Black Grouse
Black Grouse lek is an unforgettable photography experience! During the lek, males compete for the attention of females by showing their shiny black and blue plumage and spreading their lyre-shaped tails. The bubbling calls echo in the morning, snow powders and feathers fly when the males measure each other fiercely. Black Grouse lek is the highlight of spring – and possible to capture from our hides!
We have several Black Grouse lekking sites near Oulu and we make decisions about setting the hides each spring according to the bird activity. It is easy to arrive to our hides on your own with our video instructions but assistance is also available. All our sites are easily accessible by car and a short walk. Hide session starts one hour before sunset and lasts until late morning, lasting usually about 4-6 hours.
Black Grouse photography hides from 140 € / session
Photography experience of your dreams
Rent our Black Grouse hideBook our Black Grouse hide
140 € / single hide / morning
250 € / two person hide / morning (125 € / person)
440 € / 4 mornings in the hide (110 € / person / morning), package can be used alone or with a friend
Book our Black Grouse hide from our web shop or from our office via email at info(@)finnature.fi or via phone at +358 45 129 4264. Full payment of the hide is required at the time of booking. Remember also our new 10 ticket hide package!
It is easy to enter our Black Grouse hides on your own with our video instructions. We will also provide information and photography tips for Black Grouse hides after booking. If you want guidance at hide, we charge a 100 € guidance fee / booking.
Two person hides are available for photographers traveling together. Prices do not include transportation.
You can combine our Black Grouse hides with our Golden Eagle hides in March and in September-October, with our Eagle Owl hides throughout the season, and with our Ruff hides in May!
Two seasons: the hectic spring lek and the charming autumn lek
Spring lek 15th March – 15th May
In spring, Black Grouse photography season starts in March and lasts until mid-May in Oulu area. The “hen week”, meaning the mating, takes place in late April and in early May – this is when the females arrive to the lek.
Autumn lek 15th September – 31st October
Black Grouse have a lek in autumn as well! Their lekking activity might not be as intense as in spring but usually there are more individuals at leks in autumn – this is because also the young males join the lek in autumn. The old males return to the traditional lek sites to claim their spots and the young ones learn the sites from them. Photography season in autumn lasts from mid-September until the end of October. Images from the autumn lek are very different to those from spring, as the surroundings are so different – full of autumn colors and charming lighting!
Hide details
Our Black Grouse photography hides are located in open areas: on a field or on a bog, depending on the lek site. We have several Black Grouse lekking sites near Oulu and we make decisions about setting the hides each spring according to the bird activity. All our sites are easily accessible by car and a short walk.
We have wooden single hides and two-person hides. Our single hides are sit-on hides and have two shooting openings at sitting height. Our two-person hides are lay-on hides and have four openings so both photographers have two openings to use: one low angle and the other about one meter high. We can also bring tent hides to the lek sites if needed. Hides are usually situated so that it is possible to shoot either with frontal lighting or with backlighting. Lek sites have usually 25-30 males lekking.
Book our Black Grouse hide from our web shop or from our office via email at info(@)finnature.fi or via phone at +358 45 129 4264.
Recommended equipment for Black Grouse photography
Entry to Black Grouse hides is early in the morning and you need to be ready in the hides one hour before sunrise. The nighttime temperatures can drop below minus degrees, especially early in the spring and then again in autumn. There are mattresses and sleeping bags in the lay-on hides to bring warmth but it is recommended to dress warmly in layers and take at least a hat, gloves, woolen sweater and woolen socks with. There are also gel candles to provide some warmth in the wooden hides. In spring time, the terrains get wet due to melting snow and we recommend to use rubber boots for entering the hides. Shoes must be taken off in the hides to stay comfortable and clean. There are no toilets in the hides.
All lenses with 100-800 mm focal length are usable in Black Grouse photography. The distance to birds varies a lot as the birds move around the lekking arena and different lenses are useful to obtain different images. If you can choose, we recommend to take for example a combination of 70-200 mm and 500 mm lenses with you, as well as converters. Please note that it is not allowed to change lenses during the hide session as this might scare the birds away. Take your own ball head with you.
If you book a single hide, you will have four shooting openings to use – two at a lower and two at a higher level. In two person hides, both photographers have two shooting openings to use – one at low angle and the other about 1m higher.
Book our Black Grouse hide from our web shop or from our office via email at info(@)finnature.fi or via phone at +358 45 129 4264.
