The shape of the leaves provides information that this is a species and an individual with a huge growth potential. This is a twining plant that can grow to several meters in length. However, this seedling set root in an shallow crack in the limestone. Unless its roots can reach deep enough to reach the […]
These towers are made by the male Red Sea Ghost Crab (Ocypode saratan). The crabs are found on the coast throughout Socotra, but they are only able to make these castles where the tides do not regularly reach. Here in Erissel they dig deep to reach the wet sands, and thus these towers reach pretty […]
Socotra is full of extraordinary geological features, and when water is in the mix it is even more spectacular. Here the layers of cascading rock gives the appearance of running water, or even ice forming in a waterfall. Without the people in the mix the scale of the place would not have been easy to […]
Although much of Socotra appears bone dry, the island is like a huge water reservoir. First and foremost the Haghier mountains are rainmakers in their own right, but whenever the is rain, the water flows through millions of cracks in the ground. Some flow to underground aquifers, others appear as seepage in mountain and canyon […]
The mighty Dirhur canyon is perhaps most impressive when seen from Dixam. From here you can see the fringes of Firhmin Forest on the other side of the canyon. Firhmin is a forest of dragon blood trees (Dracaena cinnabari) – the only forest on Socotra, and the world. It is a spectacular forest of otherworldly […]
The smaller plant species of Socotra are somewhat easier to find during flowering. But even then they can be tricky to find as they often grow in the shadow of rocks, as seen here, and in cracks. When not flowering they blend in so well that you might overlook them, especially during drought. This individual […]
A common species in shrubland and seen in all stages of growth depending on the the location. Here it is blooming and is active, whilst in another location nearby you might encounter one that is dormant and waiting for the trigger to grow flowers. This is at 676 meter elevation.
Villgulroten er en toåring plante som jeg kun har funnet ett sted på Fyrsteilene. Den kan ha kommet hit med mennesker eller fuglene og er av fremmedartene på øya blandt de med minst sprednings og invasjonsfare. Fremmedartsbasen 2018 – villgulrot
Endelig står strandløken i blomst. De er ikke like fargerike og tallrike som gressløken, men de tar det igjen i eleganse og lengde. De enkeltsående stenglene vokser seg lange og vaier i den minste bevegelse i luften. Strandløken er en av tre villøkarter som vokser på Fyrsteilene. I tillegg til gressløk (Allium schoenoprasum) vokser også […]
Første uke av juli er over og fiskemåkeungene har nå bare små dotter av dun igjen. Nå testes vingene flere ganger om dagen og de har en glupskhet som tærer godt på foreldrene. Men snart er ungene flyvedyktige og med det overlates de til seg selv og foreldrene kan endelig slappe av. Få uker siden […]
Dette søskenparet våger seg lenger og lenger vekk fra redet for hver dag, og om en uke blir juni til juli og med det kommer tiden der fjærene vokser frem og vingene skal testes. Enn så lenge er det dun som gjelder og kort vei tilbake til redeplassen de kjenner best og der de tar […]
Denne tillitsfulle hvitkinngåsemoren har nå hvilt seg i over 20 minutter med sine få dager gamle unger, med meg som tilskuer i de fleste av de. Her har hun fått nok av hvile og ungen sklir ned av ryggen idet hun reiser seg. Hun og alle de andre sjøuglene på Fyrsteilene har for lengst lært […]
Et vakkert og skjørt øyeblikk der gåsemor slapper av med sine knøttsmå nøster som trenger litt hvile mellom alle gåturene og inntrykkene i sine første få dager av sine liv. En hvitkinngåsemor ville normalt ha blitt forsvart med iltre tilrop og vingeslag fra hannen, men jeg oppleves ikke som noen trusel for jeg og alle […]
Et trofast hvitkinngås hann som passer på sin partner i en eng av gressløk (Allium schoenoprasum) der blomstene er i ferd med å åpne seg. Ikke lenge siden var det gult som dominerte her på Fyrsteilene, fra blomstene til vinterkarsen (Barbarea vulgaris). Den høres slik ut:
En hvitkinngås hann vokter over sine partner som ligger på egg i nærheten men som nå tar en liten matpause. En uke siden siste besøk her på Fyrsteilene, og blomstringen til vinterkarsen (Barbarea vulgaris) er nå snart på hell, men gir fremdeles en fantastisk ramme til alle fuglene som hekker her ute. Det er lenge […]
Det er mange år siden en av naboene kom til meg å sa hun hadde sett en grågås legge seg til på toppen av et skjærerede. Jeg var jo en smule skeptisk og nevnte jo at den hekker på bakken. Ikke lenge etter fikk jeg bekreftet en rugende gåsemor minst 6 meter over bakken i […]
