Bird Aware Solent launches photography competition to celebrate coastal wildlife
3 December 2025
Bird Aware Solent has launched this year’s coastal photography competition, which runs until the end of March 2026.
Photographers are invited to submit entries which celebrate the beauty of the Solent coastline and its wildlife, within four categories: birds on the coastline, Solent landscapes, wildlife‑aware coastal dogs, and a junior category for under‑18s.
The competition aims to inspire creativity and responsible photography, with entrants encouraged to showcase the region’s unique habitats while respecting the birds that depend on them. A special award will also recognise the best image taken on a mobile phone, making the contest accessible to all.
Prizes include £100 in vouchers for the overall winner, £75 for category winners and a guided birdwatching walk for the overall and junior category winners.
Charlotte Goswell, a senior ranger at Bird Aware Solent, said: “Every photo tells a story about our coastline and the incredible wildlife that depends on it. This competition is a chance for people to connect with nature and share that beauty with others, while practising responsible photography that ensures wildlife remains undisturbed.”
Selected photographs will be featured in a touring free summer exhibition, giving the public an opportunity to enjoy the Solent’s wildlife through the lens of local photographers, while celebrating ethical photography.
Last year’s overall winner, Jonathan Corbett, captured a stunning image of a group of turnstones resting on a rock near Hurst Point Lighthouse. The photo has since been used on the cover of Bird Aware Solent’s official information leaflet, with the generous permission of the winner.
Winners in other categories included Frederick Browning in the junior section, Yvonne Williams’s study of a curlew at Keyhaven which won the birds on the Solent category, and Sharon Vardy’s photograph of her granddaughter and family dog enjoying the scenery at Hill Head in Fareham, which picked up the prize for wildlife-aware coastal dogs.
Entries should be emailed to info@birdaware.org by the end of March next year. Open to amateur photographers, participants may submit up to two images per category, each no larger than 10 MB.
Photographers are reminded to follow Bird Aware Solent’s guidance to ensure images are captured responsibly – maintaining respectful distance, avoiding disturbance, and watching for behavioural cues that indicate stress.
Thousands of birds migrate to the Solent coastline every year from as far as Arctic Siberia and Africa. Bird Aware encourages people who visit the coast to be mindful for birds, to move further away if birds become alert, to keep dogs closely alongside, and to follow requests on signs. The competition aims to raise awareness of the remarkable wildlife along the Solent coast and to champion wildlife-friendly photography.
