First Signs of Thaw

A winter landscape at the Hatertse Vennen captured at the moment the thaw began. Snow still covers the heath and grasses, while the ice on the shallow pools is starting to break and soften.

#landscapephotography #DutchNature #SonyAlpha #A7V

On the last day of snow, just before the thaw quietly set in, winter paused for a moment at our garden fence.

Perched there was a Eurasian chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), known in Dutch as the vink. Alert, upright, and clearly assessing the situation, it seemed to be weighing its chances. The bird feeder was busy — mostly house sparrows, with a few blue tits and great tits darting in and out. Below them, pigeons, blackbirds, magpies and crows scavenged the ground for what inevitably falls. An efficient little ecosystem, even on a grey winter morning.

From the warmth of the house, I watched it all unfold. Outside, the world was cold and muted; inside, quiet and still. The chaffinch waited. This species is known for its adaptability, especially in winter, when flexible feeding strategies and patience can make all the difference. Rather than forcing its way in, it observed — conserving energy, reading movement, timing its next move.

The light was flat and overcast, typical for this time of year. With snow still present and clouds acting like a giant softbox, contrast was low. To keep detail in both feathers and background, I shot handheld with my Canon 5D Mark IV and Sigma 100–400mm at f/11, 1/250 sec, ISO 12800. Not ideal conditions — but honest ones. Winter photography is often about working with what little light you’re given.

There was no drama here. Just calm abundance. Even at the edge of thaw, winter was still quietly doing its work.

#EurasianChaffinch #FringillaCoelebs #Vink
#BirdPhotography #GardenBirds #WinterBirds
#NatureObservation #BackyardWildlife #UrbanNature
#EcologyInAction #NaturalBalance #BirdBehaviour
#WinterLight #OvercastDays #SnowDay
#Canon5DMarkIV #Sigma100400 #HandheldPhotography
#HighISO #NaturalLightPhotography
#DutchNature #NatureInTheNetherlands
#Pixelfed #PixelfedPhotography
#WonderingLens #ByMaikeldeBakker
#NatureStorytelling #WildlifePhotography #EverydayNature

Brr… it has been freezing. The snow has settled, hardened, and now crunches loudly under every step. Usually that sound sends birds and other wildlife scattering long before they come into range of my wondering lens. But not this one. No — this bird stayed.

Late in the afternoon, as the sun briefly pushed through heavy, snow-laden clouds in the Loonse en Drunense Duinen, I noticed a shape in the trees. Calm. Watching. Unimpressed. Almost as if it was thinking: “Hmm… a two-meter-tall human, 110 kilos, plus 15 kilos of camera gear. I’ve seen worse.”

There it was: the Long-eared Owl —
Dutch: Ransuil
English: Long-eared Owl
Latin: Asio otus

Despite its name, those “ears” aren’t ears at all, but feather tufts used for camouflage and communication. In winter, Long-eared Owls often roost quietly during the day, relying on stillness and pattern rather than flight. That stillness is what made this encounter possible, even with the snow betraying every step I took.

Photographing in these conditions is always a balance between physics and physiology. Cold air, fading light, and handheld shooting meant choices had to be made. I settled on f/16, 1/1000s, ISO 3200, using my Canon 5D Mark IV paired with the Sigma 100–400mm. A fast shutter to freeze even the slightest movement, high ISO to compensate, and a deep depth of field to keep that piercing gaze sharp.

#LongEaredOwl #Ransuil #AsioOtus #OwlPhotography #WinterWildlife #DutchNature
#LoonseEnDrunenseDuinen #NatureObservation #WildlifePhotography #BirdsofEurope
#Canon5DMarkIV #Sigma100400 #HandheldPhotography #ColdWeatherPhotography
#SnowCrunch #SilentHunter #FeatheredPredator #AvianEcology #NatureScience
#ForestLight #WinterMood #NatureStories #WatchingEyes #WildlifeEncounter
#RespectNature #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #WonderingLens
#Pixelfed #NatureLovers #BirdWatching #SlowDownAndObserve

The Brave Robin

During a snow-covered walk through the Oisterwijkse Bossen, I ran into an old friend again — or at least, I hoped I did. The European robin (Dutch: Roodborst, Latin: Erithacus rubecula) has a habit of following me on walks, or so it feels. This one, however, was certainly not that robin — and that made the encounter no less special.

I settled at my favorite spot near Café Venkraai, warmly hosted as always by Bart and his team. While most people escaped indoors to sit by the fire, I stayed outside. I’m far more comfortable among feathered company than chatting humans ^.-
Robins were everywhere, joined by blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), great tits (Parus major), and, further off, the rhythmic tapping of a great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major).

