The photograph was taken without using baiting, calls, lures or unethical practices of any kind.īronze winner in the Birds in Flight category
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However, on this particular morning my luck changed when this bird wandered close to my hide in full display. In previous years I had tried to capture this type of portrait shot but had been unsuccessful. Similarly, with the best interests of the birds at heart, I packed up the hide only when the last bird had left the area. I arrived at the lek more than an hour before the birds so I could set up my hide without causing disturbance. This behaviour is for the benefit of the females, which judge the talent show and select the best genes to pass on to the next generation. On these traditional display grounds, males of this Near Threatened species perform their strutting displays in the hope of winning the right to mate. You know that springtime has arrived on the prairies of the Great Basin of the American West when the Sage Grouse gather at their leks. Gold winner in the Best Portrait category Here's a look at some of the winning shots. This year, the competition donated funds to partner charity Birds on the Brink, an organisation that provides vital funding to grassroots bird conservation projects around the world. "But it is also a stark reminder of what we stand to lose if we don’t continue to look after the natural world and fight for its protection from the many threats that exist today." "Once again our talented photographers have cast a light on the incredible diversity of bird life that we share our planet with," says Will Nicholls, Director of Bird Photographer of the Year. Levi Fitze / Bird Photographer of the Year I could really see on their faces how annoyed they were by the wind and sand flying everywhere. When I saw a group of Dunlin struggling with a small sandstorm, I decided to risk my equipment and attempt to photograph them. However, the opportunity to observe all kind of shorebirds made up for the conditions. The weather was quite bad and I didn’t see a single nice sunrise. Last autumn I spent a week on the tiny North Sea island of Heligoland. Overall winner in the Young Bird Photographer of the Year contest and gold winner in the 14-17 years category Soon a bird took flight, with the dramatic backdrop showing what a harsh environment this bird calls home.”Īlso landing an award in this year's competition was 17-year-old Swiss photographer Levi Fitze who picked up the Young Bird Photographer of the Year accolade for his image of a dunlin struggling against a sandstorm. I had almost reached the summit when I spotted some ptarmigan tracks in the snow. "On this particular winter’s day, I was on my way to a mountain top. This is where Rock Ptarmigan thrive in an endless white landscape," says Haarberg in a press release. "High up in the mountains, the wind, snow and cold maintain the iron grip of winter for many months on end. From behind a rock, a small head appeared, and seconds later it took to the wing with the mountains and fjord landscape in the background, setting the scene perfectly.Įrlend Haarberg / Bird Photographer of the Year I had almost reached the summit when I spotted some ptarmigan tracks criss-crossing between the rocks, where the wind had uncovered some sparse vegetation. On this particular winter day, I was on my way to a mountain top by Tysfjorden to photograph landscapes. This is where Rock Ptarmigan thrive, small white feather-balls in an endless white landscape. High above the tree-line, the wind, snow and cold maintain the iron grip of winter for months on end. Overall Winner and gold winner in the Birds in the Environment category