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Frank Hecker Photography
Frank Hecker Photography
Frank Hecker Photography

In our photo archive you find nature photos in high printing quality based on solid biological know-how by diploma biologists.

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NEWS

Our newest three books were published in the autumn program by KOSMOS

EIN GUTES DUTZEND – HEILENDE PFLANZEN finden & nutzen: Healing power from nature – we present the 12 most important and most common medicinal plants in detail and illustrate many recipes and applications.

EIN GUTES DUTZEND – WILDE KRÄUTER finden & geniessen: Delicacies from nature – our book presents the 12 most important and most common edible wild herbs in detailed portraits and is peppered with delicious recipes.

MACH WAS DRAUS – mit der Natur durch Herbst & Winter: Through autumn and winter – a book full of instructions and recipes from collected natural materials.

Feeding birds – species appropriate & sustainable

We have been feeding birds on our property for many years now – this helps the birds enormously and offers us great opportunities for observation and photography. Over the years we have tried and discarded a lot and finally learned what birds really love and what is good for them. Our new book „Meine Vogel – Snackbar“ has now been published and we are really happy to have the chance of sharing our experiences in the from of a book.

You can find in our book

  • lots of step-by-step introductions – from fat balls, dumpling swings out of branches and cup cakes to frost-free drinking troughs
  • everything guaranteed tested and approved by birds
  • who likes what? How you can attract a vide variety of birds trough varied feeding and different feeding devices
  • fatty, soft and grain food – what birds really love and what is good for them
  • sustainable birdseed without palm oil and plastic nets
  • creative upcycling ideas
  • birdseed without cheap fillers that would become leftovers anyway
  • wild seed that you can collect by yourself
  • which fat you can feed with a clear conscience
  • checklist: What do to to prevent your aviary from becoming a source of infection
  • recommended by NABU!

link to the book (in German only)

KANN ICH DAS ESSEN – ODER BRINGT MICH DAS UM? 🙄

Kosmos Buch "Kann ich das essen - oder bringt mich das um", Autorenfoto, Autorenfotos, Autor, Autorin, Katrin Hecker, Frank Hecker

We are excited to announce: Our latest book has been published 😀☀🌺!

– Translated: Can I eat this – or will it kill me? –

… we are of the opinion that one does not have to be a botanist to use wild plants directly from nature: It is enough to simply know those you want to use in detail! Especially their unenjoyable or even toxic lookalikes are of special interest.

Therefore we created this book: Whether flowers, fruits, seeds, leaves or plant roots – we show you which parts really are eatable and healthy and as well with what you should not confound your located plant!

Link to the book (in German only)

New in our archive: HIGH-SPEED PHOTOGRAPHY

MOTIONS, THAT ARE INVISIBLE TO THE NAKED HUMAN EYE

Capturing moments that happen in a fraction of time we are not able to perceive without special technics and proceedings – this is what has fascinated us the last year up to now.

The so called High-Speed photography works with light barriers, special objective lenses, a control unit and several flash units. The interaction of these technics leads to pin sharp shots, that „freeze“ natural motion sequences, such as wing beats of birds or insects.

We invite you to a world of incredible maneuvers in flight of our native bird – and insect species!

More pictures: Birds in flight

More pictures: Insects in flight

350.000 – Thank you!

Kosmos Naturführer für unterwegs 5. Auflage

Our „Nature Guide to Go“ just now achieved the 350.000 check mark –                 

the 5.th revised edition is lying warm and fresh in front of us!

Hence is has been sold more than 350.000 times, translated into 7 different languages and edited as E-book.                                                                             

SektThank you very, very much for your confidence into our books! 

And many thanks again to Kosmos for the wonderful cooperation!

                            Frank & Katrin Hecker

Making tea out of wild fruit

September is a great month to take a walk, gather some wild fruit and prepare  a vitamin-packed tea out of them.