During my visits to Notsuke Peninsula I experienced, snow, blue sky, and a lot in between. This is shot when the wind was battering the landscape, making it very cold and unpleasant to stay outside for more than a few minutes at a time. The owners of this blue shed, my favorite building in Hokkaido, […]
Lake Kussharo, a caldera lake, is the home of many whooper swans during the winter months as a small part of it never freezes over due to hot springs. The sand on the shore is hot to the touch in some places and and warm water pours up from deep underground in other places. This […]
During the winter months male sika deer (bucks or stags) wander out to the coast, and in this case to the beautiful Notsuke Peninsula, seeking out the dense grasses and decidious bush growing here, but also the seaweeds and kelps washed ashore. Here you can get extremely close and intimate with these magnificent animals as […]
During the winter months the Steller’s sea-eagle follow their food source cod and pollock to the northern coast of Hokkaido. Where there’s fish also humans follow, and thus the fishery and wild stock of fish is supporting a large number of this species in winter, and in particular the months of February and March – […]
During winter the white-tailed eagles are found together with the visiting Steller’s sea eagles on the northern coast of Hokkaido. Here they feast on leftovers from the fishery and handouts from the many tourists coming here just for these magnificent eagle species. The white-tailed eagle is a very large eagle, and when seen together with […]
The colors of the houses in Hokkaido are rather bland, dominated by beige, grey and off-white. Very different from what you encounter in the Norwegian country-side, where you’ll find buildings in bright red, blue, yellow and white. This blue shed was standing very much out in it’s unique color, which brings down the color of […]
During the winter months male sika deer (bucks or stags) wander out to the coast, and in this case to the beautiful Notsuke Peninsula, seeking out the dense grasses and decidious bush growing here, but also the seaweeds and kelps washed ashore. Here you can get extremely close and intimate with these magnificent animals as […]
I encountered quite a few red foxes during my days in Hokkaido, but was surprised to see so many of them injured in various ways. One had a damaged front leg and was limping. Many had a tail with sores and little hair due to mites. These hairless-tailed foxes strangely enough had normal skin and […]
During the winter months male sika deer (bucks or stags) wander out to the coast, and in this case to the beautiful Notsuke Peninsula, seeking out the dense grasses and decidious bush growing here, but also the seaweeds and kelps washed ashore. Here you can get extremely close and intimate with these magnificent animals as […]
I had quite a few red fox encounters in Hokkaido, and this one went straight through a group of red-crowned cranes. It was not in great shape as it limped, due to what seemed like an injury to its left front paw or leg. The cranes weren’t much disturbed by this omnivore, but did pay […]
I had quite a few red fox encounters in Hokkaido, and this one is heading towards a group of red-crowned cranes. It was not in great shape as it limped, due to what seemed like an injury to its left front paw or leg. The cranes weren’t much disturbed by this omnivore, but did pay […]
I had many incredible encounters with wild dogs during my stay in Okavango. One hunt went straight through the camp! Here you see a typical bonding behavior after a feeding. They made a kill the previous night, and at dawn I watched as they licked the last remains of the carcass accompanied with a wide […]
Following this beautiful southern server during its morning hunt was amazing. It did not pay much notice to my presence and I was therefore able to see its natural hunting behavior. Watching it pounce on its insect, reptile or rodent prey was as good as it gets. It was mostly strolling leisurely looking for opportunities, […]
Following this beautiful southern server during its morning hunt was amazing. It did not pay much notice to my presence and I was therefore able to see its natural hunting behavior. Watching it pounce on its insect, reptile or rodent prey was as good as it gets. Although this was my only such encounter during […]
The ground squirrel is as cute to us humans as any species of squirrels with their fast pace an entertaining antics. But their lives are faced with the exact same challenges as all life, and they have no clue as to what our view of cute is. This is such a huge misconception and why […]
The Bicheno blowhole can be magnificent if you come during optimal conditions of high waves and tide with a partly cloudy sky as seen here. Better stick around in Bicheno if you are unlucky in regards to the weather and tidal conditions on your first attempt.
