Duration & Dates
8 days (7 nights)
7th to 14th November 2024
Arrival & Departure
International flights to Flatanger, Norway
All bookings handled by Wildlife & Wilderness ATOL 6330
Highlights
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Wonderful picture opportunities
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Small group for individual attention
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Full board sharing accommodation
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Bespoke hide and boat trips
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Fully escorted by local guide
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Fully escorted by UK photo guide
Price
Group Size
5 people
Included
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International Flights
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Full Board Accommodation
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Airport Transfers in Norway
Not Included
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Alcoholic drinks
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Camera equipment
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Travel insurance
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Guide Tips
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Optional excursions
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Any visa's required
Description
We have been visiting this beautiful part of Norway for many years and feel it is still the number one place in Europe for photographing White Tailed Sea Eagles and Golden Eagles. Our guide, Ole Martin Dahle, has been working with these birds for decades and his expertise in delivering great opportunities for photographers is near legendary.
Our targets for this extended expedition will be 3 key bird species, White Tailed Sea Eagles, Golden Eagles and Goshawk, plus of course any other wildlife we may encounter! Autumn/early Winter should be a great time to visit with shorter days, low light, and great looking landscapes to compliment our picture opportunities.
The Sea Eagles will be mostly photographed from a small boat in the fjords where Ole Martin will expertly call them in using fish as bait. After many years practice, he has perfected this technique and will consider many factors including wind direction, light, and angle from the boat – all of which will greatly enhance the chances for those photographing on the day. Usual trips out on the boat will encounter multiple Eagles engaging in multiple dives and everyone should get a great many different looking images. We will try and make the most of low light in the sky by being out on the water early and later in the day. There is also the possibility of shooting against ‘black water’ (water that is reflecting deeply shadowed cliffs resulting in a very dark colour), which can lead to some amazing results. Whilst we are on the boat there should also be lots of nice chances to shoot the habituated local gull population that will follow the boat and come very close for pictures.
After several days working on the local White Tailed Sea Eagles, we will shift our emphasis to land based, hide photography, of Goshawks and Golden Eagles. Ole Martin, has a number of different hides, in different locations and we will take his advice for the best places to work. The hides are very carefully located to not only suit our target species but also to provide great visual settings for images. These locations are usually suitable for 2 or 3 guests at a time, so we will split the group down into 2 with half working on Golden Eagles whilst the other half concentrate on Goshawks. Both species are renowned for being elusive and difficult to see, but with early starts and care we hope to get images of these amazing birds. The hides are generally entered first thing in the morning before the light comes up and guests will need to settle quietly and wait for our subjects to arrive. Of course, during these sessions there may be other visitors attracted into the bait, so it is likely you may see Raven, Hooded Crow, Jay, and other species. We will ensure that everyone gets a session in both the Golden Eagle and Goshawk hides to try and give all our guests the best opportunities.
We will finish the week with a ‘spare’ day to make sure we have the chance to re-visit any subjects that have not worked and to give us opportunity to explore the area and shoot some of the stunning landscapes. Obviously, we will take the advice of the local guide and consult everyone on the best use of this day, and it is normally easy to ‘make a plan’ that works for everyone.
As an optional extra, there is also the possibility that if weather conditions are right (ideally snow) and everyone agrees they would like to do it, we could use this final day to visit a native species wildlife park about 2 hours north of our location. This site is renowned for offering superb picture opportunities of subjects such as Wolf, Lynx, Arctic Fox and Elk. We do not include this in the scheduled itinerary as it is very dependent on conditions and would also be an additional charge above the cost of the tour.
As with all Wild Arena expeditions, this trip will be guided by one of our highly experienced team. We have all visited these locations multiple times and both David and Janet have spent many weeks with Ole Martin in previous years. We will be on hand throughout the trip not only to ensure your comfort and enjoyment, but to also provide as much photographic support as you may require.
This trip by its very nature requires small group sizes so we have an absolute maximum of 6 guests plus your 2 guides for the week. Again, this should mean that everyone gets the attention they need and there will be lots of opportunities both whilst shooting and in the evenings to discuss ideas and techniques.
In summary, this is an amazing opportunity to join a small group of like-minded photographers to shoot 3 iconic European bird species. You will be looked after and supported by the very best guides in this area and will have the chance to immerse yourself in the amazing wild country of Norway.
Key subjects for the week should include:
Our aim for this tour is Sea Eagles, Golden Eagles, Goshawk
Venue
This tour will be based in the small hamlet of Lauvsnes, in the wild central Norwegian coast region of Flatanger. We will be staying in a comfortably furnished, bespoke guesthouse on the side of the fjord, with lovely views of the surrounding area. The accommodation has twin sharing bedrooms, multiple bathrooms and a large, communal living area and kitchen. Our hosts will keep the house stocked with food supplies for breakfast and lunches and most evenings we are likely to eat out at the delightful local restaurant and bar.
Our host will facilitate all excursions around the area, and we will be driven to and from other locations by minivan. The photography will be almost entirely either from their boat out on the fjord or from custom made photography hides.
The countryside of the region is beautiful, so we would also hope to find opportunities to shoot some landscapes images. Northern lights are also possible to see at this latitude and at this time of year, so we may even find ourselves out with the cameras in the evening!
Itinerary
(D) After arrival at Trondheim airport, we will be met by our local guide and driven approximately 3 hours North to our base for the expedition, Lauvsnes. We can then relax over something to eat and plan the coming days of photography.
(B,L,D) Our first day of photography. We hope to spend 3 days working with the amazing local population of White Tailed Sea Eagles. The photography will be from our guide’s small boat, and we may spend some hours out in the labyrinth of local fjords looking for the birds. Depending on conditions we may go out once or twice during the day, hopefully making the most of morning and evening light. The evening will be spent at leisure including discussions over dinner at the local restaurant.
(B,L,D) As per day 2. We may again vary our plan to suit the weather, but we hope to look for Sea Eagles once more.
(B,L,D) As per day 2 & 3. We may again vary our plan to suit the weather, but we hope to look for Sea Eagles once more.
(B,L,D) For the next 2 days we will change tack and focus on shooting Golden Eagles and Goshawk. We will split the group into 2, with half of the guests going into the Golden Eagle hide and the other half visiting the Goshawk hide. For these days we will start early, getting everyone into position before sunrise. After these sessions have concluded we will again come together for an evening meal.
(B,L,D) As per day 5, but we will rotate the groups, so everyone gets the alternate session from the previous day.
(B,L,D) Our final full day is a ‘catch-up’ day. We will have the opportunity to EITHER re-visit Sea Eagles, Golden Eagles or Goshawk OR use the time to travel out for other subjects and the chance to shoot the amazing local scenery.
(B) After breakfast we will be transferred via minivan, back to Trondheim for the first leg of our return journey back to the UK.
Please note: – The itinerary is provisional and subject to change depending on local conditions. Not all wildlife mentioned can be seen well at all times of the year & some activities mentioned may not always be available.
Meals included are as shown – B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner
Who should attend
Wild Arena Tours are not suitable for anyone under the age of 18.
Fitness Level: You will need to be able to walk the few miles into the hides with your camera bag, over rough terrain
Camera Knowledge: You should have a good working knowledge of your camera, but the Wild Arena guide will be on hand to talk through settings.
Learning outcomes
We try to tailor all our sessions to suit our guests, so we do not always cover all the topics depending on the individual needs.
Typical topics we can cover in this session are: Composition, shooting moving subjects, using backlighting, shooting in cold conditions, shooting from a boat, Fully Manual versus speed or Aperture priority.
