mammals

At the fox den again /  by Arne Bischoff

Mr inquisitive!

I know quite a lot of fox and badger dens in my local area. But this one came as a complete surprise. Last year, my friend Luka (make sure to check his work!) called me. His dog, Boris the pointer, had been a good boy and sniffed out a fox den in the most unlikely of places: inside a huge stack of wood right beside a forest track only a kilometre from the next village. Fear not: Boris only pointed to the young foxes, but did them no harm.

It turned out the little fox cubs had come out every evening to play and explore the huge world outside their stack. And this is right when I went there.

The curious little guys where punctual like a clock. About an hour before sunset they came out. I usually heard them sniffing and playing before I saw them. They never strayed far from the safety of the stack though and if, then in the opposite direction of me into thick thorns and bushes. One pup was particulary inquistive and hit the forest road more than once. Exploring and sniffing. But even he kept quite close to the stack which provided him for safety and me with a quite ugly backdrop.

The experience was still beautiful though: Seeing the young cubs play and explore. I even saw mother bring food once and call them out. It was only then when I saw all four pups together.

I hope all five of them made it and they are happily roaming the area. Looking forward to seeing next generation of young foxes in a few weeks time. At another place. Special thanks to Paul for your company!

At the Baltic Sea /  by Arne Bischoff

January 2022 had it all, although it is long gone now. A new hope and a return to an old love. The beautiful Baltic Sea. A long weekend that felt like a full-on holiday brought me to the Darss peninsula in eastern Germany. A place that is as famous for its long sandy shorelines, dramatic dunes and pine forests, abundance of birds and other wildlife and its solitude in winter, as it is for overtourism in summer. It is just a good place to be.

The western beach (Weststrand) of Darss peninsula.

A walk down the shore

The Darss peninsula is a really young landscape - in geological terms: Dating back only 12,000 years to the Weichselian glaciation. Originally an island, about 1,500 years ago the growing spits attached it to the land. By the end of the 14th century it finally became a peninsula. Both the Weststrand and the Nordstrand are famous for its long beachlines and large sanddunes with dramatic woods, reed beds and marshes. The area is of international importance as rest area for migrating birds and as wintering grounds especially for arctic seabirds. Maybe even more famous are the large herds of Red deer and Wild boar in the region. And of course, it’s beautiful there.

My favorite of all birds! “Rokk, rokk!”

A feast for Crows Ravens

One long walk along the western shores revealed two Common ravens scavenging on a carcass. Given their behaviour and the time of year, they seemed to be a breeding pair.

Over a period of over an hour at least one Raven, oftentimes both, worked the cadaver with astounding stamina. They allowed me quite close - laying flat down in the sand - to take some images. Thank you very much, lovely Ravens, my favorite of all birds.

Eye-level with a Raven and a carcass.
📷 by Nicole | Instagram: Apples ‘n’ Pears Interior

Thousands and thousands of ducks

Ahead of Nordstrand thousands and thousands of ducks were bobbing up and down. Way to far for a photography, but not too far to be watched through the spotting scope. One moment, when a lifeboat left the harbor to go on a routine ride, all of it (or at least it felt like that) went up in the air at once and left me open mouthed. So many ducks: Common eiders, Common scoters, Velvet scoters, Long-tailed ducks, Northern pintails and Greater scaups were making up for the lion’s share. A Northern gannet flew by.

Adorable little Sanderlings (Calidris alba)

The shoreline had its bird-stars, too. A flock of ever so active Sanderlings went in and out, hither and tither with the incoming waves. Again, I found myself flat down in the sands. A young Black-headed gull posed beautifully in the waves. I only missed out on the Snow buntings in my back that were busy searching the wash margins for food and chose to concentrate on the more beautiful background that the sea provided.

Sanderlings in the tide.

A long craved boar pic

I am a firm believer that Wild boar are a shamefully overlooked species, when it comes to nature photography. In an Instagram post from 2021, I challenged myself and all fellow nature photographers to take more images of those amazing animals. It was only two months later that I succeeded with some images that I hold very dear. As I do the whole trip and the person, who did it with me.

They were both incredibly close and extremely well camouflaged in the reeds. It was a special moment, being as close to wild animals that are often - and falsely - touted as aggressive and dangerous. Of course, they know how to look after themselves, as Hagrid would put it. But here, they chose the distance, as it should always be with wildlife photography. They roamed the reeds along the footpaths, relying on their incredible camouflage. Focussing was difficult. But you could hear them from time to time, making wonderful swine sounds and then you could see them and all was wonderful.

