Hide and Go seek : Finland and the bears

Anyone who has flown into Helsinki will know it’s not a particularly large city. It’s also surrounded by forest on all sides, forest as far as the eye can see (…except when the eye is looking at a lake. ) There are 188 000 lakes in Finland, which is a lot of lake. Although even this is not quite as impressive as knowing that 66% of the country is covered by beautiful green forests: forests full of spruce and pine trees, birds, butterflies, moose, reindeer and bears (among others). This is my kind of country, green and natural, where wildlife is allowed to survive relatively undisturbed in natural tracts of land, without fences. I wouldn’t have expected any of you to know these two wonderful facts, as until I climbed into the second (much smaller) propeller plane in Helsinki for my flight to Kajaani, I didn’t either. 

When the din of the propellers finally died down, and I felt safe enough to gaze out the window, all I could see below the odd cloud cover was forest, lake, forest, and lake. It was magical, so much green. Our drive from the airport took just under two, hours, and when I wasn’t sleeping from exhaustion brought on by far insufficient sleep in the Arctic, I just stared out the window while our driver, and the owner of the lodge, Ari, told us about the bears. That was of course the sole reason for our trip to Finland, the chance to watch the European Brown Bears as they go about their business from the safety of a photographic hide.

The lodge itself was set deep in the Taiga forest and was homely and family run. It is on the shore of a small lake, surrounded by trees, and about 2 kilometers from the Russian border. That first evening we basically collapsed into bed straight after dinner, dead to the world. The following day, we decided to take a walk to the border. I don’t think we got there, and I’m not entirely sure we headed in the correct direction, but we did enjoy spending some time in the forest, listening to the birds, watching butterflies and searching for berries.

Me with my anti-mosquito blanket...

That afternoon, we met our host at 4pm for dinner and an introduction to the hides. The hides are situated on the edge of a small lake, in a marsh, surrounded by (obviously) forest. The bears are very shy animals, as they are still hunted in Finland and Russia, although the border area is almost a ‘safe haven’ for them. In Finland at least, permits are very expensive, and not many fins can afford one. Then we started the march to the hide. I say ‘march’, as our guide was on a serious mission. Its just under a kilometer, and we must have covered that distance in max 10 minutes. We were fortunate to have amazing weather, but this also means it was hot. 28 degrees hot most days. Marching as we were up and down little forest paths when the air is muggy and you’re carrying a good 20 kg’s of camera equipment certainly didn’t help us keep cool! One problem with having the Arctic trip right before was that I had basically packed 2 t-shirts. In future, I would take a few more, especially in July during the Finnish summer!

The hides are about 1.7 metres wide, and 1.5 metres long. That included space for bunk beds, and there is  no toilet to speak of, just a bucket with a seat and lid (- a good reason not to need the loo!) The first night we were so hot, it took forever to cool down, mostly because we hadn’t been prepared. By the third night we had wet towels with us, and it was pleasant. You can choose your hides each night, depending on the view you want, and then you cannot leave between 5.30pm and 7am the following morning, for obvious reasons.

Some of the bird life around the lake

We had barely been in the hide for half an hour when our first bear arrived. There are scraps of Salmon hidden under logs for the bears, from the nearby salmon farm. This encourages them to visit the site as part of their nightly foraging. I was over the moon excited to see him, in his shaggy brown coat on the opposite side of the lake. Some gulls scared him off though, and I was worried that would be it for the evening. How wrong was I! 

A younger bear with a beautiful coat

This bear is a well known 24 year old Male

We had around 15 visits that first night, by what I imagine was 5 or 6 individuals. One came to within around 3 meters of the hide, so close we could almost feel his breath! Of course, I had just stuck my head out of one of the 4 lens holes when this happened. and was obliviously day dreaming away when a sharp pat on the back brought me back to reality, and to quite a surprise with the bear staring at me chewing some salmon. They are really beautiful creatures, with very flat faces and huge rear ends. When they run, their whole body shakes from side to side, and they look very comical. Their eyes are a rich brown colour, and the younger ones have incredibly sleek coats of a rich hue. It was quite something to have them so close.

The bear 3 metres from my protruding head

About 3 metres from the hide

The gulls can make the bears nervous

That evening I slept about 2 hours, from 12-2pm. It is light enough to see the whole night through, although in the midnight hours it’s a strange blue light, and there was quite often mist rising off the lake. When I woke, and my dad went to sleep, he had barely laid down when a Wolverine appeared from the forest and ran around the lake. A while later, he ran back again, and a different individual appeared an hour or so later. We were also fortunate enough to see a lone wolf, as he moved between the trees. Wolves are very endangered in Europe, and this was really special for us. He was a large silver male, almost ghostly in the mist.

