Pohtiolampi
Kesäpäivä Rent & Adventures
Welcome to the Pohtiolampi Osprey Photography Hides!
Pohtiolampi is a unique nature destination offering outstanding opportunities for nature experiences, especially bird and wildlife photography. On this page, you will find the essential guidelines and practical information to help ensure your visit is safe, enjoyable, and respectful of both fellow photographers and the surrounding wildlife.
Guidelines for Photographers
- Your photography session begins at 5:00 PM on the day of your booking and ends at 4:00 PM the following day, for a total of 23 hours.
- Each booking includes access to Photography Hide No. 2 and the "Barrel Hide."
- Please keep the doors of the photography hides closed at all times.
- In the morning, the Barrel Hide offers a spectacular opportunity to photograph wildlife at water level in the rising sunlight. Photography Hide No. 2 is an excellent location during the last hours of evening light on summer nights.
- Access to and from the hides is via the bridge only. Any movement outside the hides may disturb the birds and should be avoided. Whenever possible, move during low-light hours, except during booking changeovers and scheduled maintenance periods.
- If you need to leave the photography area briefly—for example, to visit the Pohtiolampi Visitor Centre or the guesthouse—it is best to do so during the quieter midday hours, between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM.
- Please do not remain in the woodland on the opposite side of the bridge for extended periods, as the ospreys will notice movement there as well.
- The ponds are stocked with native Finnish fish species—no rainbow trout are used.
- In addition to ospreys, regular species at the ponds include great black-backed gulls, other common gull species, goosanders, tufted ducks, whooper swans (which nest on the ponds), grey herons, common goldeneyes, mallards, and the western marsh harrier. During the summer of 2026, despite his remarkable age, the legendary "Red Baron of Pohtiolampi" continues to visit his home pond to hunt—making this a unique opportunity to photograph this well-known osprey.
