Uncle Henry´s Universe.

I took a
relaxing evening flight yesterday along with four crane, some geese and one
golden plover. It was nice but over time it became quite chilly. The engine
purred like a cat while I froze like a dog.

Para motors
are very obstinate, requires infinite care, but only work when they want. It
therefore felt sad to go down for the landing when the engine was running so
nicely, but it all worked out by itself!

I suddenly
heard a sharp bang; it was the propeller that leaves for its own adventure
tour. Weird! And it would have been pretty scary if I had been in a sport
aircraft! But that’s the beauty with paramotor, when engine power is lost; you
still have a great glider.

I really
miss my propeller! It was costly and yielded impressive speed for my flight..

It was a
really hard day with the chainsaw yesterday so I was tired and worn this
morning. I took a day off. What I did then? Took a nice, long walk in the
woods, of course …

Everything
starts to calm down now, the days are getting shorter and the evenings are
embedded in the dark. Cosy! The scent of candles, small fire in the stove, good
book to read curled up on the sofa’s favourite corner. Cosy, cosy, cosy!

Birdsong
silence as the birds disappear south, flocks of thrushes pass under excitedly
chatter and melancholy whistles, plows of cranes, replacing the wilderness
against Spanish olive groves. A tawny owl who shouts at night. It’s not bad,
all seasons have their charm.

I Took a
quick tour to Kvismaren, a legendary bird locality that I managed to miss all
these years, and got to see the egret heron, quite unusual in Sweden, three
together, even rarer. Lovely! Moreover, within the reach of a close-up because
I dragged with me the big camera with the big lens! Amazingly, something must
be wrong …

Yes,
indeed, the error came on heavy wings! I could not get the camera out of the
bag until the cursed sea eagle swooped down over the bird lake. Thousands of
ducks, geese, grey herons and three white egret herons took off in wild panic.

I have a
good friend who works with sea eagles, why does he do that? They’re big, ugly,
fat dumb and most likely innately evil. My egret herons spent the rest of the
day far away from me and my camera, I had to photograph cows and red leaves
instead. It is one hell of being a nature photographer when that damn
scavengers are nearby. (just kidding!)

Friday, a
work week is coming to its end. Up 5:00, securely with porridge for breakfast,
then one and a half hour’s drive to the current nature reserve.

30 kg larch
timber must first be worn about 2 km in steep and rugged terrain, and then it
will be operating a chain saw rest of the day. Wonderful, never bored at work!

Was joined
for a while by a hunting dog, it’s elk hunt going on, but it seemed more
interested in our backpacks (where lunch sandwiches loomed) than moose!

Fought on
trying to finish a sanctuary boundary before the weekend, and managed even
though it was late. 17:30 was 27 kg packing ready to go home with a few more km
crappy terrain, and one and a half hour’s drive, predominantly along poor dirt
roads. I did not have trouble falling asleep last night.

Some
moments I feel like I’m too old for this shit … But it is often forgotten the
very next morning. 😉

It’s been a
fantastic summer, far more pleasant than the last year that rained away. Much
effort and almost no free time, just like it used to be, but why complain, shovelling
out 50 tons of gravel’s also a pleasure, as well as …

The work
has been varied. Shovelling gravel for parking lots, cleared forests for new
sanctuary boundaries, inventory lichens, opened a new nature reserves etc. Now
it’s finally calm down. Weekends are free and can be used for purposes other
than work. This weekend was rainy and was a good fit for editing.

At last I
got ready video of the paragliding weeks in Turkey last year. (It took almost a
year to get it done … I’m lazy or what is wrong with me?)

//player.vimeo.com/video/73521224

Sorry, long
time since I last wrote, but it’s summer, you know! Work, always that work!

Today it
was time to start with a new sanctuary, Björnhultet. Clean out the hut, fell
around the buildings and chopping wood for the winter. It’s always nice to work
where it can be seen a result afterwards.

Before …

And after!
Difference, right?

At the
beginning of last century, as many as twenty loggers stay here during the week.
The stables held three horses. The cabin is open and firewood available. You
are welcome to visit at any time during the year.

It is a fabulously
good year for cloudberries; eat lots of sun-warmed berries for lunch every day!
Yummy!

I have met
further moose calves during the week and it is amazing how well it can be seen
what will become of them…

We had
seven active golden eagle territory and a great spring, but got only a little
one this year. If you want to be positive about it, that is at least one more
than last year. There also seems to be the same tendency in the neighbouring
counties, few kids was born. Maybe it’s because poor prey availability.

On Friday
it was time for ringing, I hope to return with information on the eagle’s
continuing adventures in the coming winter. The eagles we previously ringed
usually show up on carrion in the neighbouring counties, where dedicated
ornithologists studying them.

One does
not like to shake hands with a golden eagle, not even with a small one, for the
sharpness and power of the claws are impressive.

During the
week I’ve had moose cow with calves in front of the car on two occasions,
nature is a great nursery right now.

Moose
Maroon calves are like candy for the bears and wolves, a common prey during the
summer.

It’s easy
to be enamoured of the cute calves, but under the surface waiting a monster, by
next winter, it is an apple juice thirsty beast!

Working
with animals and nature can sometimes be challenging. I have struggled with
both roe deer and wolves, been hit, chewed on, chased and yelled at but never
so dishonest treated as from an Ural owl!

Although I
immediately heeded the warning, the loud snapping beak, and quickly removed
myself from the settlement I was beaten! I did not have to take many steps
before the battering ram hit me. The cap flew about five feet while I fell
forward with several stinging bloody streaks across the scalp. If it had been a
tourist, or a curious senior citizen … But me! At work, on official business!

When I
finally caught sight of the evildoer, I was pissed. It looked completely
unaware and protested it’s innocence. Who, me? I’m just a sweet little owl …

It’s right
now they have kids and can be extra grumpy. Be careful out there!

Vimyren Nature Reserve 2005-05-28