Just a shy guy
23 march 2014
Since the begin of januari 2014 I have my own forest hut. After a long period of consultation and discussion the forester and owners of the estate finally give me the permission to built one. So, I'm a happy man.
Untill now (let's say in 10 weeks) I have about 27 different species of birds around the hut. One of the most unexpected is the Black Woodpecker. This extremely shy bird shows himself rarely.
On this day I heard two copies calling to each other, an unmistakable call. So, one of them seems to get closer and closer and eventually I got him in sight:
My first Black Woodpecker!
HERE you can find the images.
Wednesday, 27 november 2013
Another stranger
This day I visited Zwolle to meet an extremely rare appearance for the Netherlands.
Since a few days a Nothern Hakw-Owl has been seen in Zwolle. Over the past 100 years the owl has been seen only three times before in the Netherlands. He normally lives mainly in North American forests, northern Scandinavia and Russia.
It was so special that even the dutch television spent time to it in there news bulletins. Many bird watchers travelled to Zwolle to catch a glimpse of this magnificent bird. And so did I. Despite the fact that the weather was bad, cloudy and no sun at all, the pleasure and satisfaction was great, watching and photographing this unique bird.
HERE you can find the new pics.
Thursday, 10 october 2013
A beautiful rarity
Since more than a week a beautiful rarity has been spotted in The Netherlands. A Eurasian Hoopoe is observed in a district in Katwijk aan Zee.
So, last monday I traveled to Katwijk hoping to see that bird. When I arrived, some other photographers were already there and told me the hoopoe had flown away. Lost out of sight and they showed me the pics they have taken. I was a little bit scared I was too late. I decided to take a short drive to go around, searching for it. And I was lucky! On a piece of wasteland with some allotments I saw a couple of photographers and the hoopoe! We enjoyed almost an hour of this beautiful bird. After that the hoopoe flew to a grassy field foraging for more than an hour.
HERE you can find the new pics.
Sunday, 30 june 2013
A rare appearance
This month I had the opportunity to have an encounter with the Red-backed Shrike.
The Red-backed Shrike is a scarce breeding bird in the Netherlands. The number of breeding pairs is since the seventies of the 20th century regressed. In Netherlands, the Red-backed Shrike almost exclusively appears as breeding bird on sandy soils. Most breeding pairs are located in Drenthe. The huge decline of the Red-backed Shrike certainly has to do with the deterioration of the agricultural area. In particular, the disappearance of many hedges and thickets and the sharp reduction in many large insects has a disastrous effect on the species. The number of the breeding pairs is currently estimated between 250-350.
So, I felt myself a privileged man to be able to meet and to 'shoot' this beautiful bird.
I hope you will enjoy the pic's. Click here and watch!
Friday, 5 april 2013
After a long time...
Time.....the biggest problem of the last months. Due to several problems, work, private circumstances and other things I had almost no free time to go out into the field taking photographs.
In november I visited Barendrecht, where a group of Bohemian Waxwing was settled. A beautiful tropical looking bird. It was a couple of years ago that I had seen these birds for the last time. So, it was great to see them again. Take a look at here to see the pics.
Then the 13th januari of this year was the next opportunity I had. I went to Vlaardingen, to a little nature reserve, known as De Rietputten. It's a famous place for birdwatchers to make photographs of the Bearded Tit. Especially the male is outstanding beautiful.
Click here and watch!
In march, one of my colleague photographers, André Verlaat invited me to come to Den Oever. There is a little pool at the edge of the IJsselmeer, where every year a dozen or more of the Great Crested Grebe are figthing, courting and mating. The day I spent some hours there it was a gray, cloudy day with poor light. But despite of that all, it was a succesfull day.
And finally, the most unexpected experience for me in our little country, flamingo's.
Since a few weeks a group of European flamingo's ánd a group of Chilean Flamingo's stays in the Veluwemeer, near Elburg. So far my only encounter with this kind of bird was at the zoo. And now, in the wild, in Holland! I arrived at sunrise, but the flamingo's were to far away. After waiting for an hour one of them decided to come closer and short after that more and more flamingo's followed.
What a magnificent bird. Watch and enjoy!
Monday, 2 july 2012
Macro
After spending almost every free hour to other things then photography, I finally had some time the last couple of weeks to explore the nature. But but in a different way than using my big tele: macro-photography.
For me, not something to be familiar with. It takes a lot of more time and exercise. Therefore I've done it far to little. Focussing and field of depth and creating a quiet background are the biggest stumbling blocks to me. But as regarding many things in life, practice makes perfect. At least for me.
So, last weeks I spent several hours to this kind of stuff, specially dragon- and demselflies. Take a look at the 'Recently-added' section for all the new pics.
Saturday, 7 january 2012
A wish came true
For years I was looking for this special kind of owl, the short-eared owl. I crossed through the whole country, visited many places where this bird was spotted. But I never succeeded in finding him.
Until the last month of 2011. For the umpteenth time I stepped into my car and drove to the provence Zeeland, near the north-see coast.
And there finally I had my first encounter with the short-eared owl.
Amazing, stunning, thrilling....I can't describe what I felt. The adrenaline flowed through my body. Such a beautiful bird! The long search was finally rewarded.
Enjoy and see the pics right HERE .
Sunday, 18 december 2011
Kestrel-update
The last few weeks I traveled several times to the province Zeeland. In the area near Burgh-Haamstede, called 'the Koudekerkse Inlage', there are a lot of kestrels. Thus far I had never taken satisfied shots of praying kestrels or male kestrels. For some reason, most of the time it looks like that there were only female copies. But not right here. At some point I was able to approach a kestrel at 5-6 meters, which gives me some nice portraits.
