Early spring mornings in the Finnish archipelago
April 9, 2026
It’s always a pleasure to hear from photographers who have been using our gear for many years. Recently we received a message from Finnish nature photographer Staffan Weckman, who has been photographing birds along the southern coast of Finland for over two decades.
Staffan lives in the archipelago by the Baltic Sea – a landscape of rocky islands, shallow shorelines and ever-changing weather. Early spring is one of his favourite times to photograph birds.
“Seabirds such as the Green Sandpiper, the Whooper swan and the Common Goldeneye return to the south coast already in late March nowadays,” Staffan explains. “Due to the warmer climate the sea ice melts earlier than it used to. I’ve spent many mornings during the last 20 years in early spring in my hide by the shoreline.”
Photographing birds from the water is often the dream of wildlife photographers, but in northern Europe that’s not always possible. “In March and April the water is simply too cold to use a floating hide,” Staffan says. “Only towards the end of May it becomes warm enough to stay in the water for a couple of hours.”
That’s where a wetland hide becomes essential.
“In the beginning I used a hide that I made myself from a tent, but it turned out not to be very practical. When I bought my Wetland Hide I realised this was far better in every way. It was stable, even in windy conditions, and it allowed me to shoot from a very low angle.”
Photographing birds such as the Goosander and the Common Sandpiper requires patience and the ability to blend into the landscape. “It’s always a challenge to get close enough,” he says. “But from the hide you can wait quietly and let the birds come to you.”
One feature he particularly appreciates is the flexibility of the shooting openings. “The zipper holes give you the possibility to modify the shooting angle, which I really like. It allows you to adapt to the situation and the position of the birds.”
Photographing along the Baltic shoreline comes with another challenge: rapidly changing water levels. “Even though we don’t have tides in the Baltic Sea, the water level can vary a lot,” Staffan explains. That’s why the waterproof floor of the hide turned out to be extremely useful. “You often end up working right on the wet shoreline, so the waterproof floor makes a big difference.”
Staffan even built a clever solution to push the concept further. “I made a movable wooden platform where I can fasten the hide. This way I can sometimes photograph almost from the water.”
Although the shoreline is his favourite environment, Staffan’s hide also travels with him to other habitats. “I mainly photograph birds by the sea, but I also use the hide in the forest sometimes,” he says. “It’s so great to see the Willow Tit or the Brambling in early spring. I’m lucky that I don’t have to go very far from home to find good places.”
For Staffan, photography is more than just capturing images. “It’s a hobby for me – and also a form of soul care.” Over the years his work has been published in nature magazines, and in 2023 he contributed both photographs and texts to a book about the Aspskär bird protection area in the Gulf of Finland.
We’re happy to contribute to his passion!
Staffan has been using one of the early versions of our Wetland Hide, the Mursu, for many years now. Designed for photographers who want to work extremely low to the ground in wetlands, shorelines and marsh environments, it provides stability, weather protection and a discreet presence in sensitive habitats.
Lightweight, compact and easy to transport, it allows photographers to spend long hours in the field – exactly the way Staffan has been doing during countless early mornings in the Finnish archipelago.
All images © Staffan Weckman