For our tea we collected elder, blackthorn, hawthorn, dog-rose and apples. Just choose what you like and find, as long as it’s eatable! But watch out: blackthorn fruit will taste awful unless they’ve had some frost – so you may want to put them into your freezer over night. Dog-rose fruit taste better if you open them up and remove the seeds which are a bit bitter.

Got some spare time and the wheather is beautiful? Why not cook your tea on an open fire? Especially your kids will love it, promise!

If you would like to see some more pictures please have a look at our galery: click!

Need more infos or our recipe? Please don’t hesitate to contact us. Have a sunny autumn full of wild fruit!

Yours Katrin & Frank Hecker

 Korb mit heimischen Früchten, Wildfrüchte, Weißdorn (Crataegus), Hagebutten (Rosa), Schlehe (Prunus spinosa), Hopfen (Humulus lupulus), Vogelbeere, Eberesche (Sorbus aucuparia), Ernte (Frank Hecker)  Schwarzer Holunder, Kind erntet reife Holunderbeeren, Fliederbeeren, Sambucus nigra, Common Elder, Elderberry, Sureau commun, Sureau noir (Frank Hecker)  
 Holunderpunsch, Fliederbeer-Punsch, Fliederbeersaft, Holundersaft, reife Holunderbeeren in einem Topf, in dem sie zu Saft gekocht werden sollen, zusammen mit Apfel, Apfelscheiben, Äpfeln, Schwarzer Holunder, Fliederbeere, Sambucus nigra, Common Elder, Elderberry, Sureau commun, Sureau noir (Frank Hecker)  Hunds-Rose, Hundsrose, Heckenrose, Rose, Früchte, Hagebutte, Hagebutten, Rosa canina. Common Briar, Dog Rose (Frank Hecker)  Früchtetee, Tee, Punsch, Früchtepunsch aus Holunderbeeren, Fliederbeeren, Hagebutten, Himbeeren, Schwarzer Holunder, Apfelschalen, Eberesche, Vogelbeeren, Schlehen wird in einem Topf über einem offenen Lagerfeuer gekocht, Outdoor (Frank Hecker)

 

Helping hedgehogs

Often it’s just the little things that really help a lot. If you would like to help hedgehogs, late summer is a great time to do so.

Fine brushwood in combination with dry foliage quickly turns into a fine shelter for winter sleep which gets even more comfortable  if you turn a wodden box into a cosy lodge.

Ponds in the garden become safe for hedgehogs and other small animals if you install a board for disembarkation and a simple loop hole in the fence allows hedgehogs to find a way into your garden.  If you find a lonesome wandering hedgehog in autumn you should weigh him – if he is too light most likely he will not be able to make it through the winter and…

 Gartenteich mit Igelausstieg, Rettungsmöglichkeit am Teich für Igel und andere ins Wasser gefallene Tiere, Igelleiter, Igel-Ausstieg, Igelschutz, Igel-Schutz, Garden pond with hedgehog's climbing out, rescue possibility in the pond for hedgehogs, hedgehog and other animals fallen in the water, hedgehog's leader, ladder, Hedgehog's protection (Frank Hecker)  Igel-Unterschlupf, Unterschlupf für Igel zwischen Reisighaufen in einem naturnahen Garten, Igelhütte, Igel-Hütte aus einer Holzkiste mit regendichtem Dach, Tierfreundlicher Garten, Naturgarten, Erinaceus europaeus, Shelter for hedgehogs between brushwood piles in a natural garden, Hedgehog Cottage, natural garden (Frank Hecker)  Kinder, Kind, Mädchen wiegen einen Igel im Herbst, Europäischer Igel, Westigel, Braunbrustigel, Erinaceus europaeus, Western hedgehog, Hérisson d`Europe de l`Ouest (Frank Hecker)
 Zaun mit Igeldurchschlupf, In Lattenzaun, Zaun ausgesägtes Loch, um Igel, Igeln einen Durchschlupf zu bieten, Gartenzaun, Igelschutz, Igel-Schutz, Fence with opening, fence cut hole to offer a opening to hedgehogs, hedgehog, garden fence, Hedgehog's protection (Frank Hecker)  Igelschutz, Igel - Schutz, Kinder bauen im Herbst ein Igelquartier zum Überwintern aus Reisig im Garten, Reisighaufen, Naturgarten (Frank Hecker/Frank Hecker Naturfotografie)  Fressnapf, Napf, Futterschale, Schale und Trinkschale für Igel mit speziellem Igelfutter, Hilfe für Igel im Garten, Tierfreundlicher Garten, Naturgarten, bowl, cup and drinking bowl for hedgehogs hedgehog with special food for hedgehogs in the garden, Erinaceus europaeus (Frank Hecker)

