BirdGuides Photo of the Year 2012: Runner-up

I was delighted to find one of my images was a runner-up in the BirdGuides Photo of the Year 2012 selection.

The overflying Spoonbill image taken in Norfolk last September was selected from over 50,000 images uploaded to the site over the past year. 

 

 

Julian Hughes, one of the judges, commented: "Reviewing all the photos of the week is challenging enough, so it can take something 'a bit different' to stand out. Spoonbills are birds of our time, an indicator of our changing world; 20 years ago this shot would have been taken in Spain (though a sky that blue in Norfolk last summer seems barely believable!). Tom utilised the interesting shape of a Spoonbill and, with smart use of cropping, turned a nice, but perhaps rather ordinary, flyover Spoonbill into something more graphic. Cropping like this is not everyone's cup of tea, and the photographer has to have a real eye for it, as it can go badly awry. But Tom's work means the result is a very simple yet pleasing image that easily made my shortlist."

 

Thanks very much to the BirdGuides judges.  The full article including the superb winning image taken by Gerhard Hofmann can be read here:

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=3608

 



Fieldfare - Garden Tick!

For the first time in 10 years two Fieldfare have been visiting my London garden this week.  Desperate to feed following the recent snow, a few apples soon brought them in over the weekend.  For the past two mornings one individual has started feeding at 7am in the dark.

Unfortunately since Sunday the sightings in the dark are the only ones I've had due to working hours.

 

 

 

 

 

Sparrowhawk - Messy Eater

I captured this beautiful female Sparrowhawk after it had just killed one of the local pigeons in Sheffield.  After being disturbed it returned later to continue eating before flying off with the remaining carcass.

Buff-bellied Pipit

Some images of the recent rarity at Queen Mother Reservoir in Berkshire in December.