The following morning after breakfast and a shower I passed out for a good 5 hours. One thing you learn quickly in the Arctic is to sleep whenever there is time, and to sleep well in the daylight. I out this to good use in Finland, and slept like a baby all day long until we woke to visit the hides again in the afternoon.

It was really quite an experience staying in the hides. They were small, hot and uncomfortable, but the sightings were like magic. To be able to watch wild brown bears in their environment, completely undisturbed was really special, and I will definitely be doing another few trips to see them. I believe April has far fewer numbers, but there is a good chance of seeing them in the snow. September is supposed to be great for the autumnal colours and the cold misty mornings. At the very least I would like to experience these two seasons with the bears, and maybe see a mother with cubs, or a bear climbing a tree. Either way, bears have certainly stolen part of my heart, and I dream about seeing them again soon. 

I should however warn that the mosquitos are giant, and tenacious. If you spray the anti- mosquito cream on them, they still don’t get deterred. I have proof in the form of 20 odd giant bites on my shoulders and elbows. Still, that’s hardly too high a price to pay for the opportunity to see a bear in the wild!!!

Brown bear at Sunset, Hide 1

Cats and Flamingoes at Halali

Our final three nights in Etosha were spent at Halali Restcamp, a camp situated more or less in the middle of the tourist area of the park. It is an area that is considerably different form Okaukuejo and Namutoni in that there are hills, and Mopani bush all around the camp. Once you break through the Mopani, you enter huge plains on either side, stretching as far as the eye can see, and the pan. The pan was the biggest surprise of all on this trip, as I mentioned in a previous post, as it was full of water.

Halali is known for its leopard sightings, and is the best part of the park to see this elusive cat, as the vegetation allows it to maintain its secretive lifestyle. We unfortunately did not see this cat this year in Etosha, but the other cats certainly showed themselves (finally!) around Halali. Each day here, we had numerous lion sightings, some good, some sleeping under bushes. The plains toward Okaukuejo are home to three waterholes, all in close proximity to each other, and on the edge of the pan. The lions live there. Everyday there were a couple sleeping inside the same clump of bushes. Every day the zebra herds came down in their hundreds to drink, under the watchful eye of these cats. We never saw them make a kill, but we did see them hunting, spreading out around the increasingly nervous herds on our last drive. We waited as long as earthly possible until we had to push on. If we had stayed, undoubtedly we would have got our kill, but it would have been a few hours in the making, time we didn’t have.

We also saw lions in the roads close to camp on two occasions. Both times they were hunting, fanning out then coming together until we lost them from view. The one was a group of three females, and the other a pride of 8 adults, who looked very menacing. We also saw a small group playing Goas, early on our last morning in the park.

Near Halali we had our first cheetah sightings of the trip, two different sightings of a female and cub. It was nice to see these cats, although I didn’t waste any hard drive space on the photo’s as they were very skittish and in the long grass. It was while watching the first of these that we noticed a strange colour in the pan. We looked and looked, and then dismissed it as our imagination. Our eyes were struggling enough to believe the quantity of water, yet alone comprehend the colour we could see. The following day we took a drive to the ‘pan lookout’ where before we had posed for a touristy shot on the edge of the endless white pan. When we arrived there, two things were immediately evident. One, there was no way we would be driving to the pan lookout, as it was covered in mud, tracks of cars who had got stuck, and water. And two, the colour we had been seeing was indeed pink, and did in fact belong to feathers of flamingoes! The flamingoes were amassed along the edges of the pan, strutting their stuff and ‘croaking’ loudly. The sound flamingoes make is strange, loud and Im not sure what it is called, hence ‘croaking’…

Sadly, we could not get close enough to them for decent pictures, but it was great to see the pan covered in pink like that. It was also totally unexpected as I had been under the impression January was the time for flamingoes!

The waterhole at Halali is not quite as productive as that of Okaukeujo, but it does well in its own right. It is on top of a hill, and has plenty of seating and a small, wooden roof for when it rains.  One looks down on the animals as they come to drink, and we saw quite a few hyena as well as black rhino on most evenings. It was bitterly cold though, and I struggled to stick it our for more than 2 hours before my hands had frozen closed and I was shaking uncontrollably. Dinner in the restaurant was not up to standard with Okaukuejo, although it was alright. The lunches were great though! They even had burgers which I can assure you went down a treat after toasted sarmies and two minute noodles or nothing.

