Nature's best - Birds

First Place - Birds - Professional, National Wildlife Awards

BALD EAGLE

Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, USA

by Cheryl L. Opperman

Littleton, Colorado, USA

Once on the brink of extinction, bald eagle numbers have recovered through efforts on the part of conservationists and federal laws protecting them and their habitats. Bald eagles acquire their distinctive white head feathers when they mature at the age of two or three years with wingspans up to seven feet in length, wingtip to wingtip.

“Photographically bald eagles are a challenge to capture on film or digital sensors. With their bright white head and dark body, recording the entire dynamic range is beyond the capability of current technology. In this instance, the snow below the landing bird reflects additional light, which illuminates the dark feathers and helps bring the image to life.”

First Place - Birds - Amateur, National Wildlife Awards

HUMMINGBIRDS

Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada

by Steve Irving

San Jose, California, USA

“Three species of hummingbirds migrate through this region each spring and several feeders are set up to attract them. At dusk, multiple birds commonly come to feed simultaneously. Females tolerate each other, but males are very aggressive and this one is chasing a female away. I used five flashes to light this image and freeze the action which was taken against a painted background: two remote key flashes, two remote fill flashes, and a belly flash attached to camera.”

Nikon D2X; 70-200mm; digital capture.

Youth Highly Honored
Nature's Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards

GREAT GREY OWL

Oulu, Finland

by Mateusz Kowalski, age 17

Podkowa, Poland

“Great grey owls can be regularly seen hunting mice in the open fields of northern Finland. Because they live their lives in the wild taiga without any human disturbance, they don’t mind human presence when they are hunting. This allows photographers to get really close to the owls and obtain good images. I was lucky to get this shot just as he hit the snow to catch a mouse.”

Canon EOS 1D; 300mm lens with 2x tele-converter; settings unrecorded; digital capture.

Camera Club Winner

Nature's Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International Awards

OSPREY

by James A. Galletto

Connetquot River State Park, NY, USA

Nature and Wildlife Photographers of Long Island

Long Island, New York, USA

The Nature and Wildlife Photographers of Long Island (NWPLI) was founded in 2001 by a small group of talented photographers under the guidance of friend and mentor Charles Glatzer. This growing organization of more than 60 active members shares a commitment to respecting the environment while documenting the beauty and diversity of Long Island and its surroundings. The NWPLI meets monthly at Connetquot River State Park and hosts monthly outings throughout Long Island and the New York tri-state area.

Source : Smithsonian , National Museum of Natural History