2007: 11-14 Years - Winner
Fergus Gill (United Kingdom)
Sparrowhawk on the lookout
'Last summer, after school, I camped out in our back garden. I had built a hide near a rowan tree, making sure I had a clear view of one particular branch - the favourite perch of a male sparrowhawk. This one came to our garden several times a day to hunt the newly fledged house sparrows.' In the 1960s, sparrowhawks became rare because of the effects of toxins such as DDT, which moved up the food chain into insects, then small birds and then their predators. These chemicals are now banned, and sparrowhawks are once again thriving. Many now live and hunt not just in woodlands but also in urban areas.
Nikon D200 + Nikon 200-400mm f4 lens; 1/15 sec at f4; ISO 400; tripod; dome hide.
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