 …if you would like to get to know more about hedgehogs please have a look at our galeries:

Galery „Saving hedgehogs in practice“

Galery „Hedgehogs in the garden“

…or contact us.  Have a nice time!

Katrin & Frank Hecker

Our new field guide – in german, french & dutch

We’re very happy that our new field guide has also been translated into french and dutch.

Thank you very much!

 

Kids construct a pond for frogs & dragonflies

There were about 20 schoolkids between 8 and 10 years old – and they wanted frogs and dragonflies!

..couldn’t be so difficult, could it? So a handful of parents got together to do some planing. But the real work had to be done by the kids themselves. And they did!

So was it difficult? Not at all! What it really was: lots of fun. If you would like to watch the kids building a pond for frogs and dragonflies just have a look at our galery.

go to the galery: click!

     
     

 

Feeding birds in winter

Gimpel, Dompfaff, Männchen, an der Vogelfütterung, Fütterung im Winter bei Schnee, im mit Körnern gefüllten Futterhäuschen, Vogelhäuschen, Futterhaus, Vogelhaus, Winterfütterung, Pyrrhula pyrrhula, Eurasian bullfinch, Bouvreuil pivoine (Frank Hecker)You love birds? You love to bake cookies? So why not bake some cookies for birds?

It’s a fun thing to do, especially with children. If you hang-up your cookies outside in front of your window you will have the opportunity not only to watch your little works of art but also to watch the birds very closely!

More birds at the bird-feeders in this galery.

Baking cookies for birds in this galery.

Want our recipe suitable to the photos? No problem!

 Vogelfutter, Vogel-Fettfutter, Fettfutter mit Sonnenblumenkernen und anderen Zutaten in weihnachtlichen Ausstechformen (Frank Hecker)

 

 Kohlmeise an der Vogelfütterung, Fütterung im Winter bei Schnee, an Fettfutter in aufgehängtem Holzring, selbstgemachtes Vogelfutter, Winterfütterung, Kohl-Meise, Meise, Parus major, great tit (Frank Hecker)  Schwanzmeise, Schwanz-Meise, an der Vogelfütterung, Fütterung im Winter bei Schnee, an Fettfutter in weihnachtlichen Formen, selbstgemachtes Vogelfutter, Winterfütterung, Meise, Aegithalos caudatus, long-tailed tit, Mésange à longue queue (Frank Hecker)  Blaumeise, an der Vogelfütterung, Fütterung im Winter bei Schnee, am Nuss-Ring, Nusssring, selbstgebasteltes Vogelfutter, Erdnüsse, Winterfütterung, Blau-Meise, Meise, Parus caeruleus, blue tit (Frank Hecker)
 Vogelfutter selbst machen: Mischung aus Fett, Sonnenblumenkernen, Getreideflocken, getrockneten Wildbeeren wird in Holzringe gefüllt, Vogel-Futter, Fettfutter (Frank Hecker)  Blaumeise, an der Vogelfütterung, Fütterung im Winter bei Schnee, an Fettfutter in aufgehängtem und bunt bemaltem Blumentopf, selbstgemachtes Vogelfutter, Winterfütterung, Blau-Meise, Meise Parus caeruleus, blue tit, Bewegungsunschärfe beim Hacken (Frank Hecker)  Vogelfutter, Vogel-Fettfutter, Fettfutter mit Sonnenblumenkernen und anderen Zutaten in weihnachtlichen Ausstechformen (Frank Hecker)
Blaumeise, an der Vogelfütterung, Fütterung im Winter bei Schnee, an Fettfutter in weihnachtlichen Formen, selbstgemachtes Vogelfutter, Winterfütterung, Blau-Meise, Meise Parus caeruleus, blue tit, Bewegungsunschärfe beim Hacken (Frank Hecker)  Blaumeise, an der Vogelfütterung, Fütterung im Winter bei Schnee, an Fettfutter in weihnachtlichen Formen, selbstgemachtes Vogelfutter, Winterfütterung, Blau-Meise, Meise, Parus caeruleus, blue tit (Frank Hecker)  Rotkehlchen, an der Vogelfütterung, Fütterung im Winter bei Schnee, an Häuschen mit Fettfutter, Energiekuchen, Winterfütterung, Erithacus rubecula, robin (Frank Hecker)

