Waders · Netherlands
Black-winged Stilt
Steltkluut · Himantopus himantopus
Elegance on impossibly long legs
The Black-winged Stilt is difficult to overlook. Those incredibly long pink legs, the simple black-and-white plumage and its delicate way of moving through shallow water give the bird an elegance of its own. For me, it is one of those species that immediately draws the camera whenever I encounter one.
Selected work
Featured photographs
Field notes
My encounters
In recent years, I have encountered Black-winged Stilts in several shallow-water wetlands, where they move through the water with remarkable ease and elegance while searching for food. Some of my favourite places have been around the pumping station at Onnen, Ezumakeeg, and also Vadu in the Danube Delta. I still haven't had the opportunity to photograph their chicks, though. That remains a challenge for a future encounter.
Places in this collection
OnnenEzumakeegVadu Danube Delta