HERE you can find the new photographs.
Monday, october 30, 2011
The Red Deer rut 2011
The second half of september is usually the time of the Red Deer rut.
And the best place in Holland to watch this spectacular event is at the National Park Hoge Veluwe. And also this year I've been there several times.
Hoping to see the fightings of the Red deer men, the belling and maybe the mating.
Unfortunately the struggling took place into the woods, far out of my sight.
I could only hear the clattering of the antlers.
Nevertheless I had a great time, again, and it gave me a beautiful collection of photographs.
I hope you enjoy it!
Sunday, july 10, 2011
Long-eared Owl
This week my colleague called my and told me that one of his acquaintances had a few Long-eared Owls in the tree in their garden.
The next day when I took a visit there were six (!) owls in that tree. And I had never seen one before.
Unfortunately they were hidden behind the branches and leaves. Only one owl gave me the opportunity to take a few pictures
You can watch those few images HERE
Saturday, june 4, 2011
My first Redstart
This week, again, I was in the National Park, Hoge Veluwe, 'shooting' some birds.
I heard from different people that they have seen the Redstart. I have never seen this bird before....untill this week.
This shy little bird was being bothered by a Robin, and several times he took place on the same branch.
After two missed options I benefited the third one.
The Redstart gives me just enough time to take some photographs.
Sunday, may 22, 2011
Sweet little cuddly
The last few months I've spent many hours in NP De Hoge Veluwe, photographing birds.
On one place I had my first encounter with this sweet little cuddly-mouse: the Ruddy Vole.
It looks like he has his home under the roots of a tree. Sometimes he takes his change and leaves his safety place to find something to eat. In a rush he goes from one shelter to another, picking up some scattered food.
So cute to watch this sweet little mouse.
You can find all those new pics HERE
Wednesday, may 11, 2011
Some new birds
The past few weeks I could expand my collection of birds.
One of my great wishes was fulfilled: to see and photograph a hawfinch, one of the most beautiful finches.
I had the time to shoot just one picture, but it was overwhelming. Such a wonderful bird!
The second kind was a wheatear. A common bird, but I had never seen one, until now.
Finally I have a major update of several sections as Nuthatch, Bullfinch, Meadow pipit, Black-tailed Godwit, Great tit, Crested tit, Willow tit, Siskin and Redshank.
Also a minor update of Buzzard, Goosander, Linnet, Egyptian Goose, Tree sparrow, Reed Bunting, Rough-legged Buzzard, Chaffinch, White Wagtail and Coal tit. All those images you will find in the birdgallery itself.
Friday, april 1, 2011
Kingfisher-experience 2011
The last few weeks I have spended several days observing a couple of kingfishers.
It's a place where they were breeding the last years, so I was hoping to see them again. And I did.
The first day I only saw a kingfisher female, but all the other days male and female were present.
Fish-transfer, caress, preparing the nest and even mating. All happens before my eyes.
I took a lot of pictures in wonderful daylight, that emphasized more and more the beauty of this bird.
Until the last day, I was hoping I could take shots of the climax: the mating. Unfortunately, they only mate on places too far away, or the light was to poor. Eventually, on the last day I was only able to make a film of this event.
Monday, march 07, 2011
Second meeting with the Red fox
Yesterday I was spending the day in the Amsterdamse Waterleiding Duinen. A great nature-area south-west of Amsterdam.
I was there before in 2010 and now one of my goals was to look for the Red Fox. And I've found him! A great experience again with this beautiful creature. Because this area is vistited every day by so many people, specially in the weekends, this fox isn't anxious as you would expect.
So, this gave me the opportunity to take a fine collections of photographs.
Click HERE to see the photo's
Sunday, february 27, 2011
Hen Harrier
After a short break (and finally had the time to go) I visited a special forage-area in the province of Flevoland.
Here are many birds of prey, including the Hen Harrier.
This was the first time I met this wonderful bird, with his special flight and huntingbehaviour. An intriguing bird of prey!
I was happy to have this experience, even more happy with the pictures it yielded me
Wednesday, january 5, 2011
Just a little big update
This winterperiod I did more than only watching and 'shooting' the bittern.
Today I have updated many birds, most of them in a wintersetting. Below you see a list of the galleries:
Buzzard - Buizerd
Jay - Gaai
Grey Heron - Blauwe reiger
Great Spotted Woodpecker - Grote bonte specht
Goosander - Grote zaagbek
Marsh Tit - Glanskop
Great Tit - Koolmees
Blue Tit - Pimpelmees
Crested Tit - Kuifmees
Fieldfare - Kramsvogel
Kestrel - Torenvalk
Chaffinch - Vink
Tuesday, january 4, 2011
The Bittern
After a long time, finaly a new update.
First of all I wish everyone a very, very happy new year with love, health and happiness...the most important things of life!
The winterperiod has come to an (temporary?) end, snow and ice are almost gone. This long period of wintertime gives the photographer another opportunities.
One of them is the appearance of the bittern. This beautyful bird usually hides in the reeds. But when the water is frozen the bittern will search for an opening in the frozen surface of the water, an airhole, to catch fish.
To do so he has to come more and more out of the reeds and that gives the opportunity to watch this bird.
I was lucky that another bird-photographer told me a place where about four bitterns are living. So, the day before New Year's Eve I took my change. And not without luck.
Sunday, november 7, 2010
Butterflies
Sunday, october 31, 2010
Forest Birds
Thursday, october 28, 2010
Red Deer rut
September, autumn, is the best moment of the year to watch the red deer rut.