Any one who decides to visit Halali should know that it’s a great place to spot a honey badger. All you need is a good ear, and some patience. The badgers have taken to raiding the bins there frequently, so basically you just need to sit and listen for a clang, and then run outside with a torch! The best place to be is in a campsite, but I was in a chalet on account of the cold which was keeping me sniffling, and I needed to get better before the Arctic! (poor excuse perhaps, but true…) My badger knocked over the bin outside our room on the second night, and I jumped up ever so quickly, fussed about for a spotlight and charged after him (leaving the camera behind like a fool). I followed him at a run as he marched off, disappointed that our bin had rewarded him so poorly. Badgers move fast when they are on a mission, I can attest to that. This little guy bunched up his muscles and jogged off, following his nose to the next bin, and the next. They don’t mess around either, tip the bin with one jump, head inside, quick investigation and off they go, either empty mouthed, or with a prized treat hanging from their jaws. What characters! Although I should warn you that if you get in their way they can be rather aggressive, so do give them some space! I eventually had to leave mine as he wandered into the staff area, but I was happy.

Leaving Etosha was sad, as I’m not sure when I’ll be back. Hopefully sooner rather than later, as it’s a magical park. The wildlife viewing is superb, the light is beautiful and in summer the storms and clouds are spectacular! There can be no favourite season, they are all good (except maybe February and  march when game is very spread out and its HOT.) If you haven’t been yet, do try and go. If possible avoid the South African school holidays, and you may even find you have the roads to yourself! I look forward to my next visit, whenever it may be… 

A watery Namutoni

So Namutoni... We are camping here and I can say that it is very cold! Around -4 in fact, and my sleeping bag is definitely not rated down to that level. At night, there is a hyena constantly calling, and last night a lion serenaded us to sleep and back to wake a couple of times. I have a theory, that if you hear a lion before leaving the camp you are guaranteed not to see him. It always seems to work out that way, not surprisingly as they have so much land to walk, so what are the chances they are sitting on the road waiting for you? 


This morning we had a look for the man who had keep us so wide awake, but just before the sun rose we found some wildebeest who we decided to backlight. Who wouldn't? Their manes and horns and tails look beautiful rimmed by the early suns rays. I was considering hopping out of the vehicle for a better angle when we heard a roar behind us, and the wildebeest began to snort and we knew we had our guy. 

Wildebeest at Dawn

We watched him for ages as he purposefully crossed the huge plain, before walking off into some bushes. Now I'm sitting at the waterhole in the direction he was heading, drinking some Douwe, eating some coca pops and hoping for the best as I warm my frozen fingers! It is incredible just how cold my hands get when taking photo's pre- dawn. I could hardly feel the shutter- need some proper gloves!

Dawn Patrol

The guineafowl are here as usual, pecking at the ground and stirring up the dust. Fortunately in winter here, the sun has real warmth, and it is a pleasure to sit and bask in it. The poor fowl spend the whole morning running in a panic to drink at the waters edge, before getting a fright and running away in a noisy, chirping cloud of dust. The one morning while drinking coffee at Chudop, I decided to count the guineafowl. My total was around 245. There are literally guineafowl everywhere in this park, and I am so surprised there are not more predators that have learnt to thrive on this easy meal.

Guineafowl Fighting

Last night we set out early for a drive to check Klein Namutoni for some shade to sit in instead of just lying in the tent. When we arrived, there were about 30 vultures next to the water, enjoying the sun. We positioned ourselves to shoot them as they flew off, as their large size means they often take off into the wind as its easier to get lift. Four hours later the last one left, and we were there to see him go. In that time we had a herd of Eland come to drink, many impala, countless giraffe, awkward as they splay their legs to get a better angle, kudu, 2 warthog- one of whom was a  male who seriously wanted to get lucky with his lady friend. He actually chased her, with his head on her rump as she ran for at least 15 minutes. We also saw 2 of the vultures mating, seemed to be a Cape and a White- Backed, which was a little odd! 
Anyone who has watched giraffe drinking will have noticed that every minute or so they flick their heads, spraying water in an s-shaped arc before standing upright again. Apparently this is to stimulate blood flow back to their brains, and if they drink for too long without standing they could in fact die from the lack of blood flow! (I stand to be corrected, I'm no expert- just someone with an over-keen interest in wildlife and an over-enquiring mind!)