Little world of dwarfs

Kinder basteln Zwergengärtchen, Zwergen-Gärtchen aus Naturmaterialien, Bastelei, Tonschale wird mit Moos ausgelegt, und mit Rinde, Eicheln, Kastanien, Äste und Blätter dekoriert. Zwerg aus Ton. (Frank Hecker)When the days get darker it’s the right time for dwarfs to show up.

So if it’s not so easy to motivate your kids for a walk outside, why not look out for dwarfs in the woods? And if you shall not succeed in finding any – just collect some nature material and create your own little world of dwarfs at home.

More pictures in our galery.

 Kinder basteln Zwergengärtchen, Zwergen-Gärtchen aus Naturmaterialien, Bastelei, Tonschale mit Zaun aus Ästchen (Frank Hecker)  Kinder basteln Zwergengärtchen, Zwergen-Gärtchen aus Naturmaterialien, Bastelei, Tonschale wird mit Moos ausgelegt, Rinde, Eicheln, Kastanien, Äste und Blätter liegen zum Dekorieren bereit (Frank Hecker)  Kinder basteln Zwergengärtchen, Zwergen-Gärtchen aus Naturmaterialien, Bastelei, Tonschale wird mit Moos ausgelegt, Rinde, Eicheln, Kastanien, Äste und Blätter liegen zum Dekorieren bereit. Ein Zaun aus Ästchen wird genaut. (Frank Hecker)
 Kinder basteln Zwergengärtchen, Zwergen-Gärtchen aus Naturmaterialien, Bastelei, ein Zwerg wird aus Ton, Knete und Zapfen gebastelt (Frank Hecker)  Kinder basteln Zwergengärtchen, Zwergen-Gärtchen aus Naturmaterialien, Bastelei, Tonschale wird mit Moos ausgelegt und mit Rinde, Eicheln, Kastanien, Äste und Blätter dekoriert. (Frank Hecker)  Kinder basteln Zwergengärtchen, Zwergen-Gärtchen aus Naturmaterialien, Bastelei, Tonschale wird mit Moos ausgelegt und mit brennender Kerze, Rinde, Eicheln, Äste und Blätter dekoriert. Zwerg aus Ton. (Frank Hecker)

WOLVES

Our wolve photos moved on to some really great posters in the Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt.

Thank you very much!

…more wolve photos here

 Wolf, Canis lupus, gray wolf (Frank Hecker)  Wolf, im Winter im Schnee, Canis lupus, gray wolf (Frank Hecker)  Wolf, im Winter im Schnee, Canis lupus, gray wolf (Frank Hecker)
Wolf, Canis lupus, gray wolf (Frank Hecker) Wolf, im Winter im Schnee, Portrait, Canis lupus, gray wolf (Frank Hecker)

LANDART IN THE SNOW

Naturkunst im Winter, mit roten Hagebutten, Hagebutte wird ein Herz in den Schnee gelegt (Frank Hecker)Snow-hedgehog and dog-rose-heart

Snow is such a great material for animal-loving little artists!

Ever seen a snow-hedgehog, a  snow-hare or a snow-fox ?

