DUTCH BARNOWLS & ANACONDAS (TÅRNUGLE)

Barn owls / tårnugle 

D4s, 200-400 4,0, f/6,3, 1/250, ISO 200, 2 SB900 flashes

All pictures shot in Holland in early July 2015.

A warm thank you to Jos & Silvan Puijman for help, support and great company !!

Adult bird

D4s, 70-200 2,8, f/7,1, 1/250, ISO 250, 2 SB900 flashes

Adult bird

D4s, 70-200 2,8, f/7,1, 1/250, ISO 200, 2 SB900 flashes

Juvenile bird

D4s, 600 4,0, f/5,6, 1/250, ISO 250, 2 SB900 flashes

Juvenile birds

D4s, 200-400 4,0, f/6,3, 1/250, ISO 320, 2 SB900 flashes

Juvenile bird

D4s, 200-400 4,0, f/6,3, 1/250, ISO 250, 2 SB900 flashes

The European Anaconda (?) : Grass-snake (Natrix matrix / buorm) I`ve done grass-snakes many times before, …. but this is the first time ever I sat in a hide to wait for a snake ! … and it worked !!

D4s, 200-400 4,0, f/5,6, 1/320, ISO 1400

D4s, 200-400 4,0, f/5,6, 1/320, ISO 1100

D4s, 200-400 4,0, f/5,6, 1/320, ISO 1800

iPhone 4

Evert Puijman lives in a "fairy-tale house" in a "deep" forest somewhere in Holland. He has great knowledge about ecology and a big heart for local grass-snakes (Natrix natrix). To help to provide possible egg laying sites for the snakes in times when modern farming no longer provides such, he is building artificial "dens" for them, … . and the structure is simple : On the bottom there is a layer of dead branches to provide air and a little bit of space, and upon that : loads of dead grass to obtain the warmth to develop the eggs. The den needs to have one or to accessible entrances on ground level, and sizewise it needs to be at least 1,5 m high and 3 meters across…. and every year he builds a new one !

And it works !! Every late summer Evert Puijman sees new generations of small grass-snakes come out of the den. 

Something to copy on other places … in other countries ? … in Norway ?