Last spring, Finnish photographer Olli Kanerva ventured out with the Mursu, our wetland hide, in search of black grouses and capercaillies. He was very enthusiastic and emailed us the results, so we gave him a call.
Olli was a senior consultant at a Finnish mobility company and retired from business in 2022. “I have been photographing for several decades, but only after my retirement have I become passionate about it, and with the right equipment, the results can sometimes be quite impressive,” he told us. We fully agree with him. The Mursu turned out to be his ideal hide, as he has a particular fondness for black grouses and capercaillies. “There are only a few places left in southernmost Finland where you can photograph black grouses and capercaillies in their natural environment. Forests and swamps are used economically, and birds are in trouble. The bog remains only because no commercial use has been found, and the Capercaillie’s lekking forest will be cut down in the next few years. I want to document these birds while it is still possible.”
Dawn in the wetlands
From March to May, Olli frequently camped in the bogs in the south of Finland and captured these beautiful images. “Sitting in the Mursu, you can easily photograph in all directions. I positioned the tent to photograph with light in front of and behind me. I spent six nights there in March to capture some initial images, but I took most of the photos at the end of April and early May when more grouses gathered for their courtship displays. The atmosphere in the wetlands is amazing, and the grouses’ lekking is truly impressive.”
Spectacle in the forest
When it was snowing in early April, I stopped by the forest to see if there were any signs of capercaillies this spring. I spotted at least two. I returned at the end of April when twenty centimeters of fresh snow had fallen and photographed three males – no females were in sight. The close-up shots, especially those taken with the 45mm lens, convey a beautiful atmosphere.”
All images © Olli Kanerva
