One of many many causes we love hen images is its skill to offers us with intimate glimpses into avian lives: fascinating behaviors caught mid-act; dad and mom feeding hungry—and ridiculously cute—chicks; a Cedar Waxwing gorging on the berries of a native plant. However what occurs what you zoom out?
For 2024, the Audubon Pictures Awards launched an thrilling new class: The Birds in Landscapes Prize. The motivation? To encourage photographers to not simply seize extraordinary photos of birds, however to additionally present the various environments—pure and unnatural—they reside and thrive. Capturing a hen inside this bigger context delivers a special kind of problem, one that may additionally present a brand new method of understanding the topic and its residence.
This 12 months’s successful picture of a California Quail surveying its shrubby habitat delivered on all fronts, impressing our judges with its lighting, composition, and a contemporary but acquainted perspective. However as normally occurs with any class of the picture awards, there have been so many compelling entries that we could not solely share one. If after perusing the gallery under you are excited by studying extra about panorama images, check out these tips, And if you wish to participate in subsequent 12 months’s Audubon Photography Awards, mark your calendar—entry opens in January!
Brown Pelican by Morgan Quimby (above)
Location: Monterey, California
Behind the shot: I’m a photographer and researcher for Monterey Bay Whale Watch in California. I not solely take images of whales, however as a birder I prefer to focus simply as a lot on capturing the bay’s avian denizens. Brown Pelicans are a enjoyable topic, as their feeding technique is dynamic and a problem to {photograph}. The interspecies relationships between totally different generally sighted species like humpback whales and Brown Pelicans is among the issues that fascinates me most, and capturing it in a photograph has all the time been a purpose. On at the present time, we encountered a quintessential feeding frenzy—a whole lot of sea lions, hundreds of seabirds from a number of gull and tern species, and the enduring Brown Pelicans joined the gathering of 30 humpbacks that have been lunge feeding on huge bait balls of anchovies. I used to be in a position to seize this picture towards the tip of the encounter, when the whales slowed and the pelicans began to to dive for scattered anchovies.
Belted Kingfisher by Jeff Extra
Location: Emigrant, Montana
Behind the shot: On a frigid morning with temperatures hitting -35 levels, I headed to the Yellowstone River close to Emigrant, Montana. There, I used to be taking photos of the willows and cottonwoods, each encased in hoarfrost, when a lone Belted Kingfisher landed on a department above a steamy outlet from the primary river. Regardless of its tiny dimension, the kingfisher’s silhouette stands out amid the spectacular winter wonderland.
American Crow by Liron Gertsman
Location: Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Behind the shot: In lots of city locations on the planet, crows are among the many most plentiful wildlife species. That’s definitely the case in my residence metropolis of Vancouver. Each night time, the hundreds of crows that reside all through town and surrounding areas collect to roost in close by Burnaby. A part of their roost is subsequent to the freeway, which is illuminated by vivid lights at night time. On a particularly wet night in fall 2023, I headed out to doc the birds. The intense freeway lights backlit the falling rain and gave a stupendous glow to the droplets masking the bushes. In search of pure framing, I discovered this composition and photographed a single crow within the rain by means of a small hole within the tree branches. With some wind blowing and the rain continuously altering, I shot a whole lot of photos to get the body I hoped for. I used a shutter velocity of 1/80 of a second to provide me the streaking rain droplets that I had in thoughts.
Rock Pigeon by Gail Bisson
Location: Dominion, Nova Scotia, Canada
Behind the shot: There’s an previous church in Dominion, Nova Scotia that has been closed and slated for demolition for a number of years. As I drove previous the church after a morning of images on the seashore, I observed that vandals had damaged a number of the home windows. I ended to take a look at the harm when a number of birds flew out of 1 window. I grabbed my digital camera and watched as this Rock Dove perched on the window body. The cloudy mild introduced out the iridescent pinks, purples, and greens on the breast. I cherished the scene, with the frosted glass panes and the peeling blue and white paint on the sill and shingles surrounding the hen.
King Penguin by Kimberly Jeffries
Location: Crozet Islands, French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Behind the shot: Capturing this picture of King Penguins swimming by means of the dense kelp forests within the Crozet Islands was each an exhilarating problem and an awe-inspiring expertise. Outfitted with a rebreather system that permits for prolonged underwater stays with out releasing bubbles, I used to be in a position to observe the penguins intently with out disturbing their pure habits. The digital camera, encased in a Nauticam underwater housing, was essential for withstanding the tough underwater situations and capturing the vivid particulars of this surreal scene. The journey to this distant location was fraught with difficulties, from navigating treacherous ocean currents to adapting to the unpredictable climate patterns typical of the sub-Antarctic. Regardless of these challenges, the sight of the King Penguins elegantly navigating by means of the kelp was profoundly shifting. This {photograph} goals to showcase their magnificence whereas highlighting the importance of preserving these distinctive underwater forests.
