Latest news with #naturephotography
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- The Guardian
A downward spiral and a hunting harrier – readers' best photographs
'An aerial view of a half-frozen Pangong Tso, an endorheic lake spanning eastern Ladakh and west Tibet.' Photograph: Matt Hunt 'A cormorant basking in the morning sun.' Photograph: Allan Charter 'Two fishers at sunrise. The annual salmon run was in full swing near the Simms Creek and beach fishing by human fishers was as well. I was so focused on the fisher that only after seeing the photo did I notice the heron.' Photograph: Graham Wallace 'I thought the early roses against the bright blue sky made for a stunning burst of colour.' Photograph: Helena Gardiner 'A northern harrier glides low over grassland hunting for food at Duck Marsh Preserve in Pomfret.' Photograph: Nancy L Barrett 'Filling time waiting for our taxi to the airport from the very photogenic Hotel Magnolia.' Photograph: John Main 'Back at the beginning of the month, the tidal range was quite high and here at the marine pool the built-up causeway creates a bridge that is used as a shortcut. But in another hour, the incoming tide will start to flow over this manmade dam and into the pool, and will eventually start to cover the safety railings.' Photograph: Peter Norton 'Nesting kittiwakes at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. I came to see the art and then discovered a viewing platform looking on to the birds nesting on the ledges.' Photograph: Karen Rollison Photograph: Greg Curran 'The 'cheese grater' car park, beautifully reflected by a nearby building.' Photograph: Alex Flynn 'Crystal Palace fans marching through Leicester Square on Saturday 26 April, just hours before beating Aston Villa 3-0 in the FA Cup semi-final.' Photograph: Sebastian Kettley 'Taken on the Staten Island ferry on a grey day.' Photograph: Alexandra Ashby 'This lovely young deer is a regular visitor to my garden. He's usually alone, possibly an orphan, but hopefully resourceful enough to survive.' Photograph: Tamara Lucatz 'My eye was caught by the orange of the bee, vivid against the bluebell.' Photograph: Sue Norton 'A fabulous tree at Woburn Abbey pictured through an arch.' Photograph: Antony O'Brien
CBC
20-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Birds, bergs and beautiful landscapes in this week's audience photo gallery
We love seeing your photos! Email us at nlphotos@ Image | Brighton Iceberg Caption: Karen Pinsent sent us this stunning iceberg shot during a kayak trip near Brighton - while staying a safe distance away, of course. (Submitted by Karen Pinsent) Open Image in New Tab We're past the middle of May, and with snow — hopefully — behind us, it's the perfect time to get out and enjoy what Newfoundland and Labrador has to offer. This week's photo gallery features just that, with views of great landscapes, birds spreading their wings and the occasional iceberg for everyone to see. If you'd like to take part in a future gallery, don't forget to scroll to the bottom to find out how. Image | Hell Hill Pond Caption: Victoria Day weekend marked the official kick off of camping season! Don Drew sent us this from Hell Hill Pond, near La Manche Provincial Park, earlier this month. (Submitted by Don Drew) Open Image in New Tab Image | Hummingbird Caption: Harrison Bragg sent us this photo from Searston in the Codroy Valley. He writes, "The hummingbird is back, but having a hard time with the cold and wind." (Submitted by Harrison Bragg) Open Image in New Tab Image | Sandbanks Park Caption: Sandbanks Provincial Park is beautiful any time of year, especially when the sun is splitting the rocks. (Submitted by Julie Baggs) Open Image in New Tab Image | Northern Lights Labrador City Caption: The Northern Lights made an appearance in Labrador City earlier this month over a moonlit Albert Lake. (Submitted by Larry Jenkins) Open Image in New Tab Image | Elliston Puffins Caption: The puffins are stretching their wings in Elliston. (Submitted by Lorraine Winsor) Open Image in New Tab Want to submit a photo? Have a photo you'd like to share? Here's how to get in touch with us: email nlphotos@ It's a dedicated address just for photo submissions from across Newfoundland and Labrador. Here's what we need from you: your name, where the photo was taken and a caption that tells us what's in the image. We encourage you to add any information you think our readers would enjoy! We share the photos we receive here, and we might also use them on Here & Now each weeknight during Ashley Brauweiler's weather segments. And we always give credit. Because of the volume of submissions we receive, we cannot respond to everyone.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Photograph of 31 rare birds sparks ripples in midst of hunting season: 'Quite extraordinary'
A photograph of rare ducks on a Victorian lake has sparked concern for their safety. The photographer initially had no idea he'd snapped a photo of 31 ducks that are threatened with extinction. Source: Tom Cray To anyone walking around Australia's Lake Learmonth on the weekend, the large flock of birds bobbing on the water would have looked like regular ducks. And when experienced nature photographer Tom Cray first snapped them, he thought the same. It was only when he zoomed into the frame later that he realised he had witnessed something rarer. He'd photographed 31 freckled ducks, a species listed as vulnerable to extinction in Victoria. 'I thought they were grey teals initially. They were very nervous, and I suspect there were closer to 50 in the group, which is quite incredible because I've never seen so many on the lake before,' he told Yahoo News. 'To see so many felt quite extraordinary.' ADVERTISEMENT Related: 😳 Fears for rare bird as state reveals details of controversial hunt plan Up close, it's easy to see that freckled ducks have a distinctive appearance. They have dark greyish-brown feathers, a large head that is peaked at the rear, and a thin, upturned bill. Source: Tom Cray When Tom opened the shutter on his camera at the lake northwest of Ballarat, he was unaware of the ripples it would cause, with news of his photograph making its way to the Victorian parliament and across the world to bird watchers in Africa. Concern for rare ducks in photograph The sighting occurred in the middle of the state's controversial duck shooting season, which is running this year from March 19 to June 9. Despite being protected, freckled ducks are frequently shot in Victoria, and so the sighting has sparked calls for Lake Learmonth to be closed. Laurie Levy has been opposing Victoria's duