At the end of March, I visited Valk Birds of Prey in Lunteren, the Netherlands, together with a photography buddy. As always, it was a pleasant day, and we managed to stay dry, which was definitely a bonus. However, the light kept changing constantly, and there were moments with quite strong gusts of wind. This made it challenging not only for us to take photos, but also for the birds to fly. These birds don’t particularly like windy conditions, which is something I can completely relate to, as I’m not a fan of it either.
This was my second time visiting Valk Birds of Prey. The first time, I was truly impressed by these birds, which was also one of the reasons I decided to return. Although I now enjoy photographing birds, I still have a certain fear of them. This time, I had a better idea of what to expect. I had requested the snowy owl, and my photography buddy asked for the black kite, and we were fortunate to see both. Still, I was also very impressed by the northern hawk-owl.
During the break, I took some time to look around and observe how these birds live. I found it quite unsettling, as in my view they are kept in relatively small enclosures. During a session, they are allowed to fly for about fifteen to thirty minutes and are given some food in return. That didn’t feel quite right to me, knowing that we ultimately benefit by getting beautiful photos. This has nothing to do with wildlife photography and really makes you question whether this is something you want to be part of. Despite that, I did come home with a nice series of photos, but for that reason, they won’t be included in my gallery or projects.
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