THE WINNERS of this year’s Worcestershire Wildlife Trust calendar competition have been revealed.
And Worcester, Malvern and Tenbury Wells snappers made the cut.
Mute Swans by Worcester’s Anil Patel is the image for February while Gillian Smith from Tenbury Wells was chosen for October with her picture ‘Autumn Woodland’.
Malvern’s two inclusions are Common bellcap, Monkwood, by Ira James (November) and December’s – Umbel sunset, Eckington, by Pat Pitt.
The overall winner – decided by a public vote advertised across the Trust’s social media channels – was Brown hare, The Lenches by Nick Thompson from Cheltenham.
Every year the WWT challenges photographers to enter pictures of Worcestershire’s wonderful wildlife.
More than 200 images were submitted by 40 photographers.
All trust staff are involved in the initial judging before previous winners, professional wildlife photographer Pete Walkden (Pete Walkden Photography) and semi-professional wildlife photographer Jason Curtis (Wyre Wildlife), helped to choose twelve winners.
Winners each receive a copy of the charity’s fund-raising calendar, which features a different winning image each month.
Anil said the conditions on the River Severn were perfect to see swans closer than usual and using the ‘golden hour’ he was able to capture them with beautiful sunset.
Gillian added: “I set off in an autumn mist to take atmospheric woodland shots hoping to see shafts of light filtering through the trees.
“The mist had lifted by the time I reached the woods and it was overcast but I think this has enhanced the colours of the remaining leaves on the trees.”
Ira said she used her interest in macro photography, mycology and bryology to capture her scene on a damp autumn morning on Monkwood nature reserve.
And Pat and her husband were driving home from a day out when they came across the pictured sunset.
“I luckily had my camera with me, as we’d been photographing wildlife, and so was able to take some photographs of various plants silhouetted against a backdrop of the Malvern Hills.
“It was a truly spectacular view!”
Winner Nick thanked to everyone who voted for his picture and said “I am over the moon – I can’t believe it.”
Competition organiser Wendy Carter congratulated the winners and runners-up and thanked everyone who entered and judges Peter and Jamie.
“Whether you’re watching wildlife in your garden, your local park, in the town or the countryside, it’s always worth having a camera to hand – you never know what you might spot.”
Each winning photograph features as an A4 image in the Trust’s 2023 calendar. A further 24 images by runners-up appear as smaller inserts.
The image was voted as the overall winner in a public vote advertised across the Trust’s social media channels.
The calendar costs £8 and is available to buy from worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/shop – the trust’s online shop.
All proceeds directly benefit the Trust’s work to protect Worcestershire’s wildlife and wild places.
Photographers can visit flickr.com/groups/worcestershirewildlifetrust or facebook.com/worcestershirewildlifetrust to stay up-to-date with the trust’s activities.
Alternatively, go to twitter.com/WorcsWT