If you like to, we love to invite you to have a look at our galery. 

Have a nice time!

Kinder bauen eine Igel aus Schnee, Stöckchen dienen als Stacheln (Frank Hecker) Naturkunst im Winter, Kind, Kinder legt aus Rindenstückchen eine Spirale in den Schnee, Spiralen (Frank Hecker) Kinder bauen einen Fuchs, Rotfuchs aus Schnee, Schneefigur wird mit Erdpigmenten eingefärbt (Frank Hecker)

Secret little hazel dormouse

Haselmaus, klettert und frisst zwischen Hasel, Haselstrauch, Haselnuß, Haselnuss, Hasel-Maus, Muscardinus avellanarius, hazel dormouse, common dormouse, Schläfer, Schlafmäuse, Bilche, Bilch, Gliridae, dormice (Frank Hecker)She is small, shy and rare –

so it’s been quite a time untill we finally met a hazel dormouse!

Now we are very happy being able to present to you some really nice photos.

Would like to see some more photos? Please have a look at our galery. 

Haselmaus, klettert und frisst zwischen Hasel, Haselstrauch, Haselnuß, Haselnuss, Hasel-Maus, Muscardinus avellanarius, hazel dormouse, common dormouse, Schläfer, Schlafmäuse, Bilche, Bilch, Gliridae, dormice (Frank Hecker)

 

 

 

In nature most probably you might not be able to watch a hazel dormouse, but you might find the characteristic rests of her meals.  Haselmaus, Fraßspur an Hasel, Haselnuß, Haselnuss, Haselmaus hat Nuss aufgeknabbert, Hasel-Maus, Muscardinus avellanarius, hazel dormouse, common dormouse, Schläfer, Schlafmäuse, Bilche, Bilch, Gliridae, dormice, Nussjagd, Nußjagd (Frank Hecker)

 

 

 

 

 

The hazel dormouse sleep during 7 months, just like her big brother, the  edible dormouse Haselmaus schläft eingerollt in einem Nistkasten, Vogelnistkasten, schlafend, Hasel-Maus, Muscardinus avellanarius, hazel dormouse, common dormouse, Schläfer, Schlafmäuse, Bilche, Bilch, Gliridae, dormice (Frank Hecker)

Good night, little hazel dormouse! 

 

 

 

Time for nest boxes

Nistkastenbau, Großvater, Opa und Enkelkind, Kind bauen gemeinsam einen Vogel-Nistkasten für Meisen aus Holz, fertiger Bausatz (Frank Hecker)Taking care of nest boxes is a great project for the whole family. And next spring you will have double joy – when the birds enter and fill your garden with the most beautiful songs.

Already known? After breeding time it’s a good thing to clean nest boxes because otherwise the  birdflees  might torture next years chicks!

Would like to see more photos? We arranged some galerys for you:

We are happy about your visit!

 Nistkastenbau, Großvater, Opa und Enkelkind, Kind bauen gemeinsam einen Vogel-Nistkasten für Meisen aus Holz, fertiger Bausatz (Frank Hecker)  Nistkastenbau, Großvater, Opa und Enkelkind, Kind bauen gemeinsam einen Vogel-Nistkasten für Meisen aus Holz, fertiger Bausatz (Frank Hecker)  Nistkastenbau, Großvater, Opa und Enkelkind, Kind bauen gemeinsam einen Vogel-Nistkasten für Meisen aus Holz, fertiger Bausatz (Frank Hecker)
 Nistkasten, Großvater, Opa und Enkelkind, Kind hängen Vogel-Nistkasten für Halbhöhlenbrüter in einem Obstbaum auf, Garten (Frank Hecker)  Nistkasten, Mädchen, Kind reinigt Vogel-Nistkasten und entnimmt altes Nistmaterial (Frank Hecker)  Star füttert Küken, am Nistkasten, mit Futter im Schnabel, Sturnus vulgaris, Starling, Étourneau sansonnet, Insektenfresser (Frank Hecker)