Audubon Magazine

Photo Awards
The Big Picture

When John James Audubon walked the American wilderness, his quest embodied a fine tension between science and art. He strove to learn and to convey his subjects accurately, of course, but his paintings transcended illustration. He created works of art with the power not just to inform but to inspire.

Two centuries later his namesake organization still strikes the same balance. Audubon’s work to conserve bird populations and their habitats is rooted firmly in science. Such cooperative projects as the Christmas Bird Count, the Great Backyard Bird Count, and Project eBird allow Audubon scientists to keep tabs on shifting populations. The Important Bird Areas program and other proven approaches protect key habitats for the maximum number of species. But all the science in the world is not enough without broad public support for conservation.

That is where art comes in, and where the art of photography excels. Birds may surround us all the time and still pass largely unnoticed; it is the photographer’s gift to isolate the moment, to capture that pose or action or scene that we would have missed. The artist with a camera creates an instant of heightened reality, making us pause to see what is really there.

These pages showcase bird photography at its very best, inspiring us to go out and see the birds for ourselves, and to support efforts to ensure that future generations will have the same opportunity, too. Science can give us the “what” and “how” of bird conservation, but such artistry gives us a resounding series of answers to the question “why.”—Kenn Kaufman

WINNERS

	GRAND PRIZE Photographer: Rob Palmer Species: Bald Eagle Where: Farmington Bay, UT Camera: Canon Mark III; Canon 500 mm lens with 1.4 teleconverter; 1/800 @ f/6.3; ISO 400 Rob Palmer modestly chalks up his Grand Prize–winning shot (appearing on the January-February 2010 cover) to “being in the right place at the right time. I was photographing out my car window on a cold morning, and I was the only photographer there,” says the former biology teacher and current professional photographer. “I think this is a once-in-a-lifetime shot. I’d be very surprised if I ever get another one like it.” Bird Lore In a landmark success story, bald eagles have made a gradual but strong recovery from endangered status over the past three decades, and sightings are becoming more frequent continent-wide. Fights between these big birds may look serious, but they are usually brief.
	PROFESSIONAL, First Place Photographer: Mark B. Bartosik Species: Great Blue Heron Where: Quintana, TX Camera: Canon 50D; Canon 500 mm lens with 1.4 teleconverter; 1/400 @ f/5.6; ISO 400 “Sometimes accidents make the story,” says Mark Bartosik, an environmental chemist. He had planned to shoot least terns, but this great blue heron feeding in shallow water caught his eye. “I snapped at least 50 shots in one to two minutes,” he says. “Every one was different. I like this one because of the position of the wings.” Bird Lore A great blue heron stalking prey can be as still as a statue, but when the moment is right it can unleash a powerful hunting strike, fast as feathered lightning.
	AMATEUR, First Place Photographer: Adam Felde Species: Brown Pelican Where: Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach, CA Camera: Nikon D3; Nikkor 500 mm lens; 1/500 @ f/8; ISO 1100 “As a photographer, you get to see things that other people typically don’t see,” says Adam Felde, a retired IT professional. “I love to photograph the pelicans when they’re diving. They’re big. They’re amazing. They’ll dive from 20 to 30 feet. With photography, you get to relive that moment. At least half the fun is getting to share what you’ve seen.” Bird Lore Brown pelicans, once seriously endangered because of the effects of persistent pesticides, have made a major comeback all along our southern coastlines in the post-DDT era.
	AMATEUR, Second Place Photographer: Diana Whiting Species: Wood Duck Where: Black Creek, Verona, NY Camera: Nikon D2X; Nikon 500 mm lens; 1/350 @ f/8; ISO 320 “Learning the birds’ behavior helps you anticipate when something might happen—that’s really the most fun for me,” says Diana Whiting, who daylights as a hairdresser. “You have to sit a long time for wood ducks to do something besides eat. I was really excited to see them chasing each other.” Bird Lore In addition to showy patterns, wood ducks also communicate with behavioral displays. A forward rush with the head lowered may be used in aggression (as with these two males) or in courtship.
	YOUTH, First Place Photographer: Landon Starnes Species: Least Sandpiper Where: Cement Creek Lake, Fort Worth, TX Camera: Canon 40D; Canon 100-400 mm lens; 1/800 @ f/8; ISO 250 “I got interested in birding when I was about eight years old after participating in Project Feeder Watch, and I decided I wanted to do bird photography,” says Landon Starnes, now 17. “I go to the lake whenever I can. I found that if I lie down and crawl on all fours very slowly, the birds wouldn’t even notice I was there. I knew if I got within a few yards, they would eventually come by this spot where I was waiting. It took a couple weeks before I got this photo.” Bird Lore Smallest of its tribe, no bigger than a sparrow, the least sandpiper can be found during migration seasons on muddy margins of lakes, rivers, and tidal flats throughout North America.

EDITORS' CHOICE

With some 2,500 entrants and more than 16,000 images, we received an astonishing number of phenomenal photos in the first-ever Audubon Magazine Photography Awards. Here are some of our favorites.

	HONORABLE MENTION Photographer: John Reed Category: Professional Species: Great Blue Heron Where: Lake Eustis, near Tavares, FL Camera: Canon 1D Mark II; Canon 500 mm lens with 1.4 teleconverter; 1/250 @ f/5.6; ISO 400 “Making people appreciate the world around us is what drives me,” says John Reed, who leads photo workshops at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. He’d been looking for ospreys when the heron appeared. “It was nice diffuse light, and the mist was burning off. It gave that glow behind the bird.” Bird Lore Adaptable enough to eat practically anything it can catch, this is our biggest and most widespread heron. In many places it is the largest wild bird the average person is likely to see.
	HONORABLE MENTION Photographer: Bob Pelkey Category: Amateur Species: Little Blue Heron Where: Bunche Beach Preserve, Fort Myers, FL Camera: Nikon D80; Nikkor 70-300 mm lens; 1/1000 @ f/5.6; ISO 160 “I was crawling in the water, my camera hand-held above the surface,” says Bob Pelkey, a customer service manager for Publix Super Markets, who spent 22 minutes shooting the little blue heron until a flock of dunlins and a few whimbrels distracted him. “It was really an exciting moment, when I was able to just shoot this bird.” Bird Lore While not targeted as much as white egrets, this heron also suffered the raids of plume hunters around 1900, and was saved by early Audubon action.
	HONORABLE MENTION Photographer: Jonathan Kirk Category: Amateur Species: American Flamingo Where: Philadelphia (PA) Zoo Camera: Nikon D300; Nikon 70-300 mm lens; 1/60 @ f/8; ISO 200 For Jonathan Kirk, there’s more to a flamingo than pinkish plumage. “They’re stunning, very unusual creatures,” says the strategic design leader for a product manufacturer. “The way they sleep on one foot is intriguing. They make fascinating subjects, and I like exploring their textural nooks and crannies and the way they fold their bodies.” Bird Lore The shocking pink of the American flamingo derives from pigments in tiny crustaceans and other items in its diet. Flamingos in zoos are fed supplements to maintain their color.
	HONORABLE MENTION Photographer: Jim Urbach Category: Professional Species: King Penguin Where: South Georgia Island Camera: Canon 1DMIIN; Canon 70-200 mm lens with 1.4 teleconverter; 1/320 @ f/9; ISO 400 Jim Urbach spotted this pair of penguins necking on a drizzly day on South Georgia Island, located about 1,100 miles east of Tierra del Fuego. “I moved in slowly,” says the professional photographer. “It’s unique how close you can get to penguins, as long as you go slow and approach at their eye level. They have no fear of people.” Bird Lore Second in size only to the emperor penguin, which nests on the Antarctic ice itself, king penguins form enormous colonies on more temperate islands of the sub-Antarctic.
	HONORABLE MENTION Photographer: Bob Malbon Category: Amateur Species: Little Blue Heron Where: J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel, FL Camera: Canon 1D Mark III; Canon 500 mm lens; 1/640 @ f/5.6; ISO 400 “That little blue heron was not moving,” says Bob Malbon, a cabinetmaker. “He had his eye on something. The moving water helped for what I was after, which was a sharp image, a tight head shot, and that hunting pose along with a non-distracting but interesting background.” Bird Lore Similar to snowy egrets in size and shape, this heron hunts differently. While snowies may dance about actively in the shallows, hunting little blues are often rock-still for minutes at a time.
	HONORABLE MENTION Photographer: Keith Dines Category: Amateur Species: Smew Where: Balboa Park, San Diego, CA Camera: Nikon D300; Nikon 150 mm lens; 1/250 @ f/8.0; ISO 640 A self-described “bird person,” Keith Dines spied the species above in a pond among mallards, and got the chiaroscuro effect using a polarizer. “A beam of morning sun was shining on the white duck like a spotlight on a stage,” says Dines, CEO of a healthcare company. “I’m just hopeful that this image will get others to enjoy the beauty of nature.” Bird Lore Native to Eurasia, the smew is popular in collections of ornamental waterfowl worldwide. A fairly close relative to our mergansers, its stunning black-and-white pattern is unique among ducks.
	HONORABLE MENTION Photographer: Stephen Weaver Category: Professional Species: Sandhill Crane Where: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, NM Camera: Nikon D700; Nikkor 200-400 mm lens with 1.4 teleconverter; 1/2500 @ f/10; ISO 1600 “The Bosque is really one of the great bird locations in the country,” says Stephen Weaver, technical director of geology at Colorado College. On the chilly morning he took this shot, “it was absolutely beautiful light,” and many greater sandhill cranes were taking off in pairs. “That particular frame caught what I call the yin/yang of the flight patterns.” Bird Lore Huge flocks of sandhills winter at Bosque and other southwestern refuges, but within the flocks, pairs and family groups stay together. Cranes often mate for life and travel together year-round.
