2010: Behaviour: Birds - Winner
Arto Juvonen (Finland)
Snatch and grab
The fresh snow that covered the rubbish tip near Porvoo, on Finland's southern coast, didn't deter flocks of hungry crows, ravens and gulls searching for scraps. These scavengers, in turn, attracted goshawks, which perched hidden in the trees around the tip. Every so often, there would be panic among the scavengers as a goshawk suddenly swooped down and snatched a bird. Sometimes, the attack was from above, but always at great speed. For five winters Arto tried to capture the moment. 'I saw attacks many times, but something always prevented me from getting the shot I wanted.' In the end, though, his patience paid off. 'I love the clean background and the graceful wing curves,' he says. 'But every time I look at the image, I can hear the gull screaming.'
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV + 500mm f4 lens + 1.4x converter; 1/2500 sec at f7; ISO 1600.
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