What an amazing experience it was to see this rare spectacled bear. I spotted it driving to the next destination on my schedule, and could not believe it when I saw this bear high up a hillside. I first tried to walk, but with camera gear adding weight I had to accept defeat and hope […]
A frequent visitor to feeders in Ecuador and here its visiting a brugmansia trumpet flower. It sounds like this: Elevation: 3089 meters
The secretive antpittas are heard for the most part and seen only when you patiently and carefully hone in on their location. Even then it will often be their incredibly beautiful and far reaching song that you will carry with you in your heart. Some extremely patient individuals have over time gained the trust of […]
This is such a unique looking species, unmistakable and like no other bird species. I’ve encountered it deep in the Canaima National Park in Venezuela, by the camp near Angel falls, and it’s just incredible to see the orange plumage stand out from the all-green foliage. Getting close to them at a lek, the site […]
A frequent visitor to feeders in Ecuador. Here it’s visiting one of a large number of species of fuchsia. It sounds like this: Elevation: 3211 meters
It resembles the lesser violetear (Colibri cyanotus), but the lesser is distinctly smaller. The lesser violetear also lacks the blue spot on the belly – seen in picture below. A White-bellied Woodstar (Chaetocercus mulsant) is rather small compared to the sparklilng violetear. It sounds like this: Elevation: 3211 meters
A fitting name, as in the right light and angle the rump and lower back will truly shine brilliantly in green and purple. In all other angles it seems rather blandly colored. It sounds like this: Elevation: 3211 meters
This incredibly beautiful bird is blending so well with its environment that it can be in a tree right in front of you and you will still miss it. When perched it will sit still and only slowly move its head around to assess its surroundings, and its gorgeous long tail feathers will sway with […]
On occasion there might be a few hummingbirds feeding at the same time on a given flower, but that is usually a very brief moment in time, as many are territorial and will swoop in to chase them off. The on on the left is the woodnymph. It sounds like this: Crowned Woodnymph: White-necked Jacobin:
Oropendolas are omnivores and will frequent any feeding station with fruits. They are expert weavers and their hanging nests will dangle violently in strong winds, but rarely fail for the experienced builders. Their courtship vocalization not as impressive and distinct as that of the Montezuma oropendula. It sounds like this:
A common species in Costa Rica, and a frequent visitor to easy meals provided by humans – just like the squirrels in Europe and North America, except it is not a hoarder. There are several subspecies and a great variety of coloration. This one is one with a uniform coloration, but some stand out with […]
Tender love between a pair of Scarlet macaws in Costa Rica where they should be – in the wild. Watching these magnificent birds in the wild is amazing, even more so when they in some places come regularly to feed on handouts from humans and are thus so comfortable around humans that they will land […]
A beautiful species with a very unique vocalization that adds depth and mystery to the myriads of songs in the forest. Sometimes it will rhythmically move the tail like a pendulum in a clock. It sounds like this:
One of several species of Toucan found in Costa Rica. If you have papaya or bananas growing or laying around, they will definitely come. It sounds like this:
In the soft hues of the sunrise, everything becomes magic, even more so when you see such incredible creatures as the cheetah. Unfortunately this species, as most others, is threatened. And even though Namibia seem like a haven, cheetahs are fenced in by a network of private properties, cutting off the free flow of genes, […]
These Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) are huddled together, not for warmth, but in desperation for shade. This was the only tree standing in a vast stretch of land in Etosha National Park, and had drawn these to it as the sun was understandably unbearable.
