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Nature in Black and White - Winner

Danny Green Click to enlarge Starling wave

Danny Green (United Kingdom)

Starling wave

Starling populations in the UK swell in December and January as birds from the Continent head for milder wintering areas. Huge flocks roost in many spots throughout the country, and as Danny has been working on a long-term project to photograph these impressive roosts, he has visited most of them. 'This gathering,' says Danny, 'was by far the most impressive I have ever seen.' The location was Gretna Green, Scotland. The stage was set: a perfect evening, hundreds upon thousands of starlings. And then the main character appeared, off stage-left - a peregrine falcon, which sent ripples of pulsating panic throughout the entire flock. 'I used a slow shutter-speed,' says Danny, 'so I could accentuate this lovely sweeping movement as the birds exploded over farmland and trees to escape the hunting peregrine.'

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II + Canon 70-200mm lens; 1/3 sec at f2.8; ISO 400.

This photograph is available to buy as a print.

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