Balts of the Pied Avocet, by Rob van der Waal

The temperature is far below normal, but it’s springtime! Love is in the air, especially for birds. Yesterday I spend a while observing the courtship of a pair of Pied Avocets. Great to see how these birds are trying to impress each other. The most odd leaps and movements are part of this ritual. This photo shows only one of these. Amazing!

Nikon D800 with 200-400mm f/4 | Exposure 1/1000sec @ f/4 | ISO 320 | Focal Length 400mm
Balts of the Pied Avocet

Award Winner: Photo of the Day | June 06
Award Score: 66 (Value 12, Clarity 12, Composition 17, Style 12.5, Skill 12.5)
Photo of the Day Award Category: Wildlife Photography
Photograph Location: South-West of Netherlands

Photographer: Rob van der Waal (Hellevoetsluis, The Netherlands.) Registered
Rob van der Waal was born in 1957 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. His father was a passionate photographer who taught him the basics of photography. When he was 7 years old, his family already had a darkroom on the top floor of their family house. His dad was on the edge of what was possible those days, using 2 Leica M3 bodies, and was developing black/white and color films by himself and with some modifications to his equipment, created images of 40x60cm. Apart from his father’s touch and some workshops, Rob van der Waal is an autodidact. With reading, listening and most of all just doing, he developed his creative and photography skills. To briefly summarize his style in photography; pure and honest are the key words that come close. He loves to be out in nature and enjoys the space, light and birds, and on those frequent trips his camera is his companion. He believes, some interest build into his DNA is “maritime”. It’s his preference to be at the waterfront, the sea, and close to ships and its related activity. He feels fortunate to live close to Rotterdam, a harbor area in the Netherlands. He will always respect nature and animals. He hopes more people will support this principle. What triggers him in photography is that, it is never done, complete or finish, as there is always a way to playing with the light and the moment, which gives the opportunity in another way to tell the story!

Portfolio: http://www.robvanderwaal-fotografie.nl
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rvdwaal_foto/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/waalrob