Zorro on the moorland

It’s really “cool” to be outside in these special circumstances. Frost and sunrise light did the magic. The moor was suddenly painted in blue and orange colors. A perching Great Grey Shrike (Lanius excubitor/Klapekster) completed the wonder winter scenery.

 

Nature is full of surprises. Shrikes are one of them. They are medium-sized birds with a long tail, strong bill with hooked tip, and sharp claws. Although they behave as birds of prey they are in fact passerines. They like to perch at high points and to overlook the area for prey.

* Canon EOS 5D Mark III, 500mm/f4; ISO-800, f5.6, 1/320s; +0.7 stop; tripod.

SEO

Here is my last post of 2015. A big wish has come true! This Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus/Velduil) suddenly decided to land just in front of me and enjoy the last sunshine of the day. Look at those fierce yellow eyes! This is definitely one of the best nature experiences I had this year. In the background you see a few houses of the village Zevenhuizen.

* Canon EOS 7D, 500mm/f4; ISO-400, f5, 1/164s; -0.3 stop; tripod.
* Canon EOS 7D, 500mm/f4; ISO-400, f4.5, 1/500s; -0.3 stop; tripod.

Amazing Kestrels

Kestrels (Falco tinnunculus/Torenvalk) were excellent models today. Ditches and margins of fields are their favourite habitat for catching voles.

* Canon EOS 7D, 500mm/f4; ISO-400, f4.5, 1/1600s; tripod.
* Canon EOS 7D, 500mm/f4; ISO-400, f4, 1/1600s; tripod.

Reichswald

The terror attack in Paris of 2 days ago resonates everywhere in the world. It feels a bit strange to be in this quiet old Reichswald forest this morning. The forest has ears and the fields have eyes. This is an old saying for medieval times . Although the quietness is all around you could still sense an “unheimisch” atmosphere. Probably this has to do with the heavy fighting at the end of WOII in this forest.

* Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 16-35mm/f4 @ 16mm; ISO-400, f9, 1/60s; hand held.

Beech forest

Beech forest in autumn colors. I tried to focus more on forest photography this autumn. It is not easy. It is very much about creating order out of chaos.

* Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 70-200mm/f2.8 @ 75 mm; ISO-400, f16, 1/2s; +0.7 stop; tripod.
* Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 16-35mm/f4 @ 16mm; ISO-400, f16, 1.3s; polarization filter; tripod.

Mushroom plate

* Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 50mm/f1.8; ISO-400, f7.1, 1/80s; hand held.

Flow lines

Autumn in the Ardennes. Yesterday Bas Mandos and I followed this little mountain stream (La Hoëgne) that starts on the Hautes Fagnes plateau and ends just south of Liège in the river La Meuse, in search for nice compositions. Beautiful place!

* Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 16-35mm/f4 @ 16mm; ISO-100, f16, 5s; polarization filter; tripod.