busiest month in a bird photographer’s calendar. You need to be in many places at the same time. Luckily the day is almost long enough to do so. For example, you can use the early morning light at a Black Grouse lek and still make it to the ice-covered sea bay to photograph geese and other migrating birds flying in the fabulous midmorning light. In the afternoon you can settle in a blind that you have strategically set up near the first open patch in the frozen water and wait for the waterbirds to arrive so you can photograph them in the attractive evening light. For a bird photographer, spring is very hectic, and sleep deprivation is inevitable—the most you get is a few hours here and there. But having to get up after just a few hours of sleep to start photographing again has never bothered me in the least. Also, the short catnaps you catch while waiting in your sleeping bag for the Black Grouse to arrive at the lek are memorable. Whenever possible, I try to stay overnight in the blind because mornings come so early. Besides, the sounds during spring nights are beyond description.
Snow Buntings on spring migration often gather in large flocks (Plectrophenax nivalis)
Canon EOS-1D Mark III, 300mm f/2.8, 1/1600 second, f/7.1, ISO 400, continuous focus with an extended central focusing point, handheld camera. Tyrnävä, Finland, April 2008.
Graylag Geese in the grips of a late winter storm (Anser anser)
Canon EOS-1D Mark III, 500mm f/4.0, 1/1600 second, f/9.0, ISO 800, continuous focus with an extended central focusing point, Manfrotto 501 video head attached to a plank in a blind. Liminka, Finland, April 2008.
Spring is notoriously fickle, and April can see winter striking back. Such backlashes are cues for bird photographers to get out into the field because the conditions can become very photogenic. The snowfall in April can be remarkably heavy, with big flakes that stand out well in images. Birds tend to gather into big flocks, and even migrating birds start to gather around feeding stations.
When winter strikes in April, Common Wood-Pigeons gather together in large flocks (Columba palumbus)
Canon EOS-1D Mark III, 500mm f/4.0, 1/1000 second, f/9.0, ISO 400, continuous focus with an extended central focusing point, Manfrotto 501 video head attached to a plank in a blind. Liminka, Finland, April 2008.
I specifically remember one April day spent in a blind on the shore of Bothnian Bay, in Liminka, when it snowed all day. The field in front of my blind was full of birds in spectacular late winter storm settings: hundreds of Common Wood-Pigeons, dozens of Graylag Geese and cranes. The Graylag Goose and Common Wood-Pigeon flock images were taken on that day. The falling snow further enhances the wintery atmosphere.
Spring migration continues long into May. Waterbirds and waders are the main species at the start of the month, and the bulk of the insectivorous species also arrive throughout May. Most birds start nesting in May, and courting, mating, and nest building are popular themes among bird photographers.
Summer: June to August
The bird photography high season continues throughout the summer because the breeding season of most birds extends long into June, and even into July. Many species become more furtive and secretive compared to their behavior in spring, yet the birds are very active—after all, they have mouths to feed. You can read more about nest photography in the chapter “Photographing at Nests.”
Just how short the northern summer is becomes evident in June, as the first female Eurasian Curlews and Spotted Redshanks start their journeys back already before midsummer! The last bird species to arrive north on spring migration, the Arctic Warblers, have not even reached their northern breeding grounds yet, when some birds are already going back south.
The long summer nights are an especially productive time for bird photographers. The sun does not set at all in the far north, and as long as the sky is clear you can photograph all through the night in fantastic light. On sunny days, with the light at its harshest, you can catch up on some of that lost sleep. At the end of summer, especially in July and August, the misty mornings and late evenings frequently offer good opportunities for creativity. One July night I was returning from a successful photo session on Hailuoto, which is a great bird island on the Bothnian Bay just outside Oulu. I was driving along a road in the countryside, with mist swirling over the fields, when I spotted a Short-eared Owl mobbing something. The light was low, and with a film camera I wouldn’t even have tried, but I adjusted my DSLR to ISO 2500 and spent 30 minutes photographing handheld as the owl darted and glided over the fields while mosquitos drilled into my arms. The resulting images are scenic shots, and I love the way they reflect that beautiful summer night feeling. I never found out what the owl was mobbing out in the field.
A Short-eared Owl on a summer night (Asio flammeus)
Canon EOS-1D Mark III, 300mm f/2.8, 1/500 second, f/4.5, ISO 2500, manual focus, handheld camera. Kempele, Finland, July 2009.
With some birds, such as raptors, swans, Red-throated Loons, and Arctic Loons, breeding season lasts well into July. Meanwhile, the insectivorous species are already inconspicuously preparing for their autumn migration, gathering together at the end of the summer to forage in mixed flocks. If you find a flock of small birds flitting about in low bushes, park yourself near some suitable perching branches and you can photograph quite a few species.
Many birds leave Finland in July; for instance, the majority of Black-headed Gulls head off toward their wintering grounds. Then again, July often offers the best opportunities for photographing arctic waders in their summer plumage. In spring they are normally in a hurry to get to their breeding grounds on the tundra, but in July they return to their wintering territories at a more unhurried pace. After a bout of low pressure you can find them at good feeding shores, where they are easy to photograph.
August is still a summer month, albeit the last one, yet the birds are already in the middle of their autumn migration. The wader migration is accelerating, and even some of the young ones are getting ready to go. Cranes are gathering on the traditional fields, and young raptors are heading south.
Autumn: September to November
Compared to spring, bird numbers in autumn are augmented by the new generation. Birds on autumn migration tend to stop for longer times on good feeding grounds than they did in the spring, when they were anxious to get to the breeding grounds. Wetlands, especially the protected ones where hunting is banned, such as Liminka Bay, draw large numbers of waterbirds. Cranes regularly flock to specific fields to feed. Söderfjärd in Vaasa and Soho fields in Muhos are the best-known crane fields in the Finnish autumn.
The autumn light can be truly beautiful, and the deep, rich colors in the autumn foliage further boost the atmosphere in your images. In autumn it is a good idea to station yourself somewhere along the migration routes, which we’ll talk about more in the chapter “Photographing at Migration Flyways.” Photographing berry-eating birds, especially when the berry crops are good, was covered in more detail in the chapter “Years Vary and Circumstances Change.”
Common Cranes gather in fields during autumn (Grus grus)
Canon EOS-1D Mark III, 500mm f/4.0, 1/1000 second, f/16.0, ISO 800, continuous focus with an extended central focusing point, handheld camera. Liminka, Finland, September 2008.