Canonical URL: https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-january/ # Why January Is a Strong Month for Wildlife Photography Published on July 5, 2026 [![A Trio Of The Dalmatian Pelicans Of Greece Drifting On The Waters Of Lake Kerkini](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/a-trio-of-the-dalmatian-pelicans-of-greece-drifting-on-the-waters-of-lake-kerkini-1024x683.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/a-trio-of-the-dalmatian-pelicans-of-greece-drifting-on-the-waters-of-lake-kerkini.jpg) ### Article brief Editorial article Published July 5, 2026 January is when our winter bird season really gets going, & it’s a month I’d point almost any photographer towards if dramatic light & big flocks are what you’re after. Here’s what’s actually running. [![A Trio Of The Pelicans Of Lake Kerkini Drifting On The Waters Of Lake Kerkini](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/a-trio-of-the-pelicans-of-lake-kerkini-drifting-on-the-waters-of-lake-kerkini-1024x683.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/a-trio-of-the-pelicans-of-lake-kerkini-drifting-on-the-waters-of-lake-kerkini-1024x683.jpg) ## Why photograph Lake Kerkini’s pelicans in January? Both our [Pelicans of Lake Kerkini](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/greece/pelicans-of-lake-kerkini/) & [Dalmatian Pelicans of Lake Kerkini](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/greece/dalmatian-pelicans-of-lake-kerkini/) departures run this month, & January is when the mist sits thickest on the water at dawn, exactly the conditions that make a [Dalmatian pelican](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/dalmatian-pelican/) lifting off look genuinely dramatic. [Common cranes](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/common-crane/) & [great white pelicans](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/great-white-pelican/) work the same stretch of lake, so a single boat session can turn up several species in quick succession. ### Photograph the world’s largest flying bird in freezing mist Dawn boat sessions timed for the moment [Dalmatian pelicans](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/dalmatian-pelican/) lift off water still cold enough to hold its mist. [Explore Lake Kerkini in winter](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/greece/dalmatian-pelicans-of-lake-kerkini/) ## Why is Białowieża Forest worth photographing in January? [Wildlife of Białowieża Forest](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/poland/wildlife-of-bialowieza/) puts you in Europe’s last remaining lowland primeval forest, straddling [Poland](https://natureslens.co.uk/discover/europe/poland/) & Belarus, & January is when wild [European bison](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/european-bison/) are easiest to find moving through snow-covered clearings in search of food. It’s a slower, quieter trip than most on this list, built around tracking rather than hides. [![A Lone Wolf Just One Of The Species Of Wildlife Of Bialowieza Forest That We Will Photograph During The Natureslens Wildlife Of Bialowieza Forest Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/A-lone-wolf-just-one-of-the-species-of-wildlife-of-Bialowieza-Forest-that-we-will-photograph-during-the-NaturesLens-wildlife-of-Bialowieza-Forest-Photography-Holiday-1024x683.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/A-lone-wolf-just-one-of-the-species-of-wildlife-of-Bialowieza-Forest-that-we-will-photograph-during-the-NaturesLens-wildlife-of-Bialowieza-Forest-Photography-Holiday-1024x683.jpg) ## Do I need tracking experience for a trip like Białowieża? No, our guides do the tracking. What helps is patience & a willingness to move quietly through snow for a few hours at a time, since bison & the forest’s other residents don’t reward a rushed approach. ## Why is January a strong month for eagle photography in Hungary? [Eagles of the Hortobágy](https://natureslens.co.uk/photography-holiday/hungary/eagles-of-the-hortobagy/) is built around one of [Europe](https://natureslens.co.uk/discover/europe/)’s largest wintering concentrations of [eastern imperial eagles](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/eastern-imperial-eagle/), alongside wintering [common cranes](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/common-crane/) & [common buzzards](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/common-buzzard/), all across the open grassland of [Hortobágy National Park](https://natureslens.co.uk/specific-location/hortobagy-national-park/). The scale here is what surprises most photographers, dozens of eagles working the same stretch of puszta at once. [![One Of The White Tailed Eagles The Largest Bird Species Found Amongst The Wildlife Of The Hortobagy National Park In Hungary](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/one-of-the-white-tailed-eagles-the-largest-bird-species-found-amongst-the-wildlife-of-the-hortobagy-national-park-in-hungary-1024x683.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/one-of-the-white-tailed-eagles-the-largest-bird-species-found-amongst-the-wildlife-of-the-hortobagy-national-park-in-hungary-1024x683.jpg) ## Which of these January trips should you choose? Choose Kerkini for dramatic, hide-free boat-based bird action in mist & freezing dawn light. Choose [Białowieża](https://natureslens.co.uk/why-photographers-keep-returning/why-photographers-keep-returning-to-bialowieza/) for quiet, patient tracking of wild [bison](https://natureslens.co.uk/photograph/bison/) in a genuinely primeval forest. Choose the Hortobágy for sheer scale, more wintering eagles in one place than almost anywhere else we work. Three very different disciplines for the same cold month, mist & motion at [Kerkini](https://natureslens.co.uk/discover/europe/greece/), patient tracking at Białowieża, & scale at the Hortobágy. Whichever one you choose, January rewards photographers willing to be out at first light. In this articleJump to section 1. [Why photograph Lake Kerkini's pelicans in January?