Randography

In the past days spring has really began to show itself here in Finland. More and more birds are beginning to arrive here, this is great news to any bird enthusiast.

Today we took a walk near us in Helsinki. I spotted quite a few birds and signs of spring. This was just a casual walk around Laajasalo and i didnt even try setting any goals or anything. I just grabbed Nikon D2X and attached 300mm nikkor f4 to it and i was set to go. This is really a great side of photography: it can be very spontaneous. It felt good not having to carry all those things and cadgets with me. Ones just have to take the attitude to take pictures for which the current setup is suitable for. Okay okay i admit it, i took the teleconverter with me, just in case.

As i took these photos i discussed with Päivi about bird species and their distinctive marks, this is when i realized im really interested in birds. Not just as photographical subjects, but as species. I've noticed my self learning new birdspecies by the looks of them all the time, more i do it more i come to like it. I really need to start learning the voices of most common little birds in order not having to try spot every bird i hear that i already have picture of.

I took some spring pictures and some pictures of birds that i didnt already have pictures of. I really hope these spring shots give you the same "spring is coming" feeling as they gave for me. Try them on your wallpaper and comment on them: i may be disqualified to judge whether they're good or not.

The natural continuum

Signs of life

a Canada goose

a great crested grebe

a coot

Wow, has it been a busy couple of weeks huh? Feels like there has been ten exams and even more deadlines on unfinished projects. This is the main reason that i haven't been able to photography nor update my blog. Before my unofficial easterholiday i really had some rough time because of combination of family and studying. Goddamn im glad its going to get a bit easier on studies after this week...

Easter holiday took our family to visit relatives around Finland. The main purpose of the trip was to visit relatives with our newborn, Aamu. Everything went great, first we visited Kauhava where my family's from and then we visited Rautavaara where Päivis family's from. In Kauhava we met Grandfather and grandmother and great grandfather- and mother. It feels to me that its really a blessing that my very own daughter can still see her great grandmothers and fathers alive and kicking, this is something that i never had change to see. In Rautavaara we also met majority of Päivis family and most importantly - Aamus grandparents in eastern Finland. I'm really amazed how long times women can keep themselves motivated to cuddling and hugging babies, man im telling you, its 6 hours straight up, no sweat.

One of the pictures taken during the shooting sessions

Followed by an atmosphere shot from Kauhava

I took many pictures of Aamu with her great grandmother holding and embracing her, they were very emotional moments and im sorry to say that those pictures wont be shared. I was lucky to have the change to take pictures of majority of my close relatives in western Finland, we really dont see our relatives enough so it was a major achievement to meet them all and take pictures of them.

Spring has really came in Finland and birdlife is beginning to blossom. During our trip to Kauhava i had a wonderful chance to take pictures of wildlife. Near grandparents's cottage theres a small lake in which habits numerous species of birds. The cottage is also surrounded by vast amounts of unhabited forests so i had great opportunity to spot some rare birds while there.

My father is a very enthusiastic bird observer. He has made numerous feeding spots on the courtyard and he has built numerous "boxes" for waterbirds and smaller birds alike to build their homes in. It was great experience to take pictures of birds that had come to eat on one of these feeding spots. I think this is a great activity and perhaps it even has some effect on the wellbeing of local bird populance.

Heres examples of feeding platform and a birdhome:

My photographic trips took me to near forests and around the lake. On the sidenote it has to be said that this time of year theres a fairly thick layer of snow in the forests and the snow is fairly wet. (If somoneone who has never seen snow is reading this: it can be hard to imagine how frozen water can be wet, but believe me, it can.) There was about 20 cm of snow and it didnt hold anything, even snowshoes or skiis didnt help a bit on this one. Ofcourse i thought i wouldnt need my rubberboots with me, but as usual, i was wrong. Even the most expensive and modern goretex boots dont help much on these conditions: mine were soaking wet after every trip. There really isnt any footwear like rubber boots for those conditions, period.

I spotted quite a few species of birds which i didnt already have pictures of. I knew beforehand that the lake inhabits a pair of cranes and that was my main goal: to succeed taking a decent picture of the pair in flight and landed. This was as usual, more easily said than done, since those birds were very cautious. I didnt have the time to set up positions in the marsh so i had to try "to sneak up on them." (ofcourse it actually a nonexistent possibility that i could actually sneak up on them). It seemed impossible to get closer than 100 m away from those birds so i made a deal with my self that the pictures i got from about a 100 m away just had to do.

I also knew that the lake would inhabit a couple of whooper swans so they were also on my list before the trip. They were very easy to photography and they were much more beautiful on nature than on any birdbook. I suggest you guys to check these out yourselves, they're beautiful.

I also encountered some random species, those were: the willow tit, a crested tit, a spotted woodpecker and a lapwing.

First off the cranes: