Photo hide - Northern goshawk Book

Erlend Ekeland, Oppdal Safari

• 

Do you dream of photographing goshawks, squirrels and small birds? We have a well-established feeding site a few kilometers outside the center of Oppdal with a variable diet and with frequent visits by a wide number of species. The goshawk visits us to a large extent daily, as do squirrels, bullfinches, tits, woodpeckers, and the occasional treecreeper. In addition, hares, deer and moose visit at dusk and at night. In the spring, more species also come as the days get longer and the weather gets warmer. In our eyes, the goshawk is the main attraction, while the other species make the wait for the hawk a fun time with entertaining bird photos.

The feeding area is set up with decorative branches, roots, logs, etc. that allow you to plan the photos you want. The photo hide is a small hut buildt for photography with room for three people. We recommend bringing very warm clothes and shoes as the hours go by quickly, and in sub-zero temperatures you can get cold if you are not properly dressed. A headlamp is also good to have if you go there in the dark.

It is important that you do not disturb the goshawk from the hide so that it associates it with people. This can ruin the product for a long time by the goshawk avoiding the area or becoming extremely cautious. It is also important that the guest understands that there is no guarantee of results as these are wild birds and animals and not a zoo. The goshawk may just as well have caught its own food that particular day and therefore does not need food laid out, regardless of how delicate we make it. For photographic equipment, we recommend a good telephoto lens (minimum 300mm), and it may have a big focal opening as it can get dark in the forest, especially if the hawk decides to come at dusk in the morning or evening. A camera on a tripod with a remote release can also be very interesting if you have such equipment up youre sleve.

The photo hide is rented out on a daily basis, and the recommended stay time is at least 2-3 hour sessions or as long as the goshawk is there. We will take you to the shelter and can offer a ride back for an additional price, assuming capacity, or you can take a taxi to get there. The distance from Oppdal train station is about 3.5 km.

Season:
The photo shelter is open for booking all year round. There are two seasons that apply:
Squirrels and small birds with Goshawks: the season overlaps with squirrels and small birds, i.e. everyone can be photographed at the same time. It is fed from autumn until spring, from September to May.
Squirrels and small birds without goshawks: the season runs from about May to September, and then the focus is purely on small birds and squirrels.