Brr… it has been freezing. The snow has settled, hardened, and now crunches loudly under every step. Usually that sound sends birds and other wildlife scattering long before they come into range of my wondering lens. But not this one. No — this bird stayed.

Late in the afternoon, as the sun briefly pushed through heavy, snow-laden clouds in the Loonse en Drunense Duinen, I noticed a shape in the trees. Calm. Watching. Unimpressed. Almost as if it was thinking: “Hmm… a two-meter-tall human, 110 kilos, plus 15 kilos of camera gear. I’ve seen worse.”

There it was: the Long-eared Owl —
Dutch: Ransuil
English: Long-eared Owl
Latin: Asio otus

Despite its name, those “ears” aren’t ears at all, but feather tufts used for camouflage and communication. In winter, Long-eared Owls often roost quietly during the day, relying on stillness and pattern rather than flight. That stillness is what made this encounter possible, even with the snow betraying every step I took.

Photographing in these conditions is always a balance between physics and physiology. Cold air, fading light, and handheld shooting meant choices had to be made. I settled on f/16, 1/1000s, ISO 3200, using my Canon 5D Mark IV paired with the Sigma 100–400mm. A fast shutter to freeze even the slightest movement, high ISO to compensate, and a deep depth of field to keep that piercing gaze sharp.

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#Canon5DMarkIV #Sigma100400 #HandheldPhotography #ColdWeatherPhotography
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#RespectNature #ByMaikeldeBakker #MaikeldeBakkerPhotography #WonderingLens
#Pixelfed #NatureLovers #BirdWatching #SlowDownAndObserve