Malte Parmo's Image

'The bearded tit,' says Malte, 'is one of my favourite birds.' So he couldn't believe his luck when, while on a photography trip with his father to the Vest Amager wetland, close to Copenhagen, Denmark, they heard its characteristic psching call.

Hoping for a chance of photographing it, they set off into the reeds. He went one way, his father another. Then something amazing happened: a flock of bearded tits landed right in front of Malte and started to feed, lit by the low December sun and dappled by the shadows of the reeds. This male wasn't at all bothered by his presence, and so Malte was able to just stand and take photographs. 'I couldn't believe my luck,' he says.