Red Deers

One of the best spots for Red Deers (Cervus elaphus) is the Hoge Veluwe National Park in the netherlands. The best time to see them is the autumn when the come to a place in the Park. You also have the Chance to see Moufflons (Ovis orientalis musimon) and Feral Pigs (Sus scrofa).





The most time the males are in the front.





In this time they often bell.

Desert Elephants in Namibia

Three weeks ago we started a safari with "Ondjamba Safaris" to see the Desert Elephants of the Namib Desert. The Desert Elephants are not a subspecies they are only desert adapted African Elephants (Loxodonta africana). That means that they don't have to drink everyday and that the feet are bigger (because they have to walk on the sand).
A very intresting fact is that they dig holes to drink water when there is none. They Also love taking mudbaths.





Arriving in the morning.





A young one from 2011




A self-made water hole.

Transformer...

The green caterpillar is very dark after having sloughed.

Elephant Hawk Moth Caterpillars

Yesterday and today we found one Elephant Hawk Moth Caterpillar (Deilephila elpenor) in the middle of our garden pond. First I was wondering how they could get there but then I read that the adult moths usually lay there eggs under then leaves of Buck Bean (Menyanthes trifoliata) which is a waterplant.





This one is very young what is prooved by the green color.





This one is older and will pupate soon. If it doesn't hatch out this year it overwinter in the box I made for it.

Leopards in Nmibia

In Namiba are many Leopards (Panthera pardus). They are very shy and usually they avoid people. But sometimes you have luck. The best place to see a leopard the area around Okaukejo or Halali. At the Halali waterhole you might see a Leopard in the evening.





This two Leopards I saw at Halali at 6:10am. They watching all the elephants for 30 minutes and afeter they had left the came to drink.





This Leopard was spotted just behind the waterhole "Aus". It first sat on a rock and after a short while it came down and crossed the street.

Just returned...

from a 3 week trip to Namibia. I will post all the spots soon but I need a short while to look at all the images etc. I took about 10000 pictures but I will hurry up to show some to you.

Sea Otters in California

When my father came back from his journey to california he told me that he found a place where the Sea Otters come very close. When we went California a half year later we went to Morrow Bay. We saw them about 20-30m far away. But there was an old lady who told us to go to Moss Landing (half way between Santa Cruz and Carmel/Montery). We went there and the Sea Otters came even closer. they were just 10 meters awy from us. They are marvellous and very cute. Here is a picture I took there:

J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Florida

In the easter vacations of 2010 we've been to Florida. We rented a car and drove through the state. Them we arrived at one of Floridas best Nature Photography Spots. Called: J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
It's the El Dorado for nature photographers. You can see many species of Herons and Egrets, Cormorants and Aninghas. And if you are in luck you may see some Roseate Spoonbills.



You also can see Alligators, Turtles or Snakes. But you have to be careful because the snakes could be poisonous.



In the morning and in the evening you have the chance to take some photos in the frontlighting. You'll probably see Black-necked Stilts or Roseate Spoonbills agin.



In the small lakes and ponds beneath the road you'll may find some Black-crowned Night Herons or some Alligators.

A Nice Gallery...

is this one by my father. It's called "Birdwatching in the Netherlands"
Click on the link below to display the gallery.

http://www.pbase.com/nschust/in_the_netherlands

Black Terns at Ooij Polder

Today we were at the Ooij Polder (Nijmegen) in the Netherlands to take some pictures of Black Terns (Chlidonias niger) and Spoonbills (Platalea leucorodia). We saw both. But the Spoonbills were to far away to get a good picture.





This is a Black Tern on a small artificial island. These islands were built due to the lack of the Water Soldier (Stratiotes aloides). They act as breeding areas.





This is one of the Spoonbills we saw. There were about 10-12 of them but they were to far away. This Spoonbill was the only one which came closer while it was eating.

We also saw: Cormorants, Graylag Geese, Mallards, 1 Great White Egret, Oystercatchers, Common Ringed Plover, Black-Headed Gulls and Sedge Warblers