Kuikka base camp is the starting point for wildlife photos. Good food and beds we never used was things to remember. The owner, Lassi Rautainen, could not believe that the Norwegians hesitated to use his sauna. "Perkele helvete" was the expression he used when describing what he ment when nobody wanted to use the sauna one morning.
Photo shooting took place from one of many photo-hides around in the area. Two - three eager photographers are lined up along the front in the hide - bunks in the back. After dark it is just to move back and sleep the night there - no need to sleep in the base camp.
Every day, at ca. 16.00 hrs we where divided in groups and transported to the photo hides. There we stayed the night and drove back ca. 8.00 hrs the next the morning.
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| In the early morning it was very quiet. One could hear the raven sitting in the surrounding forest. The raven is an expert in making different sounds that brakes the silence. Then it is quiet again. |
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| More ravens suddenly brakes the silence and startes gathering in the dead trees in front of us. Here they sit and wait for the bear to come and starts tearing apart the meat into small pieces the ravens can pick up. |
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| Out from the forest the bear enters the scene. Before entering the open the bear stays partly hidden in the forest and checking the area. After making sure that it is safe he comes out of the forest. He watches the ravens - they are there and telling him it is safe to enter. |
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| Standing partly in the forest the bear checks the open area where there is food. |
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| Bear at the lake is impressed by its own mirror. |
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| A wolf is passing in the forest. |
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| Nice scene with trees and bear are reflected in the calm lake. |
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| A sparrowhawk takes to its wings. Something over there to hunt? |
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| Sea eagles are also coming to search for a bite or two. |
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| The bear is a good tree climber. What a beautiful animal we where fortunate to meet here in the "no mans-land" between Finland and Russia. |
