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.

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The Familiar Face of Nature – Great Tits in the Park

This morning, I spent some quiet time in one of Tilburg’s city parks photographing a few Parus major — the great tit, or koolmees in Dutch. These charming little birds hold a special place in my heart. Every spring, a family of great tits nests in my own garden. Watching them raise their young year after year has become a rhythm I cherish deeply.

Today, I brought my Canon 5D Mark III and the Sigma 100–400mm lens. The birds were lively and alert, hopping between branches and calling to one another — always aware, always in motion. Sadly, a shift in the weather cut my visit short, but not before I captured a few peaceful moments.

Great tits are not only beautiful — with their yellow bellies and bold black stripes — but also remarkably adaptive. They’re one of Europe’s most studied songbirds, known for their intelligence and ability to thrive in both woodlands and urban settings.

Sometimes the most meaningful encounters aren’t with rare or exotic species, but with the ones that choose to live alongside us.

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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.

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