When I photograph and film the osprey, I try to show both its strength and its vulnerability. A good wildlife image should not only show what the bird looks like. It should also tell something about the place, the moment, the silence, the waiting and the wild life around it.

Building trust in nature photography takes time. With calm behaviour, distance and patience, an osprey can become more used to my presence, but the bird’s safety and natural behaviour must always come first.

Everything happens extremely fast. The bird searches from the air, dives towards the water, hits the surface, disappears partly underwater and rises again with the fish in its talons. Capturing this moment requires years of patience, planning, observation and many hours in the field.

I have spent a long time studying where the osprey hunts, how it moves, how the light changes and how to be ready when the action suddenly happens. My osprey videos are the result of many years of work.

My main focus is:

1.Observation and documentation of osprey hunting, flying and resting.

2.Photography and 4K video of ospreys in Sarpsborg, Østfold and Norwegian nature.

3.Capturing rare moments such as the osprey diving, catching fish and rising from the water.

5.Support for bird conservation

A Special Thanks

A special thanks to biologist Rune Aae at Østfold University College, who has shared valuable knowledge about ospreys and taken me along in the work of building artificial osprey nests. His dedication, live broadcasts and long-term work for the osprey population in Eastern Norway have been an important inspiration.

The osprey is one of nature’s most specialized hunters. It flies above lakes, rivers and coastal waters, searching for fish beneath the surface before diving feet-first with impressive precision.

Its eyes, wings, feet and talons are perfectly adapted for a life built around finding and catching fish.

Every spring, many ospreys return to Norway from southern wintering areas, often after long migrations through Europe and towards Africa. They travel across huge distances, facing weather, sea, mountains and many dangers along the way. It is almost as if they carry an inner map inside them.
Adult birds often return to familiar nesting areas, and many pairs may meet again near the nest after migrating separately.

The female, male and young birds do not always leave at the same time. After the breeding season, the family gradually separates, and each bird must survive the long journey on its own.
This makes the osprey even more fascinating to me. It is not only a bird of prey that catches fish.

It is a survivor, a traveller, a hunter and a symbol of how powerful, beautiful and vulnerable bird life can be.

Follow the story of Fru Rauer, a Norwegian osprey tracked by NRK on her long migration journey between Norway and Africa. A remarkable story about migration, survival and bird conservation. The article is in Norwegian.

Read Fru Rauer’s Journey on NRK →

Watch Fru Rauer – Norwegian Osprey Live →

WILDLIFE NATURE CONSERVATION

BirdLife Norway

Focus on Protecting Norwegian Nature and Birdlife

1. Contributes to BirdLife Norway (birdlife.no)
2. Inspires people to value and protect vulnerable ecosystems

I believe nature photography should help people value and protect the natural world. Birds of prey such as the osprey depend on healthy waters, forests, fish populations and safe nesting areas. When these habitats are disturbed or disappear, the birds are affected too.

Learn more about bird conservation and the important work of BirdLife Norway.

Visit BirdLife Norway →