A true master of camouflage.

 

The Muskoxen disappointment /  by Arne Bischoff

Snøhetta (2.286 m ASL) in all its snow-covered glory. The commanding summit of the area and one of the most beautiful.

It’s now one year ago that I fulfilled myself a dream I harbored for some years. I went to Dovrefjell to hike and photograph the only muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) this side of the Atlantic or Arctic Ocean - in beautiful autumnal colours. Or so I thpught. Other than the year before, Covid did not interfere (read the 2020 story “No Muskoxen in Gränslandet” here) and off I went north.

You may have read here before that I am into trekking and long-distance hiking. This time I wanted to check the area close to the E6, the primary street between Oslo and Trondheim, first with only small gear, find or not find the muskoxen and then decide whether to stay in one place or make a hike through the area. My basecamp for the first few days that I planned to roam both sides of the street would be my car until I knew where to stay longer.

From utter joy to frustration and rage in just some hours time

A part of “my herd” resting.

All went to plan - or nothing. I found a herd with eleven animals after only six hours of hiking. It was breathtaking, awe-inspiring, pure happiness. I cried. I called my love at home to share my joy. It has been a rough year, but now I felt so fortunate. I was so fortunate. Me in my happy place.

The herd was about a kilometre away. I decided not to go much closer than 600 metres. Then I watched those stunning animals. I just sat and watched and waited for them to come closer. I did not want to disturb them. Only watch the herd and its behaviour in its natural environment. I did get a few half decent pictures. The autumnal colours were nothing short of phenomenal. But photography was not my focus. Watching, observing, absorbing the moment. I had plenty of time. I would come back tomorrow and stay longer. But first, I had to go back to the car. I did not dear to dream to find the herd so soon, so I had no sleeping gear with me.

Back I went. Only a few hours later, I stumbled into another herd. Well, not really. I saw it from a vantage point around 60 vertical metres above and around a kilometre away. It was still a little light. Plenty light for the binoculars. I could resume my path in the dark. I just wanted to watch the herd eat and then go to sleep. And then, I saw them. Two photographers quickly approaching the herd. Carrying their big white lenses like guns pointing straight at the poor animals.

One of the largest animals in the herd. My favourite image of the trip.

How on earth can you be so ignorant?!

The two photographers went closer and closer. 200 metres, 100, 50, 30, maybe even closer. Then, standing upright, pointing their tools down, they started photographing. Moving into the herd. I was concerned for their safety, but I felt so sorry for the animals, too. The herds behaviour clearly changed in the process. First, it stopped feeding. Then, it withdrew a bit. The animals moved closer together. Then, they formed its defensive formation. Nothing stopped the photographers.

When you enter the region, every few hundred metres you stumble over a signpost. Musk oxen. Be aware. Don’t get too close. Leave them space. Don’t get closer than 200 or 300 metres. Let the animals come to you. Common sense, you should guess. Not for those two. I was wondering if they were plain ignorant or compelled to the prospect of five minutes glory - back on Instagram. Everyone wants to show off stunning muskoxen imagery on Instagram. Me, too. I could not dismiss this thought.

Would I really want to be part of this?

A rest day, a thought day

I had no clue that muskoxen where such skilled climbers. But they are goats, aren’t they!

Next day, a storm rolled in. It was already freezing when I came, now it was raining cats and dogs, lightning and thunder. I decided to wait this storm out. It should only be a day and I found a nice campsite (Magalupe camping. Highly recommended!). I called my love again and we shared our thoughts. I really did not want to be part of this. But the very moment I would post my images, I would be. We settled on a reassuring wait and see. At least I wanted to visit “my herd” again. It was much more remote and far down into the area. Maybe this was a singular experience.

The weather forecast was fine. So I visited “my herd” again. I took the same approach. I positioned myself so that when the herd would come down the valley, it would have the chance to approach me or avoid me at own will. It did not approach me. I took some environmental shots, made lunch and waited.

Two hours later, a guide lead a group of four to the spot. They did alright, left the muskoxen be, pitched there tents, talking audibly, buzzing for excitement. A Friday. Weekend with the finest of fall weather to come. I decided to leave. I did not want to stay here with ten or 20 other photographers like in a zoo. A friend of mine has a mountain hut some hours drive away. Her and her family were there for the weekend. We wanted to do a hike together anyways. We could as well do it over there.

