Eurasian hoopoe

31.08.2026 y.

Bird photography is an incredibly fascinating process, in which creating the right conditions plays a very important role.

For years, I have been building hides and putting up nest boxes nearby — as a kind of invitation and an opportunity to photograph the birds there one day.

From that point on, I leave everything in the hands of the birds and nature. Sooner or later, the hard work, patience and persistence are rewarded.

A few years ago, I hollowed out a beautiful log from an old, dried-out pear tree in our village. Together with my children, we secured it on a large stump of a felled tree near the Maritsa River. This year, it became a home. First, a pair of starlings raised a brood there, and afterwards a pair of Eurasian hoopoes nested in it and successfully raised their chicks.

When it comes to ethics in wildlife photography, and particularly photographing birds around their nests, I have always followed the same principle: I create the conditions, the birds decide whether and how to use them, and I am simply there to observe and photograph.

In this case, I believe everyone benefits — the birds get a suitable place to nest, while I get the opportunity to document a small part of their lives without forcing them to change their natural behaviour.