My first woodpecker
The year got off to a wonderful start for me. On January 2, I visited Arjan Troost’s Erspelo photo hide with a fellow photographer. It was the perfect opportunity to put my new Canon R6 Mark II to the test, paired with the EF 400mm f/5.6, and to discover whether this lens would be a good fit for me.
The day started a little later than planned. After taking a wrong turn, I struggled to find the location, but eventually we arrived around ten o’clock. Fortunately, the timing couldn’t have been better. A light layer of snow had fallen, creating exactly the kind of beautiful winter atmosphere we had been hoping for instead of the grey, gloomy weather that is so typical of Dutch winters.
Once settled into the hide, it didn’t take long for the first special moments to appear in front of the lens. A woodpecker had been high on my wish list for quite some time, and I was delighted to finally capture one. The real highlight of the day, however, was a chaffinch in flight that appeared perfectly in front of the camera. I also had my first encounter with a buzzard, which was an unexpected and wonderful sight.
In between taking photographs, I had plenty of time to get to know my new camera and lens. But more than anything, I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the hide, the beautiful winter surroundings, and the unexpected moments that make wildlife photography so rewarding.
It was an incredibly enjoyable and educational day, and one that left me eager to get back out into nature and see what the next adventure would bring.
Below you’ll find a selection of the photographs I took during this wonderful day. If you’d like to see a photo in more detail, simply click on the image to enlarge it.
Until next time,
Quirina Kamoen