Robins are famously territorial, especially during breeding season. Yet in winter, when survival outweighs rivalry, they often tolerate each other — sometimes even appearing playful. Watching them hop, chase, and briefly share space was a quiet reminder of how behavior adapts to conditions.

While enjoying a chai latte and a vegan worstenbroodje, one robin joined me at the table, eyeing me hopefully. I shared a tiny crumb — sparingly — knowing bread isn’t ideal for birds. Note to self: bring dried mealworms next time.

This image was taken around 11:00 in freezing conditions, using my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with the Sigma 100–400mm at 400mm, f/6.3, ISO 3200, 1/250s, handheld, sheltered under the café roof. A small moment of winter trust, quietly earned.

#EuropeanRobin #ErithacusRubecula #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #WinterBirds #OisterwijkseBossen #DutchNature #BirdBehaviour #Canon5DMarkIV #Sigma100400 #HandheldPhotography #LowLightPhotography #NatureLovers #BirdLovers #VeganInNature #CaféVenkraai #ScienceAndNature #Pixelfed #PixelfedNature #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #WonderingLens #QuietMoments #MindfulNature #BirdWatching #NatureConnection #ResponsibleFeeding

Short-toed Treecreeper — a quiet moment at the base of a tree

Some birds don’t announce themselves with color or sound. They whisper.
On the same morning walk through the Oisterwijkse Bossen, I noticed one of those whispers: a Short-toed Treecreeper — Certhia brachydactyla (Boomkruiper in Dutch).

Treecreepers are specialists. Their curved bills and stiff tail feathers are evolutionary tools designed for one task: spiraling up tree trunks while probing bark crevices for insects and spiders. This one was doing exactly that — hopping on and off the lower part of a trunk, pecking quickly, constantly alert. These birds are small, nervous, and very aware of their surroundings, which makes photographing them more about patience than speed.

I moved slowly, trying not to break the rhythm of its foraging. Early morning light was still scarce, and I was fully zoomed in with my Sigma 100–400mm on the Canon 5D Mark IV. That meant f/6.3, ISO 3200, and a shutter speed of 1/250s — about the slowest I’m comfortable with handheld while tracking a moving subject. Noise is a fair trade for sharpness and presence.

Then, unexpectedly, it paused. Just for a moment. Sitting on the ground at the base of the same tree it had been circling, staring ahead as if briefly lost in thought. No motion, no alarm. Just a pause.

That’s the frame that stayed with me. Not dramatic. Not rare in spectacle. But intimate. A small bird, perfectly adapted, taking a breath in a forest that barely noticed.

#ShortToedTreecreeper #CerthiaBrachydactyla #Boomkruiper
#BirdPhotography #ForestBirds #WildlifePhotography
#Canon5DMarkIV #Sigma100400 #HandheldPhotography
#LowLightPhotography #NatureObservation #AvianEcology
#BirdBehavior #WoodlandWildlife #DutchNature
#OisterwijkseBossen #SmallBirds #QuietMoments
#ScientificCuriosity #NatureDetails #FieldBiology
#PixelfedPhotography #NatureLovers #BirdWatchers
#ByMaikeldeBakker #WonderingLens

The Crested Tit — small bird, serious hairstyle

While walking through the Oisterwijkse Bossen, we noticed movement among the dead leaves on the forest floor. At first glance, it looked like just another tit hopping about. But then I saw it. The mohawk. A tiny, unapologetic punk haircut in the middle of the forest.

This was a Crested Tit — Lophophanes cristatus (Kuifmees in Dutch). A species I don’t encounter often, and even more rarely get the chance to photograph. Crested tits are small, fast, and prefer staying low, close to tree trunks, roots, and bushes. Which makes perfect ecological sense in a forest… and perfect photographic chaos.

They forage by flicking through leaf litter, bark, and moss, searching for insects and seeds. That behavior kept this bird constantly in motion, darting between shadows, branches, and undergrowth. Capturing it meant reacting fast and accepting technical compromises.

Light was limited, and depth of field still mattered. I shot this handheld with my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV at f/6.3, 1/250s, ISO 3200. The shutter speed is about as slow as I dare go handheld with a moving subject, but it allowed me to freeze the bird while keeping enough light to preserve feather detail. Noise can be managed; motion blur cannot.

What I love about this image is not just the rarity of the species, but its character. That crest isn’t decorative — it’s communication, posture, attitude. Evolution has a sense of humor, and sometimes it gives it a mohawk.

