"The horned grebe.........""The horned grebe.........""Der Ohrentaucher........."
The days after my first failed encounter with the horned grebes, nothing happened at the lake, none were reported. Since the weather had worsened, I assumed that they had now traveled on to the breeding area.
But then a black-necked grebe was reported at a place we know. But unfortunately it was not there, instead I had a charming encounter with the pochards. The day before, one was also reported 10 km away and we tried there ……but nothing there either....oh well, I thought it was not so bad…..
We went home and I enjoyed the pochards. Then around 3:20 pm I checked the bird reports and lo and behold, two horned grebes were reported again at the aforementioned first spot where I had no luck a few days ago….
But what now?... Go tomorrow?... or right away?…
Tomorrow the sun should be full, too strong/bright/too harsh… today was still a cloud/sun mix and evening light. So off we went, the day is so beautiful, although I was actually already tired from the morning tour.
Once there, we walked along the lake, but at first nothing, only towards the end of the path I saw them….BUT… they were in full backlight and far out… "Damn"… and then they swam into the bay that was not visible and they were gone….:-((
So patience was required…
After a while they came back and swam towards us past us but still too far out… Still in full backlight of the evening sun….. when I realized that they now wanted to swim up to the shore, I waited until they dived and ran into a niche in the bushes by the water…..and waited for them… I hoped that at my level they would turn towards me, to the shore, so the left side would get light and a somewhat decent picture would come out. That worked just barely by demanding everything from the camera. And so it went on, again and again, when they dived, I hurried up the path into a new niche/gap by the water. Then when I reached the last niche…... they did not come…… I went back and saw that they were at the height of Jackie… they had turned….!
NOW….. I said to myself, now the light is perfect …..!!
Now they swam very slowly from right to left, very close to the shore along the evening sun….. It was a dream…..!!
And every time they dived, I crawled out of the hiding place….. and hurried to the next one… Of course, they saw us sitting by the water, they also occasionally came closer to us, but we were no threat to them because we behaved very quietly at the place…
I tell you I "whistled from the last hole"……. my back is still not quite okay, I was out of breath, the concentration to always hold the camera above the water and to catch the horned grebes in the right section/light etc. demanded everything from me…
But it was simply fantastic to experience…. a few backlight pictures were also good, those in beautiful light in all variations imaginable, even the courtship, the wooing, the offering to jump on……… all caught……!
A dream came true and I thanked the two from the bottom of my heart after I could no longer and they then swam further up……
Canon EOS R6II/Canon RF 100-500F 4.5-7.1 IS USM rf1.4
1/1250 sec / aperture 10 / ISO 800 / focal length 700mmThe days after my first failed encounter with the horned grebes, nothing happened at the lake, none were reported. Since the weather had worsened, I assumed that they had now traveled on to the breeding area.
But then a black-necked grebe was reported at a place we know. But unfortunately it was not there, instead I had a charming encounter with the pochards. The day before, one was also reported 10 km away and we tried there ……but nothing there either....oh well, I thought it was not so bad…..
We went home and I enjoyed the pochards. Then around 3:20 pm I checked the bird reports and lo and behold, two horned grebes were reported again at the aforementioned first spot where I had no luck a few days ago….
But what now?... Go tomorrow?... or right away?…
Tomorrow the sun should be full, too strong/bright/too harsh… today was still a cloud/sun mix and evening light. So off we went, the day is so beautiful, although I was actually already tired from the morning tour.
Once there, we walked along the lake, but at first nothing, only towards the end of the path I saw them….BUT… they were in full backlight and far out… "Damn"… and then they swam into the bay that was not visible and they were gone….:-((
So patience was required…
After a while they came back and swam towards us past us but still too far out… Still in full backlight of the evening sun….. when I realized that they now wanted to swim up to the shore, I waited until they dived and ran into a niche in the bushes by the water…..and waited for them… I hoped that at my level they would turn towards me, to the shore, so the left side would get light and a somewhat decent picture would come out. That worked just barely by demanding everything from the camera. And so it went on, again and again, when they dived, I hurried up the path into a new niche/gap by the water. Then when I reached the last niche…... they did not come…… I went back and saw that they were at the height of Jackie… they had turned….!
NOW….. I said to myself, now the light is perfect …..!!
Now they swam very slowly from right to left, very close to the shore along the evening sun….. It was a dream…..!!
And every time they dived, I crawled out of the hiding place….. and hurried to the next one… Of course, they saw us sitting by the water, they also occasionally came closer to us, but we were no threat to them because we behaved very quietly at the place…
I tell you I "whistled from the last hole"……. my back is still not quite okay, I was out of breath, the concentration to always hold the camera above the water and to catch the horned grebes in the right section/light etc. demanded everything from me…
But it was simply fantastic to experience…. a few backlight pictures were also good, those in beautiful light in all variations imaginable, even the courtship, the wooing, the offering to jump on……… all caught……!