The landscapes of Damaraland are incredibly beautiful, and when you encounter a group of desert elephants in the soft hues of sunrise, it takes your breath away. This is shot by the the dried up Huab river. This group was so pleasant, friendly and harmonious, even with two very young calves. They regularly visit wells […]
This particular area was absolutely stunning in the soft light of early morning – a savanna with beautifully colored dead grasses and a clutch of three small trees clinging onto life. Elevation: 403 meters
Namibias Walvis Bay is perhaps most known for its marine life. But just a bit inland there is an explosion of life in between the huge sand dunes! Huge reeds swaying the in wind tell of excellent conditions for life, and the large amounts of Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) are found here, but also Greater […]
There are two species of flamingo in Namibia, the other species is the greater flamingo which has a dark tip on a pink beak. I found large groups of flamingos wading in the brackish waters not far inland from Walvis Bay. It is separated from the coast with kilometers of desert, which makes it appear […]
What better way to experience a sunrise than in the air – silently flowing on the invisible layers of moving air, soon to be heated up by the sun. As the sun rises, the air becomes turbulent and a trip much less pleasant and unpredictable. Elevation: 719 meters
A single tree has not only survived years of heat, drought and very occasional rain, but thrived to become a mature giant. Elevation: 620 meters
Prior to my visit unseasonal rains had turned trees, shrubs and plants green and in bloom, but the water was long gone from this particular and iconic clay pan. I was told that all of this was under water for many days and looked otherworldly, as the otherwise dry ground had become a mirror of […]
Barefoot, these kids are climbing a very special mountainside behind their Ooty village. For the first time in their lives the hill has become purple with flowers, and the next time this will happen, they will be 12 years older. Just about 8 times per century does this species, neelakurinji (Strobilanthes kunthianus), produce flowers – […]
Some tea plantations are like artwork, with countless shapes, patterns and variations of green, creating a living gallery of abstracts to the beholder. Although tea plantations are absolutely stunning in some places, like here in Kerala, they are lifeless and silent as it supports very little life. Elevation: 1959 meters
Wild and rare The national parks in India with a tiger population have almost all been rebranded and renamed a tiger reserve as in the public eye the tiger is the ultimate and iconic wild being that eclipses all. So even though this is a national park, the park is all about the tigers on […]
The season of abundance Without rain this gorgeous landscape would have been brown, parched and bland, and the watchful dhole (Cuon alpinus) almost impossible to see unless moving. During the monsoon it has become a beautiful garden with flowers and fresh shoots from all the plant species residing here. I have previously avoided visiting during […]
There are so many waterfalls in Meghalaya that I wondered if mega refers to numbers of rapids and waterfalls. Only the largest and most accessible waterfalls are known and visited by tourists, but there are so many waterfalls with no names and utterly unknown except to the locals. This particular waterfall got my attention in […]
This landscape is like nothing I’ve ever encountered and is so intensely beautiful and otherworldly! From dawn till dusk the ever changing weather, light and color hues provided the most stunning show. During my time the visual was seasoned with regular and amazing thunder from neighboring valleys. At night the sky was partly starry with […]
A true valley of flowers! From afar the valley looks like a green carpet, but as you come closer you notice more and more color hues. When you finally reach the valley floor you will see an incredible density of plants and an amazing diversity of species – each blooming at a different time of […]
One of the 6 incredibly beautiful toucan species in Costa Rica, and one that happily eats human offerings like fruits. They have a diverse menu, ranging from insects, reptiles, amphibians, eggs to all kinds of fruit species. Being fruit eaters, they are important seed dispersers, and as such one of many species upholding the diversity […]
Winter lingered on for much too long this year, despite the sun rising ever higher in the sky. It seemed spring was skipped altogether as summer arrived out of nowhere and in no time everything was ablaze with colors and fragrance. This is a plum flower on one of my plum trees and it is […]
