Departure

Knut-Sverre Horn's Image

The feet, the beak and a faint white circle disturbing the uniform blue derive from three black-legged kittiwakes. They are part of a noisy colony of more than 20,000 birds that extends nearly one kilometre along steep cliffs by the Varanger Fjord in Norway.

Kittiwake numbers are rapidly decreasing, mainly due to dwindling food supplies. Overfishing, pollution and the effect of climate change on sea conditions are all impacting the fish populations that kittiwakes rely on

Behind the lens

Knut-Sverre Horn

Knut-Sverre Horn

Norway

Knut-Sverre is a reporter for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. He’s been a bird and wildlife enthusiast for as long as he can remember, saving money for his first binoculars at age seven, getting his first SLR camera at age 12 and having his photos published in national magazines at age 14. He grew up in southern Norway but moved north 27 years ago to Vadsø in the Varanger region, well known in the birding community for its abundance of seabirds, waders and Arctic ducks, as well as quite a lot of rare vagrants.

Image details

  • Nikon D850
  • 600mm f4 lens
  • 1/2000 sec at f6.3  •   ISO 400 Sachtler tripod + Wimberley head
  • Ekkerøy, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
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