Not long after the woodpecker encounter, another moment presented itself—quieter, more subtle.

A female chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) perched in a nearby leafless bush, softly lit by the same early morning light. Where the male often stands out with brighter colors, the female carries a more modest palette—warm browns and soft tones that blend beautifully into the winter branches.

It’s easy to overlook birds like this, especially after the excitement of spotting a woodpecker. But standing there, watching her move carefully between the bare twigs, it became clear: this is just as much a part of the story.

Moments like these slow you down. They remind you to look beyond the obvious, to appreciate the quieter presence in nature.

Scientifically, this more subdued coloration is no coincidence. It provides camouflage, especially during nesting periods, helping females stay hidden from predators.

Captured at the same location, with my Canon 5D Mark IV and Canon 100–400.

A continuation of the same walk, the same morning… just a different kind of beauty.

#Chaffinch #FringillaCoelebs #Vink #FemaleChaffinch #GroesbeekseBos #DutchNature #NatureNetherlands #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #ForestBirds #MorningLight #NatureWalk #QuietMoments #SubtleBeauty #NatureObservation #BirdLovers #WildlifeLovers #OutdoorPhotography #NaturePhotography #CanonPhotography #Canon5DMarkIV #Canon100400 #Telephoto #PhotographyTechnique #NaturalLight #ExploringNature #WonderingLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #PixelfedPhotography
The woodpecker in the morning sun.

During a very early morning walk in the Groesbeekse Bos, my wife and I spent our 26th anniversary doing what we both love—being out in nature. This time, I wasn’t just photographing, I was also teaching. She had her Canon 7D Mark II with my Sigma 100–400, while I worked with my Canon 5D Mark IV and the original Canon 100–400.

Then we found it: the Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major), recognizable by the red patch on the back of its head. A beautiful subject, lit by the soft morning sun.

She positioned herself on the other side of the tree, shooting into the light—worried the bird would fly if she moved. And that fear is real. But it also became a lesson: first enjoy the moment, then observe, and only then try to capture it. Sometimes that means carefully adjusting your position. If the bird flies away, at least you truly experienced it.

This image is mine, but the moment was ours.

Woodpeckers use their reinforced skulls and shock-absorbing structures to peck thousands of times a day without injury—nature’s engineering at its finest.

Captured with my Canon 5D Mark IV and Canon 100–400.

#GreatSpottedWoodpecker #DendrocoposMajor #GroteBonteSpecht #GroesbeekseBos #DutchNature #NatureNetherlands #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #ForestBirds #MorningLight #NatureWalk #LearningPhotography #PhotographyJourney #NatureMoments #BirdLovers #WildlifeLovers #OutdoorPhotography #NatureObservation #CanonPhotography #Canon5DMarkIV #Canon100400 #Telephoto #PhotographyTechnique #NaturalLight #ExploringNature #WonderingLens #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #PixelfedPhotography #MomentsInNature
Photo by Sam Blount / UPY2026

Lunging Leopard. Winner, Up & Coming, and Up & Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year. Blount: “For years, the leopard seal topped my Antarctic wish list, a predator I dreamed of encountering face to face. I have to say, this dive was everything I could have hoped for: clear water, good lighting, and a playful seal. Leopard seals wield an astonishing array of dominance displays, and this one put them all to use, darting around me with effortless power.”

Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/photography/2026/02/winners-2026-underwater-photographer-year-contest/686157/
#photography #fotografie #animal #nature #naturelovers #wildlife #wildlifelovers #seal #leopardseal #antarctic #antarctique
Photo by Matty Smith

Rockpool Rookies. Winner, Portrait, and Underwater Photographer of the Year 2026. Smith: “Once several weeks old and weaned from their mother’s milk, elephant seal pups are abandoned by their parents on shore, left to navigate life alone. On Sea Lion Island in the Falklands, I watched dozens of them clamber over one another in shallow rockpools, awkwardly learning to swim, and quite engaging to my presence. I’d come here for this moment, to witness and photograph their first solo lessons in life.”

Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/photography/2026/02/winners-2026-underwater-photographer-year-contest/686157/
#photography #fotografie #animal #nature #naturelovers #wildlife #wildlifelovers #portrait #animalportrait #seal #sealion #falkland #falklandislands #maldivas
Photo by Marcus Westberg / Sony World Photography Awards 2026

Shortlist, Wildlife & Nature. From a project named South Sudan’s Forgotten Wilderness, featuring aerial photographs of many different animals in the region. Here, a herd of African savanna elephants moves through wetlands in Jonglei State.

Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/photography/2026/03/finalists-2026-sony-world-photography-awards-professional-competition/686217/
#photography #fotografie #animal #nature #naturelovers #wildlife #wildlifelovers #sudan #wilderness #aerialphotography #aerialview #aerial #african #savanna #elephant #elephants #wetlands
Photo by Benjamin Pawlica / Sony World Photography Awards 2026

“Rain of Spores.” Shortlist, Wildlife & Nature. From a project named Fairy Mushroom Sporulations, showcasing spores being released from a number of different mushrooms.

Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/photography/2026/03/finalists-2026-sony-world-photography-awards-professional-competition/686217/
#photography #fotografie #nature #naturelovers #wildlife #wildlifelovers #champignon #mushroom #cogumelo #pilze #spores #sporulation #fungus
Photo by Sunita Mandal / Sony World Photography Awards 2026

Shortlist, Wildlife & Nature. From a project named Born of Ice. A mother polar bear shelters two tiny cubs at the mouth of a wind-carved snow den on Baffin Island’s sea ice in their first weeks above ground.

Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/photography/2026/03/finalists-2026-sony-world-photography-awards-professional-competition/686217/
#photography #fotografie #animal #nature #naturelovers #wildlife #wildlifelovers #ice #polar #polarbear #bear #ours #oursonpolaire #island #islande
Photo by Hugo Hebbe / Sony World Photography Awards 2026

“Kamaya.” Shortlist, Wildlife & Nature. From a project named Guardians of the Jungle, exploring encounters with wild western lowland gorillas in the Congo Basin. Hugo Hebbe: “Kamaya sits in full majesty, gazing into the distance in the jungle of Gabon. His massive frame dominates the image, imposing yet composed. Although fully wild, he has grown accustomed to human presence.”

Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/photography/2026/03/finalists-2026-sony-world-photography-awards-professional-competition/686217/
#photography #fotografie #animal #nature #naturelovers #congo #africa #jungle #wildlife #wildlifelovers #gorilla #gorillas #greatape #primateportraits #primate
Hanneke Van Camp / Natural Landscape Photography Awards

"Projects, Winner. Living Landscapes. “Ever since I first traveled to Sápmi, I’ve felt deeply connected to its landscapes and culture. It has become my part-time home—a place of incredible beauty but also of fragility, facing threats from climate change and exploitation. Through this project, I hope to share its unique diversity and invite others to reconnect with nature and the values it carries.”"

Source: https://www.theatlantic.com/photography/archive/2025/09/winners-2025-natural-landscape-photography-awards/684334/
#photography #sapmi #artic #scandinaviannature #scandinavia #nature #animal #wildlife #wildlifelovers #landscape #paisagem #snow #deer #deerphotography