This mother is taking her female cubs to a new resting-play place for the hot hours to come. During the cool hours of the night the mother will hunt, and she had her kill at the previous location now exhausted. Lucky for me the tiger prefers to utilize the roads for territory borders and thus […]
Seeing a tiger in the wild is absolutely amazing, but a mother and her cubs is just so special in so many ways! Here two sisters are testing their bodies and minds against each other in the countless play fights during the cooler hours of the day, while their mother is lovingly keeping her hand […]
In the dry season water is critical, and if you provide access to water on your property you’re certain to attract all the local bird species, and many mammals as well. This is shot at such a location – not far from a creek that also attracts many birds, but where the photographic setting is […]
In the dry season water is critical, and if you provide access to water on your property you’ll certain to attract all the local bird species, and many mammals as well. This is shot at such a location – not far from a creek that also attracts many birds, but where the photographic setting is […]
I had many amazing elephant encounters during my stay in this diverse and beautiful park, but this one touched me deeply as the encounter happened not only very surprisingly, but in the dappled morning sunlight amongst the tall tree trunks of the forest, which added an incredibly beautiful setting for these magnificent creatures. It started […]
A very common species in India, and no exception in Corbett National Park, yet common does not mean to be ignored as there are many situations that are special and memorable. This male was crossing close to us in confidence and sat down by a tree very nearby to assert its position as leader as […]
The home of the rare and wonderful These beautiful twin peaks are the landmarks of the island, and holds so much more than beauty to the human eye, and is recognized with the highest honor as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The tallest of the two peaks is Mt Gower at 867 meters, to the […]
The home of the rare and wonderful These beautiful twin peaks are the landmarks of the island, and hold so much more than beauty to the human eye, and is recognized with the highest honor as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The tallest of the two peaks is Mt Gower at 867 meters, to the […]
9 out of 10 evenings during my stay on Lord Howe Island I walked the Little Island Track along the beach to the outcrop called Little Island. At first to experience the sunsets, but after just one sunset I was completely hooked. Hooked on experiencing the large numbers of seabirds. I visited in April, the […]
Knowing when to expect big surfs is one thing, but taking advantage of them when they do arrive is another. You might not see any great waves during your stay, or find out that when you were hiking the interior, there were amazing surfs lasting just a couple of hours. Locals know this all too […]
The clarity and color of the sea here on Lord Howe Island’s Blinky Beach is absolutely stunning, and when waves are rolling in you can see the turquoise stand bright against the froth of the breaking waves when the sun is low and at a favorable angle. I have seen these colors in the arctic, […]
Although Principe is a small island, its diversity is still largely intact and thus most of the endemic species are common and widespread. When I arrived here the building of nests was in full swing. The males were completely absorbed in courting the females, fencing off any competing males and completing their nest building. It […]
Bom Bom islet, Principe Humanity is still struggling with understanding its place in the universe. Partly due to greed, short sightedness and weak government, but perhaps most importantly the deep an incomprehensible absence of feeling a connection with life! Every child is pushed through a molding process starting in kindergarten – all firmly focused on […]
Bom Bom islet, Principe With the very same color as the decaying leaves on the ground this is a species that is easily missed, even though it is quite large. I encountered many brightly colored fungi species on this islet, some were magnets to insects, but this one is very different and also was free […]
The water in this river (also called Cheneb river) comes from the glaciers which are slowly releasing less and less water as the winter approaches. Soon this landscape will be all white and very desolate as the road will be closed until summer once again wins over winter. I got a reminder of how close […]
A very different experience when all colors are removed. The water in this river (also called Cheneb river) comes from the glaciers which are slowly releasing less and less water as the winter approaches. Soon this landscape will be all white and very desolate as the road will be closed until summer once again wins […]
