The winners of this year’s Bird Aware Solent Photography Competition have been revealed, showcasing images that highlight the beauty and diversity of wildlife along the south coast.
The overall champion is Jonathan Corbett, whose winning image shows a huddle of turnstones taking a rest on a rock looking out towards Hurst Point Lighthouse with the Isle of Wight in the distance.
Jonathan Corbett holds his prize winning photograph of turnstones gathered on a rock near Hurst Point
Charlotte Goswell, a ranger at Bird Aware Solent and one of the judging panel, said: “We loved the way Jonathan’s photo features the important spaces wildlife finds as safe havens along our coastline”.
The competition attracted more than 300 entries and was designed to celebrate photographers who prioritise the welfare of the natural world.
Jonathan’s prize-winning skills are all the more impressive since he has damaged optic nerves and some permanent sight loss. Jonathan often relies on a spotter to help him accurately locate birds so he can aim his camera in exactly the right direction.
As Jonathan explained: “I find that by taking a photo of the bird it helps me to identify them more easily next time as I am able to view the images in closer detail later.”
Jonathan, a regular visitor to the Solent, enjoys its natural beauty and wildlife with his family, often walking along the Lymington coastline.
Other winners in this year’s competition include 10-year-old Frederick Browning, who scooped top prize in the junior category for his beautiful study of two sanderlings taken at Hill Head, Fareham. As part of his prize, Frederick and his family will enjoy a guided birdwatching walk with a Bird Aware ranger.
Yvonne Williams was awarded first prize in the coastal birds category for her remarkable shot of a tiny crab wrapping its claws around a curlew’s curved bill, taken at Lymington Keyhaven Nature Reserve.
Sharon Vardy from Fareham won the category for wildlife-aware dogs for her photograph of her granddaughter Ruby and family dog Belle enjoying the view at Hill Head.
Finally Matt Bowdler picked up a special prize for his photo of waves on Meon shore which was judged the best that had been taken on a mobile phone.
The competition aims to raise awareness of the remarkable wildlife along the Solent coast and to champion wildlife-friendly photography.
Competition finalists:
Highly commended: Coastal Birds category
© Charlie Blake, Turnstone in sea spray
Highly commended: Solent Landscapes category
© Clive Blount, Disused pier off Fort Victoria
© Steve Francis, Seawall Sunrise
© Geoff Dixon, Chichester Harbour jetty
Highly commended: Junior category
© Clara Boniface, brent geese flying over Lepe Beach
Highly commended: Wildlife-Aware Coastal Dogs category
© Mark Evans, Titantic 2 with Dave Potato
Commended: Solent Landscapes category
© Amy Rushton
© Katalin Balazs
© Anthony Beggs
Commended: Coastal Bird category
© Mike Bainbridge
© Joel Devereux
© Dean Pepperell
© Ian Pratt
© Mike Bainbridge