#CrestedTit #LophophanesCristatus #Kuifmees #BirdPhotography #ForestBirds
#WildlifePhotography #Canon5DMarkIV #HandheldPhotography #LowLightPhotography
#BirdBehavior #NatureObservation #FieldBiology #AvianEcology
#OisterwijkseBossen #DutchNature #WoodlandWildlife
#SmallBirdBigAttitude #NatureDetails #ScientificCuriosity
#PixelfedPhotography #NatureLovers #BirdWatchers
#ByMaikeldeBakker #WonderingLens

It’s been a while since I shared something new. Not because I haven’t wanted to go out… but because the world outside feels unfamiliar lately. December in the Netherlands, normally a time of frost, quiet forests, and the promise of winter, has instead been hovering around 13°C — for weeks. No snow. No frozen ponds. Just rain and warm winds.

And it shows. Trees dropping their leaves later every year. Flowers blooming earlier. Birds already practicing mating calls they shouldn’t be singing in mid-winter. This isn’t “just the weather.” This is a system signalling distress. And after 35 years of fighting climate change — 25 of them actively through Greenpeace, Fossil Free NL, and the Partij voor de Dieren — it weighs on me. I’m angry. I’m tired. And yes, I’m in a depressive episode.

But even in that darkness, light sometimes breaks through.

About two weeks ago in the Kampina, the sun managed to pierce through the dense trees for a brief moment, sending pale golden rays across the forest path. A rare, fragile moment of beauty in a warming world. I captured it handheld with my Canon 5DsR and the Sigma Art set at 44 mm — f/2.8, 1/500s — in the soft, misty morning light around 09:00.

#wonderinglens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #NaturePhotography #ClimateGrief #ClimateChangeIsReal #WarmWinters #ForestLight #Kampina #MorningMist #Canon5DsR #SigmaArt2470 #PhotographyAsObservation #DocumentingChange #ScientificStorytelling #NatureLovers #DutchNature #GlobalWarming #WalkingForClarity #MistyForest #SunRays #LightAndShadow #EarlyMorningLight #HandheldPhotography #ForestsOfTheNetherlands #NatureWalks #EnvironmentalAwareness #ClimateReality #LandscapePhotography #EcoAnxiety #NatureInDecember #UnexpectedWarmth #PhotographyAndScience #ArtAndObservation #ChangingSeasons #ProtectNature #ConservationMatters #ForestPath #EmotionalHonesty #StoryOfTheEarth

Some mornings feel like stepping into a story long before you take the first photograph. A week ago, after a long cold night, I woke up long before sunrise with that familiar excitement buzzing under my skin — the kind that only a camera, a quiet landscape, and a promise of light can create. I pre-heated the car, stepped into the darkness, and let the road guide me toward the Kampina in Noord-Brabant. While most people were on their way to work, I was on my way to chase a sunrise.

And nature delivered.

After a 30-minute walk through the dim early light, the world suddenly shifted. The entire atmosphere turned black and yellow — not just the sky, but the mist, the air, the ground. Low winter sunlight scattered through moisture particles, a phenomenon called Mie scattering, which often produces this rich, glowing yellow hue under the right angle and density conditions.

In the foreground stood an old, gnarled tree — twisted by years of weather and time — silhouetted against a backdrop of dark, leafless woodland. It felt like a character stepping forward from the shadows.

Captured handheld at f/6.3, ISO 640, with my Canon 5D Mark IV and Sigma 100–400mm, this image is a reminder that sometimes you don’t just photograph a sunrise… you walk into it.

#wonderinglens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #sunrisephotography #kampina #noordbrabant #dutchlandscape #naturephotography #mistymorning #yellowmist #gnarledtree #winterlight #canon5dmarkiv #sigma100400 #lightchasing #moodylandscape #atmosphericphotography #storytellingphotography #naturelover #landscape_captures #earthvisuals #treestudy #morningwalks #brabantnatuur #natuurmonumenten #goldenlight #mistandlight #fieldnotes #observationalphotography #photographerslife #ambientlight #dutchnature #wildernessculture #earlymorningvibes #moodygrams #forestmagic #natureperfection #wildscapes #naturestories #lightandlife

Some scenes only reveal their magic when you strip them down to the essentials. I rarely choose black and white — often it feels like an escape hatch when colour fails. But on my latest Arnhem adventure, standing on a hill overlooking a quiet valley west of Park Sonsbeek, colour wasn’t the problem… it was the distraction.

Among the dark reds and browns of late autumn, one bright yellow tree stood defiantly luminous. In colour, it looked beautiful. But in black and white, it transformed completely: its yellow leaves turning almost white, while the surrounding forest dropped into deep shadow. The effect resembled infrared photography — a glowing silhouette breaking through a monochrome world.

