Now in its second year, Bird Photographer of the Year is a celebration of winged beauties flying and living in their natural habitats.
This year’s top prize was won by Alejandro Prieto Rojas, who took home £5,000 in prize money, while category winners were given Swarovski binoculars. Below is a selection of our favourite images from the competition. Click here to view the full entry list.
Alejandro Prieto Rojas’ image of flamingos feeding their young in the fishing village of Rio Lagartos, Mexico, won the overall prize of Bird Photographer of the Year.
Markus Varesvuo bagged the top prize for Best Portfolio. Here is a shot he captured of a bearded tit, lit by midwinter sunshine.
“We were ringing gulls at Pitsea landfill in Essex and the camera was on the ground just in front of the net,” remembers Gabor Kapus of this image. “I was trying to capture the moment when the net is fired and is still in the air above the camera. As we were waiting to fire the net, this fox walked right at the front of the camera, scaring all birds into the air but at least I took this great image.”
“Trying to photograph red kites in a new unseen way is very tricky,” says Birds in Flight Silver Award winner Jamie Hall. “This image was achieved by setting up the camera next to a dead red worm, and sitting back and waiting for a bird to stoop to grab it. I fired the camera with a remote control from about 40m (130ft) away. The kite never actually touched the ground. The shape and detail in each feather as the kite puts on the brakes is amazing.”
Andrew Parkinson from Derbyshire photographed two coots fighting in a dispute over territory.
In the harbour of Trondelag, Norway, Pal Hermansen snapped this Eider duck making its way through the water.
Kelvin Dao based in Singapore, captured a vain woodpecker looking at itself in the mirror of a truck.
Weber Marc captured this image of Bramblings flying around their nesting area. “It was an incredible show. Using a long exposure, I’ve tried to show the movement of the birds. Here the light through the wings makes this incredible effect.”
Tom Hines won gold in the attention to detail category for his stunning close-up image of a cormorant wing in Hyde Park, London.
