Pair of black-tailed godwit forages in the meadow by Natuurfotografie_simoneopdam

About "Pair of black-tailed godwit forages in the meadow"

by Natuurfotografie_simoneopdam

About the artwork

In the meadows in Waterland, meadow birds breed every spring: godwit's redshanks, lapwings and oystercatchers. Waterland is one of the last strongholds of meadow birds in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, here too, as elsewhere in the country, things are going badly for meadow birds. The numbers are declining year after year. This is an eternal shame.

Photographing birds, including meadow birds, requires a lot of patience. But using your car as a hide and simply parking along the road on spots where meadow birds regularly forage can go a long way.

Black-tailed godwit's (limosa limosa) arrive in the Netherlands in groups every year. They first spend one to two weeks 'fattening' after the long journey from Africa. They do so in groups in shallow pools. At some mpment, pairs are formed. If possible, godwits'll look for their partner from the previous year again. During my time in meadow bird protection, I learned a lot about the behaviour of the black-tailed godwit.

This pair of godwit forages together, The female, slightly lighter in hue, leads the way. This is the precursor to the mating ritual. After mating, a nest is made in the grass and 3-4 eggs are laid, which are incubated in turn by male and female.

This picture was taken in the morning, when the light still had a golden sheen. From the car with a Sigman 150-600mm telephoto lens on a rice bag.

Nice photo for a conspicuous spot in the house. Colour scheme: brown, beige, sand, olive green