Nature doesn’t present these contrasts often, at least not with this kind of precision. It reminded me of the way light interacts with pigments: yellow leaves reflect more of the spectrum, so once converted to monochrome, they soar toward the highlights while other wavelengths sink away. A tiny lesson in physics, hidden inside a valley.

I shot it handheld with my Canon 5DsR and Sigma 24–70 Art at f/2.8, 1/500 sec, ISO 125. The late-afternoon sky was blue with a soft feather-cloud drifting across it — the last warmth of a day that felt oddly mild for the season (yay climate change… said with all the sarcasm required).

Sometimes, simplicity reveals the loudest truth.

#wonderinglens #ByMaikeldeBakker #BlackAndWhitePhotography #InfraredLook #Arnhem #Sonsbeek #NaturePhotography #TreeScenery #MonochromeMagic #FineArtNature #Canon5DsR #Sigma2470Art #HandheldPhotography #ObservationalPhotography #ForestValley #DutchNature #LandscapeFrame #NaturalContrast #AutumnLeaves #LightAndShadow #MoodyLandscape #PhysicsOfLight #InfraredEffect #CreativeMonochrome #PhotoStorytelling #NatureDetails #DutchLandscape #MinimalistNature #PhotographyIsScience #ArtOfObservation #OutdoorAdventures #ForestPhotography #TreePortrait #QuietNature #ValleyView #FramedByNature #WonderingLensPhotography

Yesterday morning felt like one of those quiet bets you make with nature. The night had frozen everything solid, so I suspected there might be low-hanging fog waiting somewhere between the fields and the treelines. As I walked in, part of me was afraid I had already “mist” it — but as the sun crept closer to the horizon, the air began to thicken, soft and silver, like the world taking a slow breath.

Just before sunrise, something unexpected happened. High above the forming fog, an ice cloud lit up in iridescent colours — mostly red, orange, and yellow, with subtle hints of green and blue. Ice crystals at high altitude can refract sunlight much like tiny prisms, creating these fleeting rainbow glows known as irisation. It felt like a quiet scientific miracle happening in real time.

That’s when I saw the leafless tree. Stark, skeletal, patient. And suddenly the composition clicked: a tree seemingly losing its last colours into the sky, like a gentle puff of smoke drifting upward. It’s not my most dramatic image, but there was something special in its simplicity — a moment where winter, light, physics, and imagination lined up just long enough to press the shutter.

Photography, after all, is just another way of studying light and life.

#wonderinglens #ByMaikeldeBakker #NaturePhotography #LandscapeLovers #MorningMist #IceCloud #Iridescence #AtmosphericOptics #WeatherPhenomena #TreeSilhouette #WinterLight #DutchNature #LowlandsMagic #SunriseGlow #ColorInTheSky #FoggyMorning #PhysicsInNature #ScientificStorytelling #CanonPhotography #OutdoorLife #NatureStory #MagicalRealismInNature #NaturalWonder #SkyWatcher #EarthObservations #LightPlay #WanderingWithACamera #DailyExploration #MomentOfCalm #VisualPoetry #CreativeVision #PhotographersLife #ArtOfSeeing #NatureMood #WinterVibes #FieldNotes #MindfulPhotography #NatureIsArt #ChasingLight #StoryThroughLens

Tiny Lanterns on a Mossy Wall

It seems the forest wasn’t finished surprising me that day. After finding the tiny Mycena adscendens carrying that oversized droplet, we stumbled across another colony — same species, same walk, different tree. Only this time they were a little larger (a whole 2–3 mm!) and lined up in a perfect vertical row along a mossy trunk, like miniature lamps climbing their way toward daylight.

The challenge? Light. Or rather the lack of it. The forest was still wrapped in that wet, grey, sleepy atmosphere. Since my MP-E 65mm was already pushed to its limits earlier, I switched things up and used the Sigma 24–70mm Art on the Canon 5DsR. Shooting at f/2.8, 1/400, ISO 3200, I had to rely on every bit of available light — and a steady hand — to keep those microscopic caps sharp while letting the background melt into soft mossy texture.

What I love about mushrooms like Mycena adscendens is how easily they’re overlooked. People step over them every day without ever noticing the tiny worlds unfolding at their feet. But get close enough — really close — and you discover small universes: droplets clinging like glass ornaments, translucent stems glowing against dark bark.

Same forest, same species, same walk… and yet a completely different story.
That’s the magic of photography: the world doesn’t repeat itself unless you ask it kindly.

