Beautiful morning

More and more people—even the real night owls—seem to be changing their morning routine and starting their days earlier than before. So did Hans van der Laar, who works as a volunteer for the Dutch Society for Nature Conversation. 

He often leaves the house as soon as it starts to get light outside, so his morning ritual follows the rhythm of the seasons. From March to early July, he goes to Brunssummer heath in the south of the Netherlands to chart the birds there. “I see so many beautiful things during my morning walks on Brunssummer heath. When I’m in wet areas, I always look out for dragonflies. They hang upside down on the bushes and are often covered in dewdrops; it’s a spectacular sight when the sun rises. I have also seen the rare European honey buzzards with their young. These kinds of extraordinary encounters with nature can really shape my day, but just seeing a bird can make my day. Time spent out in nature makes me happy. I clear my head and am good to go again.”