2008: Nature in Black & White - Runner-up
Guillaume Bily (France)
Storm terns
'The power of the storm was impressive, and as it churned up the sea off Iceland, the waves smashed onto the beach, chipping shards of ice from the frozen edge. Dipping over the waves was a huge flock of Arctic terns, diving for small fish in the breakers with ease. I was struck by how delicate they looked against the powerful seascape and the way they swooped in synchrony with the storm-fuelled waves.' Arctic terns fly non-stop for eight months of the year, as they journey from their northern breeding grounds in the Arctic south to the Antarctic and back again. They feed as they go, resting on the sea. It's the longest migration of any bird on Earth.
Nikon D2x + Nikon 300mm f4 lens; 1/15 sec at f32; ISO 100; tripod.
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Adult awards Little big mouth Fergus Kennedy
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