77 - Thorns, Feathers & Twelve Ducklings
The desert woke slowly under a deep golden sun, with birds silhouetted against the light and even the smallest details catching fire for a moment. A quiet Dubai morning, shaped more by light, heat and texture than by movement.
The lakes have their own fishing crew — although enthusiasm clearly varies. Most of the time they seem perfectly happy lying by the water, watching the fish and waiting for lunch to make the first move. A very relaxed approach to fishing, but apparently it works for them.
A squacco heron in full flight — one of those moments where everything comes together for a second. The Z9 and the 180–600 tracked it beautifully, and the detail in the wings is exactly why I enjoy shooting birds in flight with this setup. Fast, unpredictable, and very satisfying when you manage to catch it just right.
Life around the lake carries on as usual. The twelve ducklings are getting noticeably bigger, and a new visitor has appeared — a Black-tailed Godwit, which I don’t remember seeing here before.
Meanwhile, the heron deserves some credit for camouflage: standing in the reeds and dry grass, it almost disappears completely.
And the ducks, as always, seem to be providing most of the morning’s drama.
Right at the end of the trip, next to a damaged irrigation pipe by a completely dry tree, this little scene appeared out of nowhere. Water droplets caught the light against the thorns and suddenly something completely ordinary turned into one of the most beautiful moments of the morning.
A good reminder that sometimes the best photograph is not the one you went out looking for.
Nikon Z9 · NIKKOR Z 180–600mm f/5.6–6.3 VR
