Wildlife Photographic Journals

Inside the Circle Day 7 Part 3 - Last moments in Norway

As I took the coast road back south from Vardo to Vadso I was pondering on what I should do with my few remaining hours of camera time in Norway. The brief moments of sunshine in Vardo has vanished once again in to the all familiar grey gloom and drizzle. My route would take me past 'Ruff Bay' just around the time of high tide so I thought I would give the Ruff another try in the vain hope that the sun might just appear. Well it didn't which was a shame as the group of males present on the piles of rotting red seaweed were in fine form with their eerily silent displaying and posturing.

The birds during their displays certainly pull off some strange moves that included lying almost completely flat on the pungent seaweed and 'eyeballing' each other at very close quarters.

The Ruff slowly departed with the ebbing tide and it was time to move on. I must admit I left the bay slightly disappointed that the sun never broke through to allow me to do them full justice. However, I know I will definitely return one day and put these enigmatic and beautiful birds back in front of the camera.

As I approached Vadso, a gap opened up in the clouds and some wonderful light bathed the arctic summer landscape and so I decided to take a left and back across the bridge to Vadsoya Island. It seemed fitting to end my Norwegian journey where it had began. First stop was back at the Phalarope pool where numerous birds spun in a typical feeding frenzy.

I thought I would have a last ditch attempt at trying to photograph a Bluethroat, a species that had successfully eluded me throughout the week and only given tantalising glimpses. During my search I noticed a Redpoll that kept appearing on top of a bush and after a short while it showed once more.

I moved on listening hard for then now familiar song of the Bluethroat and located a bird occasionally calling from within a small circle of low scrub. I quietly sat using the scrub for cover and waited and hoped. Eventually it suddenly appeared on some bare twigs close-by for a total of about 10 seconds almost as if coming to inspect me. It was just enough time for me to get the camera swung round, the focus locked and a couple of photos taken. A stunning little bird with its blue and red feather bib.

This was to be my last bird photograph in Norway and a great way to end what had been a very memorable week for both birds and weather! The next day I had to start the journey homeward back down through Finland but I had a couple plans for photography en route which I will put in my next and final post of the trip.