	HONORABLE MENTION Photographer: Larry Ditto Category: Professional Species: Greater Roadrunner Where: Santa Clara Ranch, outside of Edinburg, TX Camera: Canon 1D Mark III; Canon IS 500 mm lens; 1/5000 @ f/5.6; ISO 800 “It was a very intimate shot,” says professional photographer Larry Ditto. “I was lying there with my camera at ground level within 15 feet of this roadrunner when he came in. I love the color because of the rich, warm light, and also the reddish soil in that area. It just gave a warm tone to the photo.” Bird Lore Like other birds of dry country, roadrunners will come to water when it is available. Their furtive approach to it often belies their brash behavior at other times.
	HONORABLE MENTION Photographer: Joanne Williams Category: Professional Species: Little Bee-eater Where: Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya Camera: Canon Mark II; Canon 500 mm lens with 1.4 teleconverter; 1/160 @ f/22; ISO 250 Joanne Williams, a former interior designer who now guides photo trips to exotic locales, is always prepared with her camera gear. “I have all the bells and whistles ready to go,” she says. Still, she was surprised to snag the shot of a little bee-eater in mid-bite, given how quickly the species and its prey move. Bird Lore Named for their ability to nab bees and other insects in midair, about two dozen species of bee-eaters occur in warmer regions of the Old World, with most in Africa.
	HONORABLE MENTION Photographer: Rich Adams Category: Professional Species: Malachite Kingfisher Where: Okavango Delta, Botswana Camera: Canon 1D Mark II; Canon 500 mm lens; 1/1250 @ f/6.3; ISO 200 Botswana enthralls Rich Adams with its primeval biodiversity. “The wildlife is essentially behaving as it has for thousands of years,” says Adams, an engineer in product development. The malachite kingfisher is very fleeting and hard to get close to, he adds. “Anytime I have the opportunity to stalk one, I do.” Bird Lore Africa has about 20 species of kingfishers, three times as many as in the Americas. Many are brilliantly colored but none more so than this little gem.
	HONORABLE MENTION Photographer: Jim Urbach Category: Professional Species: Snowy Plover Where: Sanibel Island, FL Camera: Canon 1DMIIN; Canon 600 mm lens with 1.4 teleconverter; 1/640 @ f/10; ISO 200 “These birds are so tiny and they blend in with the sand so well, so if you aren’t looking you can easily miss them,” says Jim Urbach, a professional photographer, who had never seen a newborn snowy plover before. “About an hour later its wings had dried and it was foraging on its own.” Bird Lore Although still widespread, this pale plover faces threats in many of its remaining habitats. Along the coasts, increasing human use of beaches leaves it with few safe places to nest. Here one downy chick has just emerged, and the other two eggs surely are about to hatch.
	HONORABLE MENTION Photographer: Rob Palmer Category: Professional Species: Bald Eagle and Starling Where: Platteville, CO Camera: Canon Mark III; Canon 500 mm lens with 1.4 teleconverter; 1/1600 @ f/8; ISO 640 “This photo was a unique situation,” says Rob Palmer, a professional photographer. “I was driving around eastern Colorado looking for birds of prey, like I always do. I saw about 25 eagles at the back of a cattle feedlot. They were sitting in a tree, then climbing in the air to catch starlings and blackbirds that had been eating the cattle feed.” Bird Lore Although they seldom prey upon small birds, bald eagles are opportunists, and may take advantage of practically any food source that happens to be temporarily abundant.
	HONORABLE MENTION Photographer: Chas. McRae Category: Amateur Species: Yellow Warbler Where: Ambergris Caye, Belize Camera: Canon EOS 40D; Canon 600 mm lens; 1/160 @ f/5.6; ISO 400 Chas. McRae had hoped to photograph yellow warblers bathing in a manmade pond on the island where he was vacationing. “I think most photographers have a picture in their mind’s eye of what they want,” says McRae, a retired radiologist. “I never dreamed they would open their beak and try to catch the drops.” Bird Lore Of the dozens of species of warblers—all small and active, most brightly colored—none is more widespread than the yellow warbler, which nests from the Arctic south to the Equator. Only the warbler in this shot knows whether it was trying to catch the water drops or just reacting with surprise.
	HONORABLE MENTION Photographer: Lorraine Thomas Category: Amateur Species: Reddish Egret Where: Near Fort Myers, FL Camera: Canon 30D; Canon 100-400 mm lens; 1/1500 @ f/6.7; ISO 250 Her friends call Lorraine Thomas “swamp thing” because she’ll crawl through muck and water to photograph a bird—especially if it’s her favorite, the reddish egret. “It dances around the water chasing fish and opening its wings,” says Thomas, who sells bottling machinery. “Its stance communicates that it’s determined.” Bird Lore This lanky wader was another bird threatened by plume hunters more than a century ago and saved by the fledgling Audubon movement. Today it is locally common along southeastern coastlines.