Skiing with Hawkie

We have spent the first part of the Easter holiday downhill skiing at Trysil. It was positively divine conditions with deep blue skies, no wind, overnight temperatures falling below -10C but with the sun making it feel warm. There was also loads of good snow, so skiing was a delight especially after having got the ski prepped and the edges sharpened.

There were not many birds to be encountered but the most numerous were 4 Siberian Jays and 3 Hawk Owls so I was a very happy skier. We got very close to the birds but with only a lousy iphone camera the shots do not do justice to the experience. I had taken my superzoom away with me but chose not to have it with me whilst skiing in case I fell. I was less worried for the camera than my ribs which came off the worse from a previous fall on the ice. Given that I didn’t fall (bar one embarrassing dismount from a chair lift) and the fact the owls were very stationary I do regret not having gone back to the hotel and collected the camera because the light was great, the trees not too tall and one owl in particular was very confiding.

me filming Hawkie

a Siberian Jay (lavskrike) honestly!

there were tracks from Hares all over the place but here we also saw where one had been gnawing on a tree either to eat the bark or maybe just to wear its teeth down