Roaming the local Nature with the Nikon Coolpix P950

For weeks, I’ve been trying to get back out into nature, but somehow something always got in the way. The days are getting shorter too, and by the time I finally wrapped up the daily grind, it was often already too dark. Last Friday was German Unity Day—a public holiday here in Germany—and I finally had a few hours to spare. It was dry but quite cloudy, which isn’t ideal for my camera with its small sensor. Still, it was perfect for unwinding. Right at the entrance to the nature reserve, I got a bit lucky and spotted a grey heron. It was pretty far away, but still a beautiful sight. I took it as a good omen.

I wandered down a little path to the water and came across a mute swan. They're quite common here, so it wasn’t a rare sight — but still, there’s something calming about watching them glide across the surface. I took a few photos, nothing spectacular, but it felt good to be out there.

Although the forest was alive with birdsong, I didn’t have much luck along the way. Still, I came across a charming little ladybug, and the bark of an elm tree really caught my eye. I also found a few beautiful mushrooms — I think they were chestnut polypores. Tempting as they looked, I didn’t dare to taste them as I'm not an expert on mushrooms ;)

I enjoyed the beautiful trails and the fresh air of the early autumn forest. I spotted a nuthatch but couldn’t get a photo, and I heard a black woodpecker without catching a glimpse of it. The shots of the great spotted woodpecker and the tit below are pretty much symbolic of my photographic misfortune that day. Still, it was wonderful to see them.

After nearly five hours in the reserve, I began making my way home. Just as I passed the spot where I’d seen the grey heron earlier, I caught sight of a common buzzard. It was too far off for a good photo, but still a nice moment. Then, as I stood on the bridge at the edge of the reserve, I heard a sharp, high-pitched call and saw a flash of blue dart across the river. I hoped with all my heart it was a kingfisher.

Two days later, on Sunday evening, I had another short window of time and returned to look for it. And incredibly — I found it. I even managed to snap a blurry photo, fish in beak and all. It was still too far away, but I’ve added a short video below so you can get a sense of the distance.

Even if I didn’t come away with many great shots that day, I now have a new challenge: to capture this stunning kingfisher properly. I hope you enjoyed tagging along on this little walk with me

G@RoamnigWagner