maikynisute

Yesterday, my wife and I went for a walk through Surea Dorst. We thought we were simply going mushroom hunting—and we did find some—but somehow it turned into one of those walks where everything seems to fall into place.

Although, strangely, we didn't have the best feeling when we first entered the forest.

Then I noticed this little branch of common honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum), hanging quietly against the dark forest background.

The bright red berries stood out beautifully against the green leaves and deep shadows of the forest. These berries are an important food source for wildlife, although they are not suitable for us to eat.

I photographed them with my Canon 5D and Sigma 100–400mm, using the long lens to isolate the branch and let the darker surroundings become a natural backdrop.

Sometimes you go looking for mushrooms and find something else entirely.

#LoniceraPericlymenum #CommonHoneysuckle #WildeKamperfoelie #Honeysuckle #SureaDorst #Dorst #NaturePhotography #PlantPhotography #BotanicalPhotography #DutchNature #NetherlandsPhotography #ForestPhotography #ForestLife #WildPlants #WildBerries #NatureDetails #NatureAndScience #Woodland #ForestWalk #NatureWalk #AutumnNature #Canon5D #Sigma100400 #SigmaPhotography #WildlifeAndNature #Photography #WonderingLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #MaikyNisute

A Bird of Prey!

During our guided tour of Marker Wadden, I was listening to our guide.

Mostly. >.>

Because even when someone is explaining what makes a landscape special, the photographer part of my brain doesn't really switch off. I'm always looking around. What's moving? What's flying? What just changed in the corner of my eye?

And then I pointed upwards.

“Look! A bird of prey!”

That was as far as my identification skills went at that particular moment. ^.-

I quickly raised my Canon 7D Mark II with the Sigma 100–400mm and managed to get a few photographs before the bird moved on.

Only afterwards, when I zoomed in on the camera, could I properly investigate what I'd actually photographed.

A **Western marsh harrier** (*Circus aeruginosus*), or *bruine kiekendief* in Dutch.

It was a particularly appropriate bird to find here. Western marsh harriers are closely associated with wetlands, marshes and reedbeds, exactly the kind of habitats that Marker Wadden is creating.

That is one of the things I find fascinating about this place. The islands may have been constructed by people, but once you create the right conditions, nature starts writing its own story.

And apparently, sometimes you have to interrupt the guide for a moment to notice it happening above your head.

I may not have known what bird it was when I pressed the shutter.

But at least I knew it was worth photographing.

#WesternMarshHarrier #CircusAeruginosus #BruineKiekendief #MarkerWadden #Markermeer #BirdOfPrey #BirdPhotography #BirdsOfTheNetherlands #DutchNature #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography #Birdwatching #Wetland #WetlandBirds #NatureRestoration #NewNature #BuildingWithNature #Ecology #NetherlandsPhotography #DutchLandscape #Canon7DMarkII #Sigma100400 #SigmaPhotography #NatureAndScience #Wildlife #Photography #WonderingLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #MaikyNisute