https://www.alojapan.com/1422278/himeji-japan-4k-walking-tour-himeji-castle-at-dawn-silent-early-morning-walk/ Himeji, Japan 4K Walking Tour – Himeji Castle at Dawn (Silent Early Morning Walk) #4kWalkingTour #AsmrWalk #CastleWalk #DawnWalk #DawnWalksJapan #EarlyMorningWalk #Himeji #HimejiCastle #HimejiCastleWalk #HimejiJapan #HimejiStation #HimejiWalkingTour #HyogoJapan #Japan4k #JapanAsmr #JapanCityWalk #JapanTravel #JapanWalk #JapanWalkingTour #JapaneseCastle #Kobe #KobeDestinations #KobeTour #KobeTravel #KobeTrip #KobeVacation #SilentWalk #SunriseWalk #TravelJapan #神戸

A Quiet Reward – A Long Walk and a Long-Tailed Friend

Yesterday was a remarkable day out in the field — 15 kilometers through the forests and heathlands, 12 kilos on my back, chasing light, sound, and stillness. The birdlife was active but elusive. A falcon flew over me twice in the pre-dawn dimness, barely two meters above — breathtaking, but far too fast for a photo.

I spotted geese, some fluttering tits leaping through treetops, and then… almost home. Just before reaching my Ioniq 5, tired and happy, I was gifted one last moment: a long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus, or staartmees in Dutch), feasting on berries just meters away.

I shifted into stealth mode, barely breathing, and quietly captured the scene with my Canon 7D Mark II and Sigma 100–400mm lens. This small bird, with its oversized tail and round body, is a social species, often seen in flocks — but today, I had a private audience.

To close the walk, a pararge aegeria (bont zandoogje) fluttered by, resting in a sunny patch. A bonus. A bow at the end of the forest’s performance.

#staartmees #aegithaloscaudatus #longtailedtit #birdencounter #canon7dmarkii #sigma100400 #bontzandoogje #parargeaegeria #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #naturewalk #dutchwildlife #natuurfotografie #forestlife #vogelsinbeeld #urbanwildlife #tilburgnatuur #earlymorningwalk #natuurmoment #birdwatchinglife #macroandmore #brabantnature #hiddenbeauty #heathlandbirds #nederlandsenatuur #closeencounters #stealthphotography #wildlifelovers #ontheroadback #naturemagic

Morning Jewels – Dew, Webs & Wildflowers at Regte Heide

Yesterday’s early walk on the Regte Heide wasn’t just about the sweeping landscape — it was also about the quiet, intricate wonders revealed on my way back. With the sun slowly rising behind me, the morning dew settled like a gentle veil over everything — from spider webs to flower buds, grasses, and seed heads.

Armed with my Canon 5D Mark III and the Canon MP-E 65mm macro lens, I focused in. The Calluna vulgaris (common heather) had just begun to bloom — visible in the first and fifth photos. In the second, a European garden spider (Araneus diadematus) sits patiently in its dew-covered web, each droplet catching light like tiny crystals.

Photo three reveals seeding grass, delicate and fragile. The fourth features a dew-dusted thistle. Then come two species I identified later with Google Lens: Chamaenerion angustifolium (wilgenroosje) in the sixth shot and Lonicera periclymenum ‘Belgica’ (boskamperfoelie) in the seventh.

And finally — a glance outward again. My Canon 7D Mark II with the Sigma 100–400mm lens captured the distant skyline of my hometown, Tilburg, as seen from the edge of the heather fields.

In every drop and bloom, nature whispers its detail. We just need to slow down and look.

#regteheide #morningdew #macrophoto #canon5dmarkiii #canonmpe65 #canon7dmarkii #sigma100400 #heidebloei #araneusdiadematus #dewcovered #wildflowers #natuurmoment #tilburgview #earlymorningwalk #boskamperfoelie #wilgenroosje #nederlandsenatuur #landschapsfotografie #macrodetails #floweringheath #dewphotography #natuurfotografie #herbaceousplants #dutchlandscape #macroexploration #urbanhorizon #quietnature #biodiversity #wildplantsoftheday #hiddenbeauty

A Whisper in the Canopy – Meeting the European Red Squirrel

Yesterday, while taking a quiet forest stroll, I heard rustling above. My eyes followed a shadow with a long, bushy tail descending the tree—it was the European red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris, rode Europese eekhoorn). I switched to my Canon 5D Mark III with the Sigma 100–400mm lens and managed to capture a candid moment—though the shutter noise likely startled this curious little fellow.

Red squirrels are diurnal and primarily arboreal, foraging for seeds, nuts, fungi, and occasionally eggs. As scatter-hoarders, they play a crucial ecological role—burying seeds that can grow into new trees when forgotten. These creatures breed twice a year (Feb–Mar and May–Aug), with typically 3–7 offspring per litter. Though adults can live up to 6–7 years, most survive only 2–4 years in the wild.

Spotting this squirrel in the early morning light—especially right where the jays were playing—felt like nature’s quiet encore. It reminded me how vibrant and vital our local forests are, even in subtle, fleeting moments.

#rodeekhoorn #redsquirrel #sciurusvulgaris #canon5dmarkiii #sigma100400 #forestphotography #natuurtilburg #wildlifephotography #earlymorningwalk #arborealmoment #scatterhoarder #forestecosystem #biodiversity #natuurfotografie #insectandmammal #animalbehavior #seeddispersal #springwildlife #secretforest #wildlifesentinel #naturecloseup #treecreatures #ourlocalforest #mei2025 #nederlandsenatuur

Morning Mischief – Encounter with the Eurasian Jay

Yesterday, during an early walk through our local forest in Tilburg, I was surprised by two Garrulus glandarius — Eurasian jays, or Vlaamse gaaien in Dutch. Perched between shadows and streaks of morning light, they were hopping, chasing, and seemingly playing among the branches.

Photographing them with my Canon 7D Mark II and Sigma 100–400mm lens proved to be a delicate dance with the low light and their quick movements — but the experience itself was more valuable than any perfect shot.

Eurasian jays belong to the corvid family, known for their intelligence and complex behavior. They’re not just beautiful with their electric-blue wing feathers — they’re problem-solvers, mimics, and even cache acorns for future meals, playing a vital role in forest regeneration.

It reminded me how even a local patch of woodland can offer something extraordinary — a moment of wild behavior, rarely seen up close. You don’t have to travel far for wonder. Sometimes it finds you.

#eurasianjay #vlaamsegaai #garrulusglandarius #canon7dmarkii #sigma100400 #birdphotography #forestlife #wildlifephotography #earlymorningwalk #dutchforest #nederlandsenatuur #tilburgnatuur #birdbehavior #urbanwildlife #natuurfotografie #birdsofeurope #birdencounter #forestbirds #wildbirds #playingbirds #beautifulbirds #wingsintrees #boswandeling #unexpectednature #birdlovers

Through the Clearing.

A lazy Sunday in mid-autumn morning as the leaves had begun to change. Subdued colours and quiet contemplation.

// Sony α6700 / Sigma 18-50mm ƒ/2.8 DC DN | Contemporary
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© 2024, Robert James Kaes
🚫 Not AI-generated
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#photography #smalltownphotography #photooftheday #coloursofnature #nature #exploremore #natureshots #hikingtrails #landscapephotography #silentsunday #throughtheclearing #railroadbridge #earlymorningwalk