Norway '25

I returned to the Field and Forest hides in Norway in 2025, but this time as a solo traveller. It's a different experience from being part of an organised group, you have to do more yourself, but it's much cheaper. Personally I prefer to go solo - it means more funds for more trips. The disadvantage is that you have to do everything yourself and don't get the pick of the dates.

I went for 3.5 hide days, 3 days in the Field hide to try and photograph the Golden Eagles and then half a day to try for the Goshawk.

Up early (all the more grumpy for it) I settled in for the long wait. This time there was less snow that before which meant that getting an eye level shot would mean lying on the floor using the lower port. It was a relatively quiet day, jays buzzing around constantly but no eagles. One flew by and even touched down, but it didn't even land changing it's mind before even really putting it's feet down. It seemed very very skittish. This hide uses 'snoods' a sort of sock that you can poke your lens through. This is great, because it means there is nothing between your lens and the subject - but it has a crucial flaw. The lens is also visible to the subject, and moving it will very likely get their attention. In the case of Golden Eagles it will almost certainly flush them and make their return extremely unlikely, even within a few days. In practical terms, this means that you won't be taking any pictures until the eagle has landed and is comfortable. Swinging your lenses at these fleeting encounters is totally counterproductive. This is a long winded way of me saying I didn't get any pictures this day. Well maybe a handful of jays.

The second day in the field hide started with something I've never seen before - a Juvenile Goshawk! It was there almost as soon as Leiv, our guide left. I had to wait a good while before there was enough light to photograph it but luckily it was there as the sun rose. It's a pale brown with a cream speckled chest and very pale eyes. It flitted around a bit jumping in the snow before departing. It looked pensive, perhaps worried that it might end up on the Eagle's menu? The familiar wait began. There was another brief touch down which whetted the apetite again before finally, in the mid afternoon, one finally stuck the landing. It's a stunning individual, a young adult in very bright gold, but without the white tail and slightly scruffy vibe of an outright juvenile. It landed with it's back to me, looked left, looked right and left. I was very lucky to get shots of it looking in both directions, the camera could easily have decided to focus on the birds tail rather than is face. But still, after two years of trying I have my most detailed Golden Eagle photo yet.

Day three was a bust. I would have been the most frustrating one yet as an Eagle landed facing the hide and had it's wings outstretched...but by the time I got to my camera, it had already gone. I say "would have been", because I already had my photo in the bag so I didnt mind too much. This is my 5th day in total in this hide too - let's just say I've got used to the waiting.

My final treat of the tour was my morning in the forest hide with Leiv, the owner and operator of the hides. It's just such a nice contrast being able to relax and enjoy photographing all the woodland birds. It was a great day for light too, most of the time I've been in the Norway hides it's been very overcast - which is probably just as well for the field hide. Too much direct light reflecting off the snow would make for a very harsh photo indeed. In the forest hide, it's a different story with the sunlight reflecting off so many things making for an incredible colourful background. The highlight of the day was seeing a strange grey bird flitting around on the ground almost underneath the perches. I managed to get the camera on it just as it popped up onto a stump. It was a Crossbill! While not a lifer, I'd only ever seen them very high in Pine Trees, never up close. Leiv was as shocked as I was - it's the first time they have been seen at this hide.

If you want to book the hides yourself as a solo traveller, you can contact Leiv on his website. Or if you are an instagram sort of person, give him a follow too.