Magic Cottongrass

Text is shorter, picture is better. May be my best sunrise Cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium/Veenpluis) photo sofar. I used a soft gradiënt ND filter to balance the image a bit and at the same time keep the diffuse fog structure.

* Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 16-35mm/f4 @ 16mm; ISO-200, f16, 1/2s; ND2 soft gradient filter; tripod.

Insect season is open

Four-spotted Chaser ♂ (Libellula quadrimaculata/Viervlek). Hereby I declare that the dragonfly season is opened officially (photo of May, 8th).
Glanville Fritillary ♀ (Melitaea cinxia/Veldparelmoervlinder). Hereby I also declare that the butterfly season I opened officially. I also welcome this beautiful butterfly species in Noord-Brabant!

* Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 70-200mm/f2.8 @ 160mm; ISO-320, f5, 1/500s; -0.3 stop.
* Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 100mm/f2.8; ISO-400, f5.6, 1/160s; +0.3 stop.

Remake Water-violet

Water-violet (Hottonia palustris/Waterviolier) against the sunset reflection. A remake of May 5-th 2013.

* Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 70-200mm/f2.8 @ 155mm; ISO-400, f4, 1/1000s; -0.3 stop; tripod.

No Orange (Tip) sunrise

And these photos are taken in the field with Cuckoo Flowers (Cardamine pratensis/Pinksterbloem) the next morning. Frost at ground level, no Orange Tips (Anthocharis cardamines/Oranjetip) found. But nevertheless a gorgeous morning.

* Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 70-200mm/f2.8 @ 145mm; ISO-400, f5, 1/320s; tripod.
* Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 70-200mm/f2.8 @ 130mm; ISO-400, f4, 1/1600s; +0.7 stop.

Orange (Tip) sunset

My plan was to spent some photo time on Orange Tips (Anthocharis cardamines/Oranjetip) in the early mornings. However, it didn't turn-out the way I wanted. For some reason they didn’t fly (or at least I could not find them) in the scouted Cuckooflower (Cardamine pratensis/Pinksterbloem) meadows that were ideally situated for sunrises. So for this year you have to do it with an Orange (Tip) sunset ;-).

* Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 70-200mm/f2.8 @ 200mm; ISO-400, f2.8, 1/1000s; tripod.

Next morning

And here is the even better morning show in backlight. It’s springtime! Black-tailed Godwits (Limosa Limosa/Grutto) are in the mood for the coming breeding season. Mating, resting and washing.

* Canon EOS 7D, 500mm/f4; ISO-400, f4.0, 1/400s; + 1 stop; beanbag.
* Canon EOS 7D, 500mm/f4; ISO-400, f4.0, 1/1250s; + 0.7 stop; beanbag.
* Canon EOS 7D, 500mm/f4; ISO-400, f4.0, 1/1250s; + 0.7 stop; beanbag.

Afternoon show

Just as last year I spent an afternoon, night, and morning in a small hide amidst waders and wildfowl. Here are 2 close-ups of the main characters of the afternoon show: ♂ Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa/Grutto) and ♀ Gadwall (Mareca strepera/Krakeend).

* Canon EOS 5D Mark II, 500mm/f4; ISO-200, f5, 1/1000s; + 0.7 stop; beanbag.
* Canon EOS 7D, 500mm/f4; ISO-400, f5.6, 1/250s; + 1 stop; beanbag.