The first photo on a new blog: Laak's Great northern loon
For a few months already I have been back to birding more intensely. After a break of a few years, I really felt like it was time to get started again. The past few years I have simply been too busy with studying and my job, but this year — after a switch from majoring in artificial intelligence to earth sciences — I have much more time available. So recently I have been going out in nature much more frequently.
Until today, I have exclusively shared those experiences on Facebook, but in the past few weeks I have found many people who are sharing their birding and nature experiences on an external blog. Because I really enjoy reading those blogs, I think I should do the same. Also because sometimes I feel a little hesitant sharing a ton of photos on Facebook (especially if the species remains the same over multiple posts). So, in the future, I will primarily be sharing photos and experiences on this blog. Of course I will share these posts on Facebook, but photos itself will only be shared occasionally.
Today the plan was to visit Meijendel, the dunes north of The Hague, to spot foxes. I’ve often seen them in the light of my head torch, on the beach or on the parking lot at Zwarte pad, but I haven’t been able to shoot them yet in good light. Since there is a rare Great northern loom in Laak (where I live), I first wanted to stop by on the way to the foxes. And… you guessed it: that plan changed entirely, I stuck with the loon for the day. In the end the weather wasn’t good enough to go in the dunes extensively anyways.
Most of the time, when the loon is not underwater, it’s just floating along like this on the Laak channel.
There are a few shipping containers that reflect nicely in the water. The birds’ eye is coloured similarly.
You often see the loon lowering its head just above the water surface. Usually it’s about to dive or chase a eurasian coot. If you see a flock of coots scatter, chances are big the loon is nearby.
It’s a shame the light was so bad as the colors were pretty nice.
Almost perfectly camouflaged.
A headshot. Quite easy to make as this big bird is often within 5 meters of you.
Two more photos of the same loon on the same location from a few days ago. I have since calibrated my lens and shoot at faster shutter speeds, so there is a clear difference in sharpness, even though the light today was much worse.