Vulture Take-Off

That evening, just as the sun began to paint the water a delicate pink, a black rhino wandered out of the bush, and I finally got to photograph one of these shy animals out in the open, (and at dusk!) It was very exciting, watching him slowly weave his way toward the water, backtracking every few metres as he was very cautious and unsure out in the open like this. Black rhino are browsers, so when they feed it is in thicker bushy areas, which is why they are harder to see in the day time than White Rhino. I have rarely seen a black rhino so clearly, and so this was a real highlight.

We also enjoyed a dinner at the restaurant one evening. I had a fillet steak, and although not of the quality we would expect at home, it was a tasty meal, hot, and relatively tender. In other words, far better than the last time we were here when it tasted like a dead, sun dried shoe. As at Okaukeujo, the staff were also very friendly and I must say it appears as though the whole of Etosha has stepped up to the challenge of improving their standards.

The waterhole at Namutoni is nothing like Okaukuejo, and we have yet to see anything come down for a drink. However, the water holes in the surrounding areas are brilliant lighting and sightings wise. In the mornings we are not even sure where to go, the options are endless! The pan in this area is full of water- quite a surprise! And it makes for a beautiful backdrop. it gives the park a different feel as well, and is a stark contrast to the brown grass which lies all the way up to the very edges of the water. I am loving the game drives we have done out of Namutoni, and would in future spend more time at this camp. On both mornings we have also rocked up at the gate 20 minutes before opening and the guard has let us out!! I won't go into details about why I would be at the gate so early; suffice to say I'm a nerd, and I love early mornings when they are filled with the promise of an exciting new day! Being let out early was a huge surprise, you can't know how happy it made me!

Giraffe at the flooded pan at sunset

Some birding just inside the gate

One drive we had the strangest African Wild Cat sighting. He was so high up in a tree which was basically made of little dry twigs, no shade or cover, and looking extremely uncomfortable with life. Thoughts are that he was chased up there by something, as there is no way he would have chosen to sit in that tree. He was also panting like crazy, and balancing precariously on some spindly branches.

Now its time for a toasted cheese and tomato, a quick photo download, and then more driving! This is the life- nothing is better than every day in the bush (in my opinion.)

The Namutoni area has a drive which is aptly named and well known for the presence of Damara dik dik. These are very small buck, with beautiful huge watery eyes, which make your heart melt when they stare up into yours. I wanted one the second I saw it, I figured it could be a great friend for my Golden Retriever Anakin. Anyway, after deciding to steal one, we set out on the drive to find our lucky dik dik. 

Potential target... Dik Dik

We saw 6 in all that drive, and a couple the following day, but as they looked so beautiful and happy in the bush, we left them there, hearts heavy... :) In all seriousness, they are very cute antelope, and surprisingly unafraid of the vehicles which trundle past them every day searching under bushes. Almost all of ours were in plain sight, and in the relative open. 

A flock of Teal at sunset

Beautiful sunset at the pan

Basically, our routine at Namutoni was either Klein Namutoni or Chudop and the plains areas for sunrise, and the watery pan or Klein Namutoni for sunset. At sunrise Klein Namutoni can only be used to backlight animals, as the sun rises directly in front of you. Chudop is pretty good any time of day. The area further north is a huge open grassveld, and has been good for game in the past. This time we weren't so lucky, but it certainly can be productive. We wanted to stay longer at the camp, but it was full! It was just a really great area to drive, and we were happy there despite the ice cold tent at night!! 

At Chudop early morning

Sunset at the edge of the pan

Camping in winter in Africa seems to be very risky business. In Kalahari last year we had temperatures of -14, and here around -4 at night. Basically, be prepared, just in case!! 

Me, napping at the waterhole after a cold night

Next time I am in Etosha I will definitely have 4 nights here... I can't wait! One of the challenges I set for the trip was to become better at bird ID'ing. Now, to put it lightly, I am useless, except with the everyday common birds. I am hoping to reach 70 that I positively identified, which means somewhere around 100 overall. (Yes, I am that bad!) 

Black Shouldered Kite- a common sighting on the plains.

Kori Bustard at dawn

Booted Eagle? please correct me if wrong!

I could write forever about the things we saw, from small mongooses, to new raptors to Rhino, but I would certainly bore anyone reading this! Namutoni was great- go there and see for yourself one day, if you're fortunate enough to be able to...

Wildebeest on alert at dawn

Rush hour in the water!