A curious yellowhammer observed me carefully during a winter walk near the Warta Valley — most birds flew away, but this one stayed
It was meant to be an ordinary walk — one of those gentle winter afternoons when the air softens and the low light warms everything it touches. I was moving slowly along the edge of the fields near the river valley, not searching for anything in particular.
I didn’t plan to take wildlife photos that day. It was just a slow recovery walk after a few harder bike workouts — the kind of quiet stroll I sometimes take around the outskirts of my town. The fields there look almost empty at this time of year — ploughed soil, cold air, a touch of wind, and that late-autumn stillness that feels like everything is already waiting for winter. Even though it’s only a few hundred metres from my house, once you step off the road it becomes a surprisingly quiet, open space, wrapped in the soft, earthy smell of damp soil and the faint rustle of dry plants.
A curious vole peeks out of its burrow for a brief moment before disappearing again
During a family walk to a small lake near our house in central Poland, my son suddenly pointed toward the grass and whispered that something was moving. We stopped and waited. For a moment, nothing happened — only the faint rustle of dry stems and the cool scent of damp leaves carried by the evening air.
Three roe deer in the evening light — photographed during a late-autumn cycling trip. The golden hour glow added warmth and texture to the scene
Late autumn often brings the best kind of light for photography — low, soft, and full of warm color. During one of my short cycling trips, I noticed three roe deer standing in a freshly ploughed field. The sun was setting, and the orange tones of the soil and the trees in the background created a beautiful golden hour atmosphere. It was one of those moments when everything aligns into a simple but effective wildlife composition.
A black horse captured in golden light — autumn sunset photography in the countryside
There are moments in photography when everything aligns — light, subject, and atmosphere. Late one autumn afternoon, I found myself in a quiet field as the sun began its descent. The warm glow of the golden hour bathed the grass and trees in amber light, while a black horse moved gracefully across the pasture.
Wild goats navigating steep rocks under the ancient walls of Alanya Castle
A solitary wild goat standing confidently on a cliffside near Alanya Castle
Amid the dramatic cliffs and the timeworn fortifications of Alanya Castle in Turkey, I stumbled upon a small herd of wild goats navigating the rocky slopes with astonishing ease.
Jackdaw perched on my balcony satellite dish — a fleeting, up-close moment at dusk
It wasn’t planned — one moment the satellite dish on my balcony was empty, and the next, a jackdaw had landed, claiming it like a throne. I had just seconds to grab the camera, switch lenses, and inch closer without startling it. No time for a tripod or careful settings — just instinct, fast fingers, and a bit of luck.
A tagged Dunlin (Calidris alpina) photographed at Mewia Łacha Nature Reserve on Poland’s northern coast — a key stopover for migratory shorebirds
On the windswept Baltic coast, where the Vistula River meets the sea, you’ll find Rezerwat Przyrody Mewia Łacha — one of Poland’s most unique and important birdwatching locations. This protected nature reserve near the river’s estuary is a key stopover site for thousands of migratory birds, including the Dunlin (Calidris alpina) — a small, fast-moving wader known for its distinctive plumage and constant motion.
A peaceful moment with Poland’s iconic European bison — captured in Gołuchów, a key site in the species’ conservation story
The European bison — or żubr, as it’s called in Polish — is the largest land mammal in Europe and one of the continent’s greatest wildlife conservation success stories. Once driven to near extinction by habitat loss and hunting, the species has made a remarkable comeback thanks to decades of dedicated reintroduction programs and habitat protection.
Quiet moment among the grass — this relaxed duck offered a rare portrait opportunity in soft afternoon light
Wildlife photography isn’t always about action or drama — sometimes, the most compelling moments are the quiet ones. This duck portrait, taken in soft focus and nestled among spring grass, captures one of those rare pauses. Half-hidden by gently swaying blades, the mallard offered a calm, unguarded moment in the golden afternoon light — a perfect reminder of the beauty found in stillness.
A curious red squirrel pauses on a tree trunk, its expressive stance and fluffed tail highlighted by the morning light
Sometimes the best shots aren’t planned — they’re stumbled upon. This image came about during a casual bike ride through the woods, camera slung over my shoulder more out of habit than expectation. Then, I spotted it: a red squirrel midway down a tree trunk, frozen in a moment of curiosity. Its ears stood tall, tail arched like a plume, and it looked directly toward the lens. It was a quick shot — barely time to think, let alone prepare — but something about that posture, that alert stillness, demanded to be captured.
Some moments in nature feel almost too poetic to be real — and this was one of them. Just before sunrise, with a violet haze hanging low over the fields, four cranes sliced silently through the still air, their wings backlit by a soft, pink glow. The towering silhouettes of wind turbines loomed behind them, half-swallowed by the fog — industrial giants caught in a rare moment of natural serenity.