A dream came true and I thanked the two from the bottom of my heart after I could no longer and they then swam further up……
Canon EOS R6II/Canon RF 100-500F 4.5-7.1 IS USM rf1.4
1/1250 sec / aperture 10 / ISO 800 / focal length 700mmDie Tage nach meiner ersten misslungenen Begegnung mit den Ohrentauchern war nichts los am See, es wurden keine gemeldet. Da sich das Wetter verschlechtert hatte nahm ich an das sie nun ins Brutgebiet weitergereist sind.
Doch dann wurde ein Schwarzhalstaucher an einem Ort gemeldet, den wir kennen. Aber leider war er nicht da, dafür hatte ich eine bezaubernde Begegnung mit den Kolbenenten. Am Vortag wurde auch noch einer, 10 km weiter weg gemeldet und wir versuchten es dort ……doch auch da war nichts....selavie dachte ich ist nicht so schlimm…..
Wir gingen nachhause und ich erfreute mich an den Kolbenenten. Dann um ca.15.20 schaute ich bei den Vogelmeldungen nach und siehe da, es waren wieder zwei Ohrentaucher an der besagten ersten Stelle, wo ich kein Glück hatte ein paar Tagen zuvor, gemeldet….
Doch was nun?... Morgen gehen?...oder gleich?…
Morgen sollte die Sonne voll da sein zu stark/grell/zu hart… heute war noch ein Wolken/Sonnen mix und Abendlicht. Also nichts wie los, der Tag ist doch so schön, obwohl ich eigentlich schon müde war von der morgendlichen Tour.
Da angekommen liefen wir den See entlang, doch zu Anfang nichts, erst gegen den Schluss des Weges sah ich sie….ABER…sie waren im vollen Gegenlicht und weit draussen… «Schitt»…und dann schwammen sie noch in die nicht einsehbare Bucht und weg waren sie….:-((
Also war Geduld angesagt…
Nach einer Weile kamen sie wieder und schwammen uns entgegen an uns vorbei doch noch zu weit draussen…Doch immer noch im vollen Gegenlicht der Abendsonne…..als ich erkannte das sie nun am Ufer rauf
schwimmen wollten, wartet ich bis sie tauchten und rannte los in eine Nische im Gebüsch am Wasser…..und wartet auf sie…ich hoffte, dass sie sich auf meiner Höhe mal zu mir, zum Ufer drehten und so die linke Seite Licht bekam und ein etwas gescheites Bild herauskämme. Das klappte auch gerade so in dem ich der Kamera alles abverlangte. Und so ging es weiter, immer wieder, wenn sie tauchten, eilte ich den Weg rauf in eine neue Nische/Lücke am Wasser. Dann als ich an der letzten Nische ankam…...kamen sie nicht……ich ging zurück und sah, dass sie sich auf der Höhe von Jackie befanden…sie hatten gedreht….!
JETZT…..sagte ich zu mir, jetzt ist das Licht Perfekt …..!!
Nun schwammen sie ganz langsam von rechts nach links, ganz nah am Ufer entlang der Abendsonne entgegen…..Ein Traum war das…..!!
Und immer, wenn sie tauchten, kroch ich aus dem Versteck hervor…..und eilte ins nächste…Natürlich sahen sie uns am Wasser sitzen, kamen ja auch ab und zu noch näher auf uns zu, doch wir waren so keine Bedrohung für sie den wir verhielten uns ja ganz ruhig an dem Ort…
Ich sage euch ich «pfiff aus dem letzten Loch»…….mein Rücken ist ja noch nicht ganz in Ordnung, die Luft fehlte mir auch, die Konzentration die Kamera immer über dem Wasser zu halten und die Ohrentauchen im richtigen Schitt/Licht usw. verlangte alles von mir ab…
Aber es war einfach fantastisch das zu erleben….ein paar Gegenlicht Bilder wurden auch gut, die im schönen Licht in allen Varianten die man sich vorstellen konnte, selbst die Balz, das Werben, das Anbieten zum Aufspringen………alles erwischt……!
Ein Traum ging in Erfüllung und ich bedankte mich nach dem ich nicht mehr konnte und sie dann weiter rauf schwammen von ganzem Herzen bei den beiden……
Canon EOS R6II/Canon RF 100-500F 4,5-7,1 IS USM rf1.4
1250tel/ Blende 10 / ISO 800/ Brennweite 700mm
"The horned grebe.........""The horned grebe.........""Der Ohrentaucher........."