Nice Blue Heron by Jay Grate
Location: Kennewick, Washington
Behind the shot: The marina at Clover Island in Kennewick, Washington is situated on the quiet reservoir swimming pools created by the McNary Dam on the Columbia River. On a cold late November morning, in low wintry daylight, the roof buildings and boat homes of the marina offered a graphic background of traces, geometric shapes, and colours. Dwarfed by this constructed setting, a Nice Blue Heron stood immobile on one leg close to the sting of a corrugated metallic roof, overlooking the water and warming itself within the solar. I took the image from close to the tip of the highway that connects the island to the river shore, positioning myself among the many riprap and utilizing a protracted telephoto lens (600 mm equal area of view). The presence of the sharply targeted hen introduced the scene to life, and its colours harmonize with the shades of blue and grey within the background.
Adelie Penguins by David Hartley
Location: Weddell Sea, Antarctica
Behind the shot: We had simply spent six days docked within the ice at Snow Hill Island, however on account of poor climate situations, we have been solely in a position to spend 4 hours at an Emperor Penguin rookery on the primary day. The icebreaker began to make its journey again from the Weddell Sea to the Antarctic Peninsula. Throughout this time, I wished to {photograph} each the ocean ice and the encircling surroundings. From earlier expertise, I knew that it was good to alternate photographing from each the low decks and the higher decks of the icebreaker to get totally different views of the ice. Whereas on the very best deck, I noticed a bunch of Adelie Penguins tobogganing. That is an environment friendly and quick technique for them to journey over the ice. With their physique and flippers making tracks within the snow, I rapidly framed the shot and took various pictures.
Dusky Grouse by Charlie Sandbo
Location: Grand Teton Nationwide Park, Wyoming
Behind the shot: On a crisp Could morning, the magnificent Teton Vary stood out towards daybreak’s pink pastel sky. I had one of many continent’s most stunning vistas fully to myself—or so I believed. Establishing my digital camera, a gentle rustle within the bushes and an unfamiliar name grabbed my consideration. On full alert, I targeted my ears, cautious to not blink. This is among the causes I like wildlife images; I rejoin the pure world with all of my senses. A flurry of feathers sprung up earlier than me—a male Dusky Grouse! A lot for being alone. His low clucking and hooting uncovered the intense crimson patch of bumpy pores and skin on his neck. “Stunning,” I believed. “However how am I going to border this?” He hopped onto a close-by wood guardrail. “Drawback solved!” I crouched and started snapping away, making an attempt to time my images along with his calls.
Combined Shorebird Flock by Jean Corridor
Location: Marco Island, Florida
Behind the shot: As Audubon shorebird stewards, we kayak out to an emergent sandbar on weekends to teach the general public in regards to the decline and fragility of shorebird populations. I took this picture due to the stark distinction of the massive resting flock—primarily made up of Marbled Godwits, Willets, and Black Skimmers—with a tall condominium constructing within the background. These shorebirds face huge challenges, together with jet ski excursions, dogs on the beach, fishing line, crimson tide, disruptive beachgoers, and pure predators. As a volunteer group, we’re offering outreach to mitigate the hurt and lack of hen habitat in Florida.
Purple- bellied Woodpecker by Rosy Espinoza
Location: Palm Seashore, Florida
Behind the shot: Whereas vacationing in West Palm Seashore, I visited the Frenchman’s Forest Pure Space trying to {photograph} some native birds. I made a decision to hike the longest path to take pleasure in totally different sceneries and immerse myself within the vegetation that gives an unlimited habitat for wildlife. After I handed by means of a giant mosquito cloud, I seemed again and noticed within the distance this Purple-bellied Woodpecker having a feast. I received on my knees, and utilizing a protracted lens to remain distant behind some shrubs, I captured this picture. I used to be impressed by the hen’s agility whereas feeding on the mosquitoes. I cherished the feel the noticed palmettos and different native vegetation offers to the picture. It jogs my memory of the significance of conserving pure habitats like this.
European Starling by Nancy Growth
Location: North Truro, Massachusetts
Behind the shot: Dwelling on Cape Cod, the place the sunshine is magical, I discover myself out each day with my digital camera. Certainly one of my favourite locations to {photograph} is Days’ Cottages—a row of beachfront cottages constructed within the Thirties. They sit on a slender strip of sand in North Truro in higher Cape Cod, and in the present day these 23 iconic cottage are sometimes filmed, painted, and photographed by guests. The day in early October that I captured this picture was particular. The members of the Massachusetts Cruisers Automotive Membership have been taking part within the annual Route 6 Cruise to Provincetown. My two passions are images and traditional automobiles, so every year when the Cruisers go to the Cape, I ask them to cease by the cottages for me to {photograph} two classics collectively—the automobiles and the cottages.