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-january/#why-photograph-lake-kerkinis-pelicans-in-january) 1. [Why is Białowieża Forest worth photographing in January?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-january/#why-is-biaowiea-forest-worth-photographing-in-january) 1. [Do I need tracking experience for a trip like Białowieża?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-january/#do-i-need-tracking-experience-for-a-trip-like-biaowiea) 1. [Why is January a strong month for eagle photography in Hungary?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-january/#why-is-january-a-strong-month-for-eagle-photography-in-hungary) 1. [Which of these January trips should you choose?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-january/#which-of-these-january-trips-should-you-choose) ## What You Could Photograph in the Next Twelve Months - [What You Could Photograph Over the Next Twelve Months with NaturesLens](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/what-you-could-photograph-over-the-next-twelve-months-with-natureslens/) - Why January Is a Strong Month for Wildlife Photography - [What You Should Be Photographing in February](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-february/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in March](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-march/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in April](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-april/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in May](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-may/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in June](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-june/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in July](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-july/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in August](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-august/) - [Why September Is a Strong Month for Wildlife Photography](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-september/) - [Wildlife Photography in October: Kenya & Botswana](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-october/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in November](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-november/) - [What You Should Be Photographing in December](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-december/) - [![A Green Hermit Phaethornis Guy One Of The Species That You Will Be Able To Photograph During The Natureslens Birds Of Colombia Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/A-Green-Hermit-Phaethornis-guy-one-of-the-species-that-you-will-be-able-to-photograph-during-the-NaturesLens-Birds-of-Colombia-photography-holiday-300x225.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/2025/11/19/birds-of-colombia/) ### [Why join our Ultimate Birds of Colombia wildlife photography tour?](https://natureslens.co.uk/2025/11/19/birds-of-colombia/) November 19, 2025 Why would you want to join NaturesLens for our Ultimate Birds of Colombia wildlife photography tour in September 2027, an… - [![A Walking Red Eyed Tree Frog Photographed In Costa Rica In November 2025](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/A-walking-Red-eyed-Tree-Frog-photographed-in-Costa-Rica-in-November-2025-300x225.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/2026/01/20/costa-rica-photography-tours/) ### [Costa Rica Photography Tours – Small Group Wildlife Focused Travel](https://natureslens.co.uk/2026/01/20/costa-rica-photography-tours/) January 20, 2026 Why our Costa Rica photography tours deliver consistent wildlife opportunities across rainforest, wetlands, cloud forest, & coast. Small groups, flexible… - [![An Elephant Walking Amongst The Trees Photographed During The Natureslens Wildlife Of Mana Pools Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/An-elephant-walking-amongst-the-trees-photographed-during-the-NaturesLens-WIldlife-of-Mana-Pools-photography-Holiday.jpg)](https://natureslens.co.uk/2024/11/19/wildlife-of-mana-pools/) ### [Wildlife of Mana Pools — What to Expect from Our September 2026 Photography Holiday](https://natureslens.co.uk/2024/11/19/wildlife-of-mana-pools/) November 19, 2024 Experience the beauty & splendour of Africa's wildlife on our exclusive Astounding Wildlife of Mana Pools photography holiday led by… In this articleJump to section 1. [Why photograph Lake Kerkini's pelicans in January?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-january/#why-photograph-lake-kerkinis-pelicans-in-january) 1. [Photograph the world's largest flying bird in freezing mist](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-january/#photograph-the-worlds-largest-flying-bird-in-freezing-mist) 1. [Why is Białowieża Forest worth photographing in January?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-january/#why-is-biaowiea-forest-worth-photographing-in-january) 1. [Do I need tracking experience for a trip like Białowieża?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-january/#do-i-need-tracking-experience-for-a-trip-like-biaowiea) 1. [Why is January a strong month for eagle photography in Hungary?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-january/#why-is-january-a-strong-month-for-eagle-photography-in-hungary) 1. [Which of these January trips should you choose?](https://natureslens.co.uk/what-you-could-photograph-in-the-next-twelve-months/why-you-could-be-photographing-wildlife-in-january/#which-of-these-january-trips-should-you-choose) ### Author Next step ### Find your next wildlife photography holiday Browse small-group trips by destination, subject, season and photographic goal. [Browse Holidays](https://natureslens.co.uk/) ### Article topics ### Field notes by email New articles, trip reports and wildlife photography holiday announcements from NaturesLens. [Join The List](https://natureslens.co.uk/newsletter-preferences/)