Wildlife

Nothing out here owes me a photograph. Most days I come home with cold hands and nothing else.

Wildlife of the Eastern Alps, photographed with the 200–600 mm and a great deal of sitting still: a golden eagle, a young ibex in November light, a capercaillie at the lek, a kingfisher, a snowfinch at 1/5000 s. Mostly East Tyrol, occasionally further afield.

The rule is the same for all of them. Be there before the animal is, make yourself boring, and let it decide how close it wants to come. The frames where that worked are the ones on this page.

Sovereign — Sovereign Golden eagle FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G

Alpenglow — Alpenglow Young Alpine ibex in the first light November 2025

At the Lek — At the Lek Capercaillie in display FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G

The Speaker — The Speaker Carrion crow FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G

One Eye Open — One Eye Open Long-eared owl FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G

The Curve — The Curve Mute swan α7R V, FE 70–200 mm F2.8 GM II at 200 mm, 1/1250 s, f/2.8, ISO 250

Ember — Ember Mute swan drinking FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G

Borrowed Colours — Borrowed Colours Mandarin duck FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G

Blue Fire — Blue Fire Kingfisher FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G

Redbreast — Redbreast European robin FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G

Snow on Snow — Snow on Snow White-winged snowfinch α7R V, FE 70–200 mm F2.8 GM II + 2× TC at 388 mm, 1/5000 s, f/7.1, ISO 400

Morning Rounds — Morning Rounds Eurasian treecreeper FE 200–600 mm F5.6–6.3 G at 600 mm, 1/100 s, f/6.3, ISO 1250

Night Watch — Night Watch Red squirrel on a churchyard railing

Question Mark — Question Mark Greater flamingo α7 IV, FE 200–600 mm G at 600 mm, 1/1250 s, f/6.3, ISO 160