The unpredictability of wildlife often makes capturing the perfect shot a long and frustrating process but the very best photographers know that putting in the long hours can often result in witnessing that special moment and landing a ‘shot of a lifetime’. That’s exactly what the winners of the 2016 British Wildlife Photography Awards managed to achieve, with some truly breathtaking shots on display. The following are 10 images of British Wildlife at its very best.
Rebecca Bunce – Kung Fu Puffin
The winner of the Wildpix 12-18 Years category went to 18-year-old Rebecca Bunce for her perfectly timed photo of two puffins in mid-fight. The shot was taken on Skomer Island in Pembrokeshire, England and captured the moment one of the puffins caught the other with a flying kick, hence the brilliantly named: ‘Kung Fu Puffin’.
Peter Cairns – Life & Death
This striking image of a dead deer and a golden eagle is rather appropriately titled ‘Life & Death’. The wintery scene was captured by Peter Cairns in Assynt, Scotland and received a ‘Highly Commended’ award in the Habitat category. We think the photo perfectly reflects the beautiful and often brutal world of nature.
Paul Colley – Hello Ducky
Underwater shots are notoriously difficult but this image of a duck diving towards a brown trout has been captured perfectly. The photo was taken by Paul Colley in Hampshire, England and received a ‘Highly Commended’ award in the Animal Behaviour category of the competition.
Adam Hanlon – Welcome To The Party
Another underwater shot that received high praise from the judges was this incredible photo of a grey seal emerging from the reeds. The image was captured by Adam Hanlon on Farne Islands, off the coast of Northumberland in England and also received a ‘Highly Commended’ award in the Coast and Marine category.
Geoff Trevarthen – The Supermarket Starling
The winner of the Urban category award went to Geoff Trevarthen for this photo of a starling in a supermarket carpark. The image was captured in Cornwall, England and showed the bird balanced on a shopping trolley while singing its little heart out.
Chaitanya Deshpande – Free Bird
In terms of pure art, few photos on this list can match the one captured by Chaitanya Deshpande. The talented photographer used a misty morning and a London skyscraper to shoot a lone bird on its morning flight. The photo obviously impressed the judges too, taking first prize in the British Nature in Black and White category.
Sam Hobson – Red Light District
This fantastic photo of two thrushes using a traffic light as a nesting perch not only brought a smile to our faces but also received a ‘Highly Commended’ award in the Urban Wildlife category. The photo was captured by Sam Hobson in Leicester, England.
Stephen Darlington – Emergence
The prize for the Hidden Britain category went to Stephen Darlington of Goring, Oxfordshire, England, who managed to capture the moment a dragonfly broke free of its old skin and emerged into the world afresh.
Robert E Fuller – Common Weasel
The winner of the British Seasons category went to Robert E Fuller, who managed to capture four astonishing photos of weasels throughout the four seasons in North Yorkshire, England. We love all four of the shots but we think our favourite has to be the winter scene.
George Stoyle – Hitchhikers
The overall winner of the British Wildlife Photography Awards went to George Stoyle for his incredible photo of a jellyfish off the island of Hirta, in Scotland. The beautiful shot was made all the more breathtaking when he realised a school of juvenile fish were taking a ride on the tentacles of the jellyfish. A worthy winner!