#MycenaAdscendens #PorcelainBonnet #Micromushrooms #ForestMicrocosmos #FungiFriday #TinyWorlds #MacroPhotography #CloseUpNature #Mycophilia #MushroomMagic #Canon5DsR #Sigma2470Art #LowLightPhotography #HandheldMacro #DarkForestMood #MossAndFungi #DutchNature #Kampina #Oisterwijk #ScientificCuriosity #FieldNotes #NatureDetails #SmallWonders #NaturalTextures #ForestWalks #FungiOfTheDay #MacroLife #MacroVision #NaturePhotography #PhotographyStorytelling #DepthOfField #BokehLove #ISO3200 #F28 #Shutter400 #ForestCreatures #NatureIsArt #ObservationIsKey #MindfulPhotography #ByMaikeldeBakker

Training in the Dark

Some birds seem determined to test a photographer’s patience — or their low-light technique. Lately I keep stumbling into the same situation: dark birds on dark water, surrounded by even darker environments. And this time the mystery guest was a Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula), the Dutch kuifeend, calmly drifting through the shadows at Oranjezon in Zeeland.

Photographing a mostly black bird on black water is a bit like trying to sketch a raven at midnight with a broken pencil. But that’s where the fun begins. With the Canon 5D Mark IV paired with the Sigma 100–400mm, I went for the now-familiar approach: low shutter speed, high ISO, and careful handheld tracking. A balancing act between motion blur and noise, exposure and detail. But when it clicks, it clicks — and this frame caught the elegance of the bird without losing the texture of those inky ripples.

This moment was extra special because I was there with my son. He wanted to escape the pressure of school for a bit, so we drove off at 6:00 in the morning and reached the coast before sunrise. By the time I took this image — around 10:00 — the world had softened, he’d relaxed, and we were just two people sharing cold air, quiet water, and the calming rhythm of nature.

Honestly? Those father-son moments mean more than any perfect exposure ever will.

#TuftedDuck #AythyaFuligula #Kuifeend #Waterfowl #Zeeland #Oranjezon #DutchNature #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #Canon5DMarkIV #Sigma100400 #LowLightPhotography #DarkWaterShots #HandheldPhotography #TrackingShots #NatureLovers #BirdWatching #AvianLife #WildlifeMoments #FatherSonTime #NatureAsTherapy #SchoolStressRelief #EarlyMorningPhotography #BeforeSunrise #CoastalWildlife #EuropeanBirds #BirdingNetherlands #ScientificCuriosity #FieldNotes #StoryBehindTheShot #PhotographyPractice #NatureJournal #ExposureChallenges #ISOHigh #ShutterSpeedLow #NaturalMood #MoodyNature #CalmWaters #WaterBirds #ByMaikeldeBakker

The tiny drama on the shoreline

At the beach of Oranjezon in Zeeland, I stumbled into a miniature comedy act starring two birds with very different personalities. In Dutch we call them a Steenloper and a Drieteenstrandloper — but internationally they’re known as the Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) and the Sanderling (Calidris alba).

The Turnstone was doing its usual business: flipping over shells and stones with impressive determination, searching for hidden snacks. But right behind it — practically glued to its tail — the Sanderling trotted along, refusing to be shooed away. The back-and-forth between them felt like watching a feathered version of the Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote, tiny legs moving at ridiculous speeds.

Photographically, this was a fun challenge. A dark grey day, the sea rolling in behind them, and me lying low with the Canon 5D Mark IV and Sigma 100–400mm at 400mm. Because of the poor light I had to work with a slower shutter speed (1/250s). Tracking two hyperactive birds at that focal length is like trying to thread a needle in a storm — but somehow it worked. The legs slightly blurred just enough to show their speed, while the birds themselves stayed sharp.

I’m honestly proud of this one. A little slice of nature, comedy, and chaos — exactly as it happened on that windy Zeeland beach.

#RuddyTurnstone #ArenariaInterpres #Sanderling #CalidrisAlba #Shorebirds #BeachBirds #Zeeland #Oranjezon #DutchNature #BirdWatching #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #NatureLovers #Canon5DMarkIV #Sigma100400 #TelephotoMagic #TrackingShots #LowAnglePhotography #BirdBehavior #FeatheredFriends #CoastalWildlife #NatureComedy #FastLittleLegs #BlurAndSharp #WildlifeMoments #EuropeanBirds #AvianLife #BeachWalks #StoryBehindTheShot #FieldNotes #NatureDiaries #ScientificCuriosity #PhotographyChallenges #GreyDayPhotography #BirdingNetherlands #NatureReserve #CoastalEcosystem #AnimalInteractions #TinyDrama #ByMaikeldeBakker