Jeffrey Van Daele's Photoblog

Hoge Veluwe Field Trip

jeffrey — Wed, 23 May 2012 09:55:06 +0000

The students are getting used to me bragging about the beauty of the Netherlands and the great opportunities it offers in photographing wildlife. This resulted in a recent trip north for a 3-day workshop weekend.

We decided to visit Apenheul Wildpark and late afternoon head to the National Park where students had the opportunity to photograph desserts, heathland, forests, songbirds and mammals. Three intensive days of teaching (and playing Tour Operator ) but I was happy to see that all got overwhelmed by the beauty, diversity and the amount of wildlife the park has to offer. And off course, we had loads of fun! The students (and I) can’t wait to spend another weekend in the outdoors learning about photography while having an unique experience and foremost…a great time!

HOGE VELUWE NATIONAL PARK

De Hoge Veluwe National Park is the largest actively managed conservation area in private hands in the Netherlands. The Park covers 5,400 hectares of woodland, heathland, peat bogs and drift sand. It enjoys a wide variety of plants and animals and provides habitats to extremely rare Red List species. The nature of De Hoge Veluwe National Park is impressive to say the least.
(source & more info: http://www.hogeveluwe.nl/en/14)

HOGE VELUWE GALLERY

>> more images, prints and downloads of the Hoge Veluwe [Image Library]

LOCATION

MOMENTS FROM THE FIELD

Watch this video on YouTube.

Choose the HD version (1080p) for optimal viewing pleasure

Linnet at the harbour of Ghent

jeffrey — Sun, 06 May 2012 11:59:52 +0000

The Linnet (Carduelis cannabina – Kneu) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It derives its scientific name from its fondness for hemp and its English name from its liking for seeds of flax, from which linen is made. Open land with thick bushes is favoured for breeding, including heathland and garden. It builds its nest in a bush, laying 4-7 eggs.

This bird breeds in Europe, western Asia and north Africa. It is partially resident, but many eastern and northern birds migrate further south in the breeding range or move to the coasts. (~wikipedia)

>> more images, prints and downloads of the Linnet [Image Library]

Location: Kluizendok, Ghent

Did you know?
The Linnet is on the Red list of Threatened Species in Belgium.

Want to observe the Linnet in Belgium?
>> http://waarnemingen.be/soort/view/135

Moments from the field:

Watch this video on YouTube.

Interesting Links:
- http://vogelvisie.nl/soort/kneu.php [NL]
- http://www.soortenbank.nl/soorten.php?soortengroep=vogels&id=423&menuentry=soorten [NL]
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linnet
- http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/l/linnet/index.aspx

Bird song:

Visit http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Carduelis-cannabina for more songs and calls.

Workshop tvv Vogelopvangcentrum Merelbeke

jeffrey — Sat, 05 May 2012 17:39:32 +0000

In samenwerking met Gemeente Merelbeke en het Opvangcentrum voor Vogels en Wilde Dieren wordt er tijdens de Dag van het Park een workshop natuurfotografie georganiseerd die voor iedereen toegankelijk is, ongeacht het type fototoestel dat je bezit.

We maken een natuurwandeling van een tweetal uur in het Liedermeerspark en onderweg krijg je van mij praktische tips en tricks rond compositie, het kijken, licht, opnamestandpunt, balans, achtergrondkeuze, etc. We eindigen aan het Vogelopvangcentrum waar we ook nog de vogelvrijlating kunnen fotograferen.

De opbrengst van deze workshop gaat integraal naar de werking van het Opvangcentrum voor vogels en Wilde Dieren Merelbeke [www.vocmerelbeke.be].

Datum: 27 mei 2012
Start: 15:30u
Plaats van afspraak: NEC Waterrijk, Verlorenbroodstraat 106 Merelbeke [map]
Einde: +- 17.30 aan het Vogelopvangcentrum
Aantal deelnemers: max 10
Prijs: € 10 pp*
*Voor deze prijs krijg je twee uur workshop en word je automatisch lid van het Vogelopvangcentrum.

Inschrijven kan tijdens de kantooruren op 09/210 35 80 [dienst Cultuur Merelbeke]

Wanneer de cursus op zondag volzet is, wordt er een extra workshop georganiseerd op maandagnamiddag.

Zie het volledig programma op: http://www.merelbeke.be/product.aspx?id=1049

—
in samenwerking met:

Encounter with a Bank Vole

jeffrey — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:25:02 +0000

A few weeks ago I was privileged to spend some time with bank voles in Bois D’Hubermont, Hainaut Belgium. Although they’re very small it’s actually not so hard to locate them. When you stay quiet for a while, you’ll hear the rodents rustle underneath the dead leaves to look for food. It’s just a matter of time until they show themselves.

A good tip: don’t go out searching with strong wind. With every dead leaf that blows by, you’ll think it’s a bank vole. A good test for the reflexes but very frustrating.