Like life in a zoo

On my way back to the car, I saw seven tents already pitched. Maybe they weren’t photographers at all, just regular locals or tourists like myself looking after some friluftsliv. Perfectly fine, but not for me. Not this time. I had all this preconceptions. Out alone in the wild. Like it has been so often in Norway or Sweden. But the muskoxen are superstars. They attract visitors from near and far. This part of the Dovrefjell national park is definitely not your typical bit of Scandinavian escapism.

I met the guide I had seen earlier. A very friendly, heart-warming, responsible guy. We had a good chat over a cup of coffee from our thermos. He would bring another group in later this evening, he said, and another three groups tomorrow. The autumnal season peak. Everyone wanted to see or photograph the stunning animals from primeval times now. I do not begrudge him his job. He has to make a living there. In another place and another time, I might have even dreamed of this job myself. At least he would instruct all other visitors to be responsible. All good. But I could not help, but feel like I was in a zoo.

A symphony in blue, red and cream. Bog blueberries (Vaccinium uliginosum) and lichen. Fall - the raddest of all!

Epilogue

I did not share the story of this trip or its images publicly prior to today. It did not feel right. It did not feel in line with my nature photography ethos. Maybe I am self-righteous. I am part of the problem, too. Travelling thousands of kilometres for my dream images. Sharing it all over the world. Encouraging others to do the same. Well, I am not a world famous photographer. The number of people, who read my blog or follow me on social media is small. But still. On the other hand, I did well. I did not approach or disturb the animals. No image is worth that. I let the animals decide whether to accept me or not. They did not. I took some images I hold dear. Today I share it. But I learned a lesson, too. To value each image more. And not to visit hotspots at rush hour. Be content with the roe deer in my backyard rather than chasing a dream that thousands of others chase, too. And maybe come back in winter. With a pulk. When it’s cold and harsh. When you have to earn your images.

All turned out well. I got to know a part of this beautiful land that I did not know before. But this is another story.

Thankyou N for all your support not only during this trip and being with me.

°

Looking backwards: Spring and early summer /  by Arne Bischoff

When I am thinking about the 2021 summer, I don’t feel it has been a productive season photographically. But sometimes, feelings do not do the truth any justice and memory is a deceiving thing. So scrolling through my hard drive, there are quite some images that seem worth sharing.

After a very cold February, the spring and early summer offered sun, warmth and a surprisingly active wildlife that jumped the gun here in the southernmost parts of Northern Germany.

Five cubs and an early litter

The year started with a bang. A friend found a fox den, quite openly located within a corn field. And the den turned out a treasure. I watched no less than five very cute and very little fox cubs at one of their first days out and about. They were so little, they did not even have its distinctive red fur. Now it was a question what would grow faster, the corn or the cubs. I knew, once the vegetation period would start, there would be know way to observe the lot any longer. Luckily, I spent three wonderful mornings with the gang. Mom showed up from time to time but never stayed long. Then my job kept me busy and when I came back, the little family had already abandoned its shelter. They were reported all fine some weeks later and had grown up significantly in size.

Springbirds in an urban environment

One very agreeable quality of my hometown is the large number of birds that live within the city or very close to it. In my immediate neighborhood you find Kestrels and Peregrine falcons, Greenfinches, Redstarts, Robins, Blackbirds and other thrush, House sparrows, Blue and Coal tits, Crows and jackdaws, to only name a few. Especially the greenfinch paid my Covid-enforced home office a lot of beautiful visits with its monotonous yet beautiful voice. A little later in the year, the offspring of the local kestrel were unmistakable in the surrounding of “its” church. And as if this wasn’t enough beauty, the evening sun had something to add, too.

A walk through the wildflower strips

One of my most favourite places in the region are the wildflower strips of the NSR partridge conservation project. Whenever you come, there is something flowering and its always full of life. Insects, birds, Red foxes, Hare and Roe deer thrive in and around those little sanctuaries within the surrounding wastelands of industrial farming that provide both food and shelter.

Urban waterbirds

There is a little river and a small lake in my hometown. The latter even made it to the national news later this summer, when a Wels catfish tried to eat a Snapping turtle. This quite smallish body of water has seen a lot of recovery in recent years. The European beaver is back here and the area is home to a lot of birds, including local legend “Candy” the Cackling goose.

Stay tuned for part II of my summer recap with a little glimpse into my editorial photography.

Waiting for a kingfisher and meeting a wading deer /  by Arne Bischoff

A young Roe deer wading the knee-deep Oder river.