The days after my first failed encounter with the horned grebes, nothing happened at the lake, none were reported. Since the weather had worsened, I assumed that they had now traveled on to the breeding area.But then a black-necked grebe was reported at a place we know. But unfortunately it was not there, instead I had a charming encounter with the pochards. The day before, one was also reported 10 km away and we tried there ……but nothing there either....oh well, I thought it was not so bad…..
We went home and I enjoyed the pochards. Then around 3:20 pm I checked the bird reports and lo and behold, two horned grebes were reported again at the aforementioned first spot where I had no luck a few days ago….
But what now?... Go tomorrow?... or right away?…
Tomorrow the sun should be full, too strong/bright/too harsh… today was still a cloud/sun mix and evening light. So off we went, the day is so beautiful, although I was actually already tired from the morning tour.
Once there, we walked along the lake, but at first nothing, only towards the end of the path I saw them….BUT… they were in full backlight and far out… "Damn"… and then they swam into the bay that was not visible and they were gone….:-((
So patience was required…
After a while they came back and swam towards us past us but still too far out… Still in full backlight of the evening sun….. when I realized that they now wanted to swim up to the shore, I waited until they dived and ran into a niche in the bushes by the water…..and waited for them… I hoped that at my level they would turn towards me, to the shore, so the left side would get light and a somewhat decent picture would come out. That worked just barely by demanding everything from the camera. And so it went on, again and again, when they dived, I hurried up the path into a new niche/gap by the water. Then when I reached the last niche…... they did not come…… I went back and saw that they were at the height of Jackie… they had turned….!
NOW….. I said to myself, now the light is perfect …..!!
Now they swam very slowly from right to left, very close to the shore along the evening sun….. It was a dream…..!!
And every time they dived, I crawled out of the hiding place….. and hurried to the next one… Of course, they saw us sitting by the water, they also occasionally came closer to us, but we were no threat to them because we behaved very quietly at the place…
I tell you I "whistled from the last hole"……. my back is still not quite okay, I was out of breath, the concentration to always hold the camera above the water and to catch the horned grebes in the right section/light etc. demanded everything from me…
But it was simply fantastic to experience…. a few backlight pictures were also good, those in beautiful light in all variations imaginable, even the courtship, the wooing, the offering to jump on……… all caught……!
A dream came true and I thanked the two from the bottom of my heart after I could no longer and they then swam further up……
Canon EOS R6II/Canon RF 100-500F 4.5-7.1 IS USM rf1.4
1/1250 sec / aperture 10 / ISO 800 / focal length 700mmThe days after my first failed encounter with the horned grebes, nothing happened at the lake, none were reported. Since the weather had worsened, I assumed that they had now traveled on to the breeding area.
But then a black-necked grebe was reported at a place we know. But unfortunately it was not there, instead I had a charming encounter with the pochards. The day before, one was also reported 10 km away and we tried there ……but nothing there either....oh well, I thought it was not so bad…..
We went home and I enjoyed the pochards. Then around 3:20 pm I checked the bird reports and lo and behold, two horned grebes were reported again at the aforementioned first spot where I had no luck a few days ago….
But what now?... Go tomorrow?... or right away?…
Tomorrow the sun should be full, too strong/bright/too harsh… today was still a cloud/sun mix and evening light. So off we went, the day is so beautiful, although I was actually already tired from the morning tour.
Once there, we walked along the lake, but at first nothing, only towards the end of the path I saw them….BUT… they were in full backlight and far out… "Damn"… and then they swam into the bay that was not visible and they were gone….:-((
So patience was required…
After a while they came back and swam towards us past us but still too far out… Still in full backlight of the evening sun….. when I realized that they now wanted to swim up to the shore, I waited until they dived and ran into a niche in the bushes by the water…..and waited for them… I hoped that at my level they would turn towards me, to the shore, so the left side would get light and a somewhat decent picture would come out. That worked just barely by demanding everything from the camera. And so it went on, again and again, when they dived, I hurried up the path into a new niche/gap by the water. Then when I reached the last niche…... they did not come…… I went back and saw that they were at the height of Jackie… they had turned….!
NOW….. I said to myself, now the light is perfect …..!!
Now they swam very slowly from right to left, very close to the shore along the evening sun….. It was a dream…..!!
And every time they dived, I crawled out of the hiding place….. and hurried to the next one… Of course, they saw us sitting by the water, they also occasionally came closer to us, but we were no threat to them because we behaved very quietly at the place…
I tell you I "whistled from the last hole"……. my back is still not quite okay, I was out of breath, the concentration to always hold the camera above the water and to catch the horned grebes in the right section/light etc. demanded everything from me…
But it was simply fantastic to experience…. a few backlight pictures were also good, those in beautiful light in all variations imaginable, even the courtship, the wooing, the offering to jump on……… all caught……!