The water in this river (also called Cheneb river) comes from the glaciers which are slowly releasing less and less water as the winter approaches. Soon this landscape will be all white and very desolate as the road will be closed until summer once again wins over winter. I got a reminder of how close […]
The water in this river (also called Cheneb river) comes from the glaciers which are slowly releasing less and less water as the winter approaches. Soon this landscape will be all white and very desolate as the road will be closed until summer once again wins over winter. I got a reminder of how close […]
The brittlegill fungi come in an incredible variety of colors, and often change hues throughout their growth. I found this one under a conifer in near proximity to a small stream, draining a swampy pond in the hills behind my house. A spider has found refuge under its cap and is free to leave anytime, […]
The diversity and number of mushrooms growing in the forest now is more than I can remember in decades. It is absolutely incredible! I usually find the conspicuous species like the Fly agaric individually and far between, and some autumns they have been hard to find. Now they are growing in huge clusters and with […]
The forest is full of this species now, and they grow in the open or in the densest of forests like these two. I found them in a very dense and dark conifer forest with hardly anything growing on the ground and they stood out like torches. These two were the youngest specimens of a […]
This year the autumn has a very special event – a profusion of species and numbers of fungi. It’s like a secret festival of the fungi realm, and we better watch, as this might not happen in a very, very long time. This has added a new dimension to this transitional time between summer and […]
Summer is well underway now, and thus many plant species are producing fruits, and in this case a very artistic one at that. When ripe these amazing looking bills will open up to what looks like a dry flower with seeds in each section, or petal if you like. The glandular hairs seen here are […]
Yesterday I passed this very spot, and had what I thought an amazing encounter with this group of langurs, preparing for the night. I was on my way back to the hotel, and was stopping here to photograph the rising moon. Instead I found this group of langurs and completely dropped the idea of shooting […]
Driving ever higher, seeing more and more frost from last night, together with larger and larger patches of snow, one might not expect to see such lavishly colored birds. At least not so small – which means there must be lots of nectar producing plants up here to provide sufficient energy to stay in shape. […]
This is the second image from the amazing encounter with the orphaned barking deer in the care of Dema the farmer. Dema owns a farm across the road from the Trogon Villa I stayed at for several nights, and this was the first of two encounters with this lovely deer, as I was fortunate to […]
This very small owl (smaller than a common starling – just around 15 cm in length) is easy to miss if it doesn’t move, or stand out like it does here against the fog. It has striking pattern on the back of the head resembling another set of eyes, and if you look closer you’ll […]
The first time you encounter this large bird it’s hard to be silent! I for one just uttered WOW! This amazingly beautiful male was scanning the surroundings, possibly for food, and it was amazing to watch as he slowly turned his head and giant beak as the eyes focused on finding whatever he was looking […]
More than 90% of this island is protected, and only a small slice of land on the eastern shores is developed. Walk the trails or alongside the shores and you will be completely alone and in a truly amazing setting. The foreground in this image is a reminder of what is the very foundation of […]
A very different experience when all colors are removed. Once upon a time Seychelles was part of the Gondwana supercontinent but now the granite islands are resting on the isolated North Seychelles Bank. All around is an abyss thousands of meters deep. Indeed Seychelles is an island domain above as well as below the ocean […]
Once upon a time Seychelles was part of the Gondwana supercontinent but now the granite islands are resting on the isolated North Seychelles Bank. All around is an abyss thousands of meters deep. Indeed Seychelles is an island domain above as well as below the ocean surface. The granite boulders look smooth and inviting from […]
This summer has been the most fun in all the years I’ve lived here, when it comes to squirrels. For some reason at least two female squirrels have made nests in the trees on my property and raised their litters here. One day they were all out, and it was crawling with tiny and ultra […]