«I took this picture of a wallcreeper on my very first visit to a quarry in the Vaud Jura, but I did have to wait one and a half hours for it! Nevertheless, I was then able to admire and photograph the butterfly-like bird for half an hour before it disappeared.»

«Just before sunset on an icy, late December day in the woods near Soignes, Belgium. The dry beech leaves still clinging to the branches catch the last rays of the setting sun, resulting in a background glow that matches the robin’s feathers perfectly.»

«In spring, when the common bleak spawn near the river sources, they are eagerly awaited by hungry gulls and terns. To take this shot of a common tern fishing, I had to slide my raft into the water a short distance downriver.»

«I photographed this ptarmigan in the Vaud Alps. Its winter plumage provides almost perfect camouflage in the snow!»

«In the autumn of 2012, hundreds of thousands of barnacle geese gathered on the fields in southern Finland, inclement weather having interrupted their migration from the Arctic to Western Europe. In the evenings, they flew off to nearby lakes to spend the night.»

«I took this picture of a red-spotted bluethroat in Alaska, in the coastal town of Nome on the Bering Sea. The singing male caught my attention while I was driving in the car with the window down. The shot was the result of a bit of patience and keeping a respectful distance.»

«This image was taken at a black grouse lek near Kuusamo in north-eastern Finland. Due to subzero temperatures the night before, the bushes and trees were frost-covered. What luck to encounter this female grouse in such a magical setting! I pressed the shutter just as she took flight, brushing the frost from the branches.»

«I photographed this Golden Eagle in the Valais. It was amazing: Right in front of my lens was this bird I had been longing to photograph, and it was actually striding towards me!»

«During the migratory season, wading birds can be observed in great numbers at the mouth of the River Jona. This little waders’ paradise is just a few minutes by bike from my house, and I spend many hours there, armed with binoculars and camera. I am especially pleased with this shot of a greenshank focused on its prey, as it was my first time photographing this species.»

«This wintry picture in grey hues was taken by a bathing lake in Dordogne, more or less outside my front door. That morning, the fog was slow to clear. I knew that at the time, several white wagtails were commonly seen on the shore. As I approached, one of them took flight and landed on a post in the middle of the lake. I love how the gently lifting fog gives this image an atmospheric touch!»