A dream came true and I thanked the two from the bottom of my heart after I could no longer and they then swam further up……
Canon EOS R6II/Canon RF 100-500F 4.5-7.1 IS USM rf1.4
1/1250 sec / aperture 10 / ISO 800 / focal length 700mmDie Tage nach meiner ersten misslungenen Begegnung mit den Ohrentauchern war nichts los am See, es wurden keine gemeldet. Da sich das Wetter verschlechtert hatte nahm ich an das sie nun ins Brutgebiet weitergereist sind.
Doch dann wurde ein Schwarzhalstaucher an einem Ort gemeldet, den wir kennen. Aber leider war er nicht da, dafür hatte ich eine bezaubernde Begegnung mit den Kolbenenten. Am Vortag wurde auch noch einer, 10 km weiter weg gemeldet und wir versuchten es dort ……doch auch da war nichts....selavie dachte ich ist nicht so schlimm…..
Wir gingen nachhause und ich erfreute mich an den Kolbenenten. Dann um ca.15.20 schaute ich bei den Vogelmeldungen nach und siehe da, es waren wieder zwei Ohrentaucher an der besagten ersten Stelle, wo ich kein Glück hatte ein paar Tagen zuvor, gemeldet….
Doch was nun?... Morgen gehen?...oder gleich?…
Morgen sollte die Sonne voll da sein zu stark/grell/zu hart… heute war noch ein Wolken/Sonnen mix und Abendlicht. Also nichts wie los, der Tag ist doch so schön, obwohl ich eigentlich schon müde war von der morgendlichen Tour.
Da angekommen liefen wir den See entlang, doch zu Anfang nichts, erst gegen den Schluss des Weges sah ich sie….ABER…sie waren im vollen Gegenlicht und weit draussen… «Schitt»…und dann schwammen sie noch in die nicht einsehbare Bucht und weg waren sie….:-((
Also war Geduld angesagt…
Nach einer Weile kamen sie wieder und schwammen uns entgegen an uns vorbei doch noch zu weit draussen…Doch immer noch im vollen Gegenlicht der Abendsonne…..als ich erkannte das sie nun am Ufer rauf
schwimmen wollten, wartet ich bis sie tauchten und rannte los in eine Nische im Gebüsch am Wasser…..und wartet auf sie…ich hoffte, dass sie sich auf meiner Höhe mal zu mir, zum Ufer drehten und so die linke Seite Licht bekam und ein etwas gescheites Bild herauskämme. Das klappte auch gerade so in dem ich der Kamera alles abverlangte. Und so ging es weiter, immer wieder, wenn sie tauchten, eilte ich den Weg rauf in eine neue Nische/Lücke am Wasser. Dann als ich an der letzten Nische ankam…...kamen sie nicht……ich ging zurück und sah, dass sie sich auf der Höhe von Jackie befanden…sie hatten gedreht….!
JETZT…..sagte ich zu mir, jetzt ist das Licht Perfekt …..!!
Nun schwammen sie ganz langsam von rechts nach links, ganz nah am Ufer entlang der Abendsonne entgegen…..Ein Traum war das…..!!
Und immer, wenn sie tauchten, kroch ich aus dem Versteck hervor…..und eilte ins nächste…Natürlich sahen sie uns am Wasser sitzen, kamen ja auch ab und zu noch näher auf uns zu, doch wir waren so keine Bedrohung für sie den wir verhielten uns ja ganz ruhig an dem Ort…
Ich sage euch ich «pfiff aus dem letzten Loch»…….mein Rücken ist ja noch nicht ganz in Ordnung, die Luft fehlte mir auch, die Konzentration die Kamera immer über dem Wasser zu halten und die Ohrentauchen im richtigen Schitt/Licht usw. verlangte alles von mir ab…
Aber es war einfach fantastisch das zu erleben….ein paar Gegenlicht Bilder wurden auch gut, die im schönen Licht in allen Varianten die man sich vorstellen konnte, selbst die Balz, das Werben, das Anbieten zum Aufspringen………alles erwischt……!
Ein Traum ging in Erfüllung und ich bedankte mich nach dem ich nicht mehr konnte und sie dann weiter rauf schwammen von ganzem Herzen bei den beiden……
Canon EOS R6II/Canon RF 100-500F 4,5-7,1 IS USM rf1.4
1250tel/ Blende 10 / ISO 800/ Brennweite 700mm