Just a few hours from Narvik, we find some of the most beautiful scenery Norway has to offer. Right from E6 through the eight-kilometer-long Steigen tunnel opened the beautiful landscape of mountains, islets and reefs. No wonder that eagles thrive.
At sea off Helnessund, one of many towns in the Steigenberger is a wealth of islets and reefs, it is here that we find most sea eagles.
We have about 60 breeding pairs only in Steigen, it is the densest stock of sea eagles in Norway that are registered, “said Eagle’s expert Aasmund Gylseth (72).
Aasmund running from one island to the other, shows how the eagles are located, many flies as well as upon us at the appropriate distance.
– young eagles hatch in May, when they are no bigger than a handful.
He is going ashore to take a closer look at a nest.
“Now the kid is 8 weeks old,” he says, before we arrive.
I do not know what I expected in advance, at least that was far from what I saw.
Eight weeks and already 140 cm between the wing tips!
“Even after forty years, I’m still as surprised at how fast they grow,” says Aasmund.
The eagle feeding kids significantly with fish but also other birds like gulls, eiders, and more.
“Otteren is an important partner, catches fish, eats half and leaves the rest to eagles.
Aasmund ring marks the eagle at four weeks of age.
– Before they are too small, there will be a danger that the ring can move over the claws.
That the eagle’s mother and father do not like our visit is clear, they are running low-flying just above our heads. It is an impressive bird, they can be 250 cm between the wing tips.
A pair of eagles usually lives together forever.
– We have evidence that eagles can be 32 years old, but I estimate that someone can get up to forty years.
– It happens that a young bird tries, that is when there is a struggle that we have seen in the media lately.
He adds that it is important that people comply with the ban on seeking nests.
– In the early days it is enough that the parents are away for half an hour, after that there is the danger that the kid freeze to death.
– Is it common with eagle out here?
– No, there is precious little, here it could have been done more.
He points to Trøndelag where one has managed to make a store of it, well to mark in safe forms.
Eagle or not, the beautiful coastal landscape is worth a visit.
And young eagles are flying after 12 weeks.
(Source: https://www.fremover.no/steigen/ornene/e6/her-er-norges-tetteste-bestand-av-havorn/s/5-17-292155)
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