Barnacle geese with headwinds low over the waters of Lauwersmeer.

by Hans Hut

How do birds do during stormy weather? These barnacle geese came down unexpectedly, tumbling from above. The storm Unice, which raged across Lauwersmeer, forced them to devise a strategy. With wind speeds of 120 kilometres per hour, they dove down, just above the water. Other groups did exactly the same. This could not be a coincidence.

How can a goose fly against the wind at 120 kilometres per hour and still move forward - even at a decent speed? Only birds can do this. Here we see a group of barnacle geese illustrating this phenomenon perfectly.

The last light of the day, just before nightfall, drew my gaze to the water. I had no idea that I was about to witness a spectacular scene. The geese were flying to their roosts, while trees were visible in the background at the edge of the lake. The reeds, the summer, and the waves on the water - which had long since ceased to be a quiet gurgle - completed the picture. The water splashed high, propelled by the storm.

Capturing this picture was no easy task, but the result makes it all worthwhile. This image symbolises the power of nature, the instinctive cleverness ingrained in birds, and the survival instinct that makes animals stronger in groups. It reminds me daily how wonderful nature is and how valuable it is to capture and share such moments.