Just be out there! This is the no. 1 lesson, every wildlife photographer needs to learn. It’s often a bit wearisome. Not to sleep in, to set out in the dark only to be out at the break of day, to wait endless hours to be - more often than not - unsuccessful in terms of taking images. But it’s worth it. I never regretted getting out, even when I saw no animals at all. And sometimes it just pays off other than you planned or expected.

Checking the best spot to climb the steep and busy bank.

A few days ago, I set out to photograph the beautiful and well beloved kingfisher. It is quite shy, so you need a plan and a good disguise and a lot of patience. I made for a local stream which still runs quite naturally. It offers clear, not too deep waters and high banks that provide the kingfisher with nesting holes in summertime.

I lay in camouflage under a carved out high river bank, fully overshadowed and rarely visible. I waited for the kingfisher to show up downstream, from where I already had heard it’s call. I was concentrated searching and listening, when suddenly in my back, I heard really loud splashing sounds.

I could not really believe what I saw: A young roe deer waded downstream. It was focussed on the difficult walking and did not notice me at all, until it was about ten meters close. When it finally heard the shutter clicking, it stooped and watched me intently. I did not move and so the little deer decided that I was no risk. It continued its path and made slowly for the northern bank. It passed me with less than five meters distance. An amazing experience and a breathtaking moment!

I later figured out, what probably happened. The roe deer wanted to cross the river to make for the thick and sheltering bushes there. It left the shallow southern bank, but must have had some difficulties to climb the steeper and higher northern bank (where the kingfisher nests). So it chose to wade the only knee-deep rivulet downstream, to find an easier spot to climb. Once it was safe out of the water, it slowly disappeared in the bushes.

Finally: Safely hidden in the thick bushes.

Of Mice and Men /  by Arne Bischoff

“A good thing such a garden.”

I am a garden caretaker right now, watching a friends little garden. I ate a lot of gooseberries and raspberries and harvested some salad and zucchini. A good thing such a garden.

And I made friends with this little guy who was not at all shy. One wonderful evening I lay in front of this sage bush and watched my friend eat. It did not care at all and allowed me about twenty centimeters close. And now I am a little in love with a mouse.

So please, do me a favor. Stop killing mice. They are part of your ecosystem as well as your well beloved foxes or squirrels.

What's the story? (Furry glory). A badger in the woods. /  by Arne Bischoff

“I made a new friend. He’s furry, he is black, white and grey and he makes such wonderful sniffing sounds.”

A European badger (Meles meles) in the twilight of its woods.

There is this big thing in the photography community: INSPIRATION. I can’t quite suffer it any longer. “Thank you Stephen McDougle Media House Photography Production, you inspired me to finally clean my fridge. Let me post some images of it as a part of the #instagramcleanfridgechallenge.”

Well, that was my cynical me. In fact, two fellow wildlife photographers really inspired me with their badger images. The wonderful Morten Hilmer shared a video of himself roaming his local forest and searching for badger dens. And Kevin Winterhoff had a short educational piece about how to identify it. I really like both photographers, because they show what wonderful experiences you can make in your own backyard and just around the corner. It’s easy to fall in love with wildlife photography in Svalbard, Patagonia or the Amur region, but if you can do it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke, this is quite a feat.

I did not actively head out to find a den later-on. But it somehow resonated with me. Then, under the Corona-lockdown in Germany, I decided to skip the overcrowded parts of my local forests and to discover some terra incognita in the nearby forests. I thought, I knew the woods around my hometown really well, but I was absolutely surprised what it had in store for me, once I left my well-trodden paths. And then I stumbled right across a badger den. I literally walked into it. It thrilled me and I decided to pay the den some visits and see if I’d see its inhabitant.

My first ever badger image.

I did. Right at my first outing, two badgers showed their noses. I did not even have to wait long. I came with the last light of day and as soon as the sun had gone down, the badger came up. One – the bigger individual, I guess the male – was quite curious, whereas the smaller only had a short sniff of fresh air.

Apropos sniff. My badger announces itself with a very cute sniffing-sound, right before it leaves its den. The first time out, I was so excited, I screwed up the photography. I missed focus a lot and the light level was so low, my images turned out soft and noisy. So, I came back. The last time I visited the den, the male badger – like clockword – came out, when the sun set, had a little walk around his den and went off for a hunt. No. 2 did not show off. In my mind, an image arose. An image of Ms. badger lying hidden in the den with a litter of baby-badgers around. I will definitely come back.