Futententoonstelling Het Zwin

Grebes are conspicuous and remarkable in many ways.

They eat feathers, have a very unique way of sunbathing, the structure of their lobed feet is unique in the entire bird world, they have a complex and varied courtship display, and they build floating nests that allow them never to come ashore. Within the bird world, they represent only a fraction of the avifauna with their 22 species, but in the past 10 years, they have had a major impact on the work of nature photographer and Zwin guide Misjel Decleer. Misjel Decleer knows the Zwin Nature Park like the back of his hand. He waits for hours in his floating hide to capture that one perfect shot. Over the past ten years, he has closely observed the life of grebes. “My days, especially during courtship or when they have chicks, start about an hour and a half before sunrise. I worked almost exclusively with a floating hide and dry suit to capture the species in its environment and went into the water when it was still pitch dark. On overcast days, I sometimes stayed more than 10 hours in water of just a few degrees. I paid a lot of ‘shivering money,’ but the result is worth it, and the Dutch version will be published in book form at the end of October this year. The photo exhibition gives you a glimpse into Misjel's observations over the past 10 years.”

The exhibition is included in the entrance fee to the park.1