>> more images, prints and downloads of the Bank Vole [Image Library]

Watch this video on YouTube.

music: Kendra Springer [Angela]

Want to observe the Bank Vole in Belgium?
>> http://waarnemingen.be/soort/view/420

Interesting Links:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_vole
- http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosse_woelmuis

While you wait

jeffrey — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 08:22:19 +0000

While you’re waiting for a specific type of bird, lots of others pass the venue. It would be a shame not to hit that shutter. This is a miscellaneous bird-post.

>> Recent uploads on EcoFoto.org [Image Library]

I guess I lost track of the ‘Wallpaper of the month’ posts, to catch up the image on top is available as desktop background, just click it.

Blue Throat [Blauwborst]

jeffrey — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 09:55:46 +0000

Up to last year I’ve never heard of a Bluethroat and the moment I realized what a beauty this bird is, it was too late. For some songbirds, you only have a limited time photographing them. At that time, I didn’t really mind because I just wasn’t into bird photography. People change…

>> more images, prints and downloads of the Bluethroat [Image Library]

How do you find such a small bird?
Nowadays with the Internet it’s pretty easy to get to know their whereabouts. Check out your national Observations site (BE: waarnemingen.be, NL: waarneming.nl) and do a search for (yes, indeed) Bluethroat. Check the dates of the observations and make sure the species have been seen for several days in a row. Next you wiki the species to learn something more about their biotope. You probably won’t get to know the exact place of the observation and looking for such a small bird in a sometimes big nature reserve is not that easy. So you’ll need to know what their song sounds like and where they live, feed and nest; in a tree, on the ground, in the reeds, …
Or go look for a spot with lots of bird-lovers and talk to them, they can give you loads of useful information!

Location: Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen, curated by Natuurpunt Ghent

Watch this video on YouTube.

Want to observe the Bluethroat in Belgium?
>> http://waarnemingen.be/soort/view/62

Interesting Links:
- http://vogelvisie.nl/soort/blauwborst.php [NL]
- http://www.soortenbank.nl/soorten.php?soortengroep=vogels&id=305&menuentry=soorten [NL]
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluethroat
- http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/b/bluethroat/index.aspx

Bird song:

Visit http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Luscinia-svecica for more songs and calls.

Wood Anemone: Working with fades

jeffrey — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:22:34 +0000

Spring flowers are what everyone looks forward to seeing. They light up forests and give a fresh inspiration to nature photographers. From the crocuses at the beginning of spring to the wood anemone that blooms until mid summer.

I love working with fades. Not only can you use it to set the atmosphere, it’s also very handy to hide something from the camera and keep it out of the picture. Do this by placing your lens (very) close to – for instance – a flower and focus on a flower a bit further. Let the sun pour on some dead brown leafs or a trunk in the background and it will give a nice warm feeling to the image.

>> more images, prints and downloads of the Wood anemone [Image Library]

One of the main attractions of spring flowers are the “Bluebell Woods”, woodland covered with a carpet of bleubells. Bluebells are already showing in the forests, give them some more sunny days and soon you’ll have a purple carpet dominating the surface. A magnificent sight and a perfect excuse to grab your camera!

Follow the bloom of the Fruit blossoms and Hyacinth in Belgium [Dutch]:
Hyacinth – Hallerbos, Belgium: http://www.hyacint.info/node/331
Fruit blossoms: http://www.bloesemfeesten-haspengouw.be/www-bloesemfeesten-be-Prognose-bloesems-2012.html

European Penduline Tit [Buidelmees]

jeffrey — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:50:22 +0000

European Penduline Tit – Buidelmees - Remiz pendulinus

>> more images, prints and downloads of the Eurasian Penduline Tit [Image Library]

Location: Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen, curated by Natuurpunt Ghent

Some impressions of a spring walk in the Bourgoyen-Ossemeersen:

Watch this video on YouTube.

Did you know?
The Penduline Tit is on the Red list of Threatened Species in Belgium.

Want to observe the Reed Bunting in Belgium?
>> http://waarnemingen.be/soort/view/1206

Interesting Links:
- http://www.soortenbank.nl/soorten.php?soortengroep=vogels&id=386&menuentry=soorten
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Penduline_Tit
- http://www.birdguides.com/species/species.asp?sp=145001

Bird call:

Courtship behaviour of the Common buzzard

jeffrey — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 09:39:32 +0000

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Reed Bunting [Rietgors]

jeffrey — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:26:17 +0000

During springtime the (male) Reed Bunting can be easily recognized by it’s black head, white ‘scarf’ and black lines over a pale brown back. During winter he lacks these features and will mostly be mistaken by a House Sparrow. If you see one, most of them migrate south in winter.

In contrast to the Netherlands, the Reed Bunting is on the Red list of Threatened Species in Belgium.

Did you know?
The Reed Bunting regularly form flocks outside the breeding season, often flocking with other Emberiza species. These flocks form in September.

>> more Reed Bunting images [Image Library]

Want to observe the Reed Bunting in Belgium?
>> http://waarnemingen.be/soort/view/164

Interesting Links:
- http://offline.whatbird.com/obj/697/overview/
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Reed_Bunting
- http://www.soortenbank.nl/soorten.php?soortengroep=vogels&id=446&menuentry=soorten [NL]

Bird song:

Visit http://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Emberiza-schoeniclus for more songs and calls.