Lately I've been practically living on the street... don't worry, I have a roof over my head, I'm just trying to capture this summer in the northern regions to the maximum. I used to get out to the sea, mountains or tundra quite often, but now it has become almost a daily habit, a good habit.
So this weekend, I went to the coast through the blooming tundra, and halfway there I decided to take a few shots of the green carpet to the horizon, not even suspecting that I would have to run a couple of kilometers at the speed of a cheetah across this deceptively flat plain with a camera in my hands.
To be honest, these are not the best of my shots, because my hands were shaking, and my breath was lost even in the first two meters of running, but it's not so important, it's important that I was lucky to meet two new friends.
A Rough-legged buzzard attracted my attention with its squawking almost as soon as I got out of the car. But due to poor eyesight and distortion of sounds in the tundra, I could not notice him.
Obviously, the bird was offended by my inattention and decided to land directly on the exposition, which I was going to add to the piggy bank of desert landscapes.
This is the northernmost species of hawks. Small, weighing only about 1kg and with a wingspan of slightly less than 1.5 meters, it is distinguished from its southern counterparts by long feathered trousers on paws. Well, we all wear pants here, sometimes even two pants at once, this is normal.
Occurs quite often in the tundra, especially in summer, because these green fields are full of his favorite food, mice and lemmings. This handsome man decided not to facilitate my work and almost immediately broke into flight, looking out for prey.
Here I had to chase him around the tundra for about half an hour to try to get at least a couple of good pictures in flight, having limitations in focal length and stabilization. I think it looked funny from the bird's point of view, to see a huge stupid lemming running around down there.
 |  |  |
|---|
As a photographer, I was defeated. But as a nature lover, I was delighted. Especially when I saw a hawk swooping down to some old building about 500 meters away from me. Apparently, someone is going to become a mom soon. Perhaps the intense running was worth it.
On the way back to the car, my second new friend was waiting for me. Well, to be honest, not that was waiting, I was attracted by the desperate squeak of a dying rodent, obviously, the hunt was a success.
Couldn't decide what kind of owl. For me, all the owls here are polar, because I live in the Arctic Circle.
I tried to sneak up on this guy as close as possible, slowly, very calmly and crouching to the ground like a paparazzi. You know this is akin to the feeling on fishing, when you see and feel that you have a large prey on the hook and the main thing is not to let it fall off.
With each step I tried to take a photo, realizing that the bird could fly away at any moment and I would not have a single frame left, but the lens range was categorically not enough for portrait shooting. And because of my hawk-friend, I threw the staff in the tundra, it clearly did not add speed and agility to me, so my old canon tried to cope with my sports tremor, which was difficult to distinguish from playing maracas. He did the best he could, not me.
I think the yellow-eyed beast realized that all the shots with her would be hopelessly spoiled, and did not want to become a co-participant in this creative failure. So without thinking twice, after making a few funny jumps in a ridiculous pose, she left me, deftly maneuvering at an extremely low altitude.
I didn't even try to repeat my running feat, in which the point with the hawk was already set. And it seems to me that it was a conspiracy, with the expectation that a fat stupid lemming would fall dead in the middle of the tundra from a heart attack, chasing birds, and they would profit from my carcass.
No, my friends, not today. In the light of my infinite wisdom, I am content with little and will choose for a good photo someone who always stands still and is ready to pose from any angle - the Eternal northern Rocks.
Remember, my friends, in pursuit of a goal, you need to stop in time and look around, maybe you have already achieved it. Have a nice weekend!
Ha! Yes! I suppose it does look that way. I have often wondered how you get such great photographs.
Another tale from the Circle of life. I have to admit, it is easy to get addicted to you. Thanks for sharing once again.
Thank you lovely ladies @dswigle and @riverflows, sincere thanks from a huge stupid lemming 😁
Indeed, most of the interesting shots are the result of running across the plains, climbing over rocks or climbing through narrow holes. Oddly enough, this does not add to my athletic form...
Ah! The visuals!! :)
That is a foul!
I'm so addicted to him as well!
It's impossible to not!!
Hi, @Riverflows!
@tipu curate
Upvoted 👌 (Mana: 45/55) Liquid rewards.
You are making the most of the summer for sure. What a delight to see the owl and buzzard, captured in time in the Arctic circle. I just went through your last ten posts with the hubs in bed this morning - he loved them, being a nature lover.
Love buzzards.. somehow they don't have quite the glamourous rep of eagles or hawks! For that reason when we lived in UK we dubbed them buzzeagles! 😂
I like your last few lines. So true!
I think places like this have a certain beauty, although probably much more so when there in person...if one has the time to enjoy it whilst dashing around like a cheetah that is. 🤣
Great snaps, I love the open spaces and feeling of peace and quiet I felt from them. It must have been enjoyable being there.
Thanks! I'm sure you would really like it here. Reading your posts, I feel a kind of wise fundamentality and unhurried peace. This is the rhythm that reigns here, and it is unshakable, even though cheetah-people sometimes appear in these plains 😅
Oh yeah, I am sure I would, for the reason you mention. It's places like that where I feel closer to myself. I think you understand.
Also, I'd like to see a cheetah-person for myself someday, just to say I did.
Aawww I so feel what you mean… hahaha as a nature lover… amazing you found them and could observe them for a little while. It was worth the running around and getting silently closer to the owl.
The hawk is stunning, yes I see the differences with it’s southern part.
I don’t care that the photos are not closer by or all as sharp as you wished too. Still those moments… they are priceless.
Beautiful. Thanks for showing us and sharing your story about how you got the photos.
That last shot is so nice, barren but it looks so peaceful too. It's the waterfall I think, who doesn't like waterfalls? I'd totally climb to the top of that little hill, just to see what's up there.
Becca 💗
Perhaps next time I'll try to get there. the distance here is slightly distorted due to the monotony of the plain, but the waterfall is very far away and it is impossible to get to it by car. But you gave me a purpose 🙏😉
...and with purpose comes intent. I'll await the post with anticipation.
Becca 🙃
This made me chuckle. I hope you didn’t have on two pairs of trousers ~the extra material would make it cumbersome to move fast.
Neat to capture an owl. They like the night but I don’t think there is any darkness right now with the midnight sun.
The northern rocks always put on a good face for a photo. 😊
Hope you are having a pleasant Sunday, dear Northman!
If you don't count my dense hair on my legs with a second pair of trousers, then my answer is no, I was only in one pair of trousers 😉😅
The owl turned out to be a harmful young lady, I hope next time I will come across a more sociable owl, they are very beautiful, and I don't have clear pictures of them.
I hope you had a good weekend, Northern Lady! 😊
Hair is good.. will help keep you warm. 😊 …hope you have it on your head too for extra insulation.
Sort of a second pair of trousers , what we call long underwear is necessary here in the winter to wear under your trousers. 👖🥶