Last year’s winning photo by Jonathan Corbett’s on the Bird Aware information leaflet

Winners in each category will receive fantastic prizes and earn a place in a touring exhibition in 2026, which will showcase the finest entries at more venues and across more locations, building on the popularity of the previous year’s event.

Last year’s winning photo of turnstones gathered on the Solent now appears – with the generous permission of photographer Jonathan Corbett – on Bird Aware Solent’s official information leaflet.

You don’t have to have a ton of expensive equipment: the competition is for amateur photographers* and we’re once again featuring a special award for photographs taken on a mobile phone.

Here’s full details of each of the categories, plus guidance on how to enter and the prizes on offer.

This category celebrates the beauty and diversity of the birds that call our coastline home. From a curlew tackling a crab (like Yvonne Williams prize-winning shot last year), to turnstones foraging among seaweed, or sanderlings darting along the water’s edge, we want to see the behaviours and moments that make these species – and our shores – so remarkable. Whether it’s a single striking portrait or a scene alive with activity, your images should capture what makes coastal wildlife special.

As always, the welfare of wildlife comes first: any entries that may have caused disturbance will not be accepted.

From dramatic cliffs to lively seaside towns, this category celebrates the stunning character of the Solent coastline. Share your best shots of rugged rocks, shingle beaches, glistening rockpools, mudflats and sandy stretches – or capture the vibrant energy of coastal life in our towns and harbours.

We’re not just looking for sweeping views: entries that feature the wildlife thriving in these spaces will be particularly welcome, such as turnstones gathered on the rocks, as captured by Jonathan Corbett, winner of our previous competition.

In partnership with our colleagues at Coast & Country Canines, this category celebrates dogs enjoying the beach responsibly. We’re looking for photos of well-behaved dogs who give birds plenty of space – whether walking alongside their humans on paths, staying on leads, or simply relaxing away from wildlife.

Show us dogs making the most of their coastal adventures while helping protect the birds that need these spaces to feed and rest. Whether it’s a dog watching birds from a distance, like Sharon Vardy’s prize-winning photo of her granddaughter and family dog at Hill Head, or getting the most from spending quality time with their humans, let’s celebrate dog-walking in nature in a responsible way.

This category is open to photographers under 18, giving young talent the chance to shine. You can enter any of the three main themes – Birds on the Solent coastline, Solent Landscapes, or Wildlife-aware Coastal Dogs – and show us your unique perspective on nature.

Entries will be judged separately in this junior category, with one winner receiving special recognition, like this prize-winning photo of sanderlings from the last competition, taken by Frederick Browning. If you’re under 16, please make sure you have consent from a parent or guardian before entering. This is your opportunity to share your creativity and love for the coast – so grab your camera and start exploring!

Important: all photography must be wildlife-friendly. Entries should never be taken in a way that could disturb wildlife or damage habitats.

Any submissions our rangers believe may have caused disturbance will not be accepted. For tips on how to photograph responsibly, read our advice on wildlife aware photography.

Please note: minor editing of images through software or traditional darkroom techniques is permitted; however, entries must not involve extensive post-processing. Alterations that substantially distort factual representation of the subject, such as the use of AI-generated imagery, will not be accepted.

How to enter:

• Email your photos to info@birdaware.org by 31 March 2026.
• Each photo should be no larger than 10MB.
• You can enter as many categories as you like, but maximum 2 photos per category.
• In your email:
  • tell us which category you are entering
  • include a brief description of each photo entered, including where and when it was taken and any species featured
  • remember to tell us if you took the photo on a mobile phone since, once again, we’re making a special award in this year’s competition for photos taken on a mobile.
  • and let us know if you qualify for entry into the Junior category: that is, if you’re under 18 on 31 March 2026. And if you’re under 16, you’ll need consent from a parent or guardian before entering.
• For more details, see competition terms and conditions. We’ll use your email address for the purpose of the photography competition only and it won’t be retained afterwards.

As always, the welfare of wildlife is the priority: any entries where our rangers think the photograph might have resulted in disturbance will not be accepted.

We’ll be running more of our popular mobile phone photography workshops over the winter and in early spring: check our events page for more details.

* Note: entrants must not be professional photographers. For the purposes of this competition, a professional photographer will be considered to be someone who makes more than half their annual income from the sale of their photographs.

Prizes:

The winners and runners-up in each category will be decided by the ranger team. An overall winner will also be selected from any of the four categories.

The winning and runner-up photographs will feature on Bird Aware Solent’s social media for all our supporters to enjoy. They will also be showcased in a special touring exhibition in 2026. Permission for sharing these images will be sought by Bird Aware before publication online and on any printed material. Each image will be appropriately credited in agreement with the photographers concerned.