Storks

These large birds are one of my favourite objects for wildlife photography as they have an elegant and proud appearance. I was very surprised to finde some couples breeding in the so called "Hellinghauser Mersch" at the river Lippe. The "Rieselfelder" in the city of Münster, Germany, is a very good location to spot them during the summer month, too. Despite their size you need a large focal length >400mm to make some nice shots, as these birds are quite shy and even recognize if you stop your car in their vicinity and fly away. Just the two close ups of their heads are made in a Zoo in Duisburg.

By the way, the "Naturschutzgebiet Hellinghauser Mersch" in Lippstadt is a good loaction to spot birds like Storks, Goose and even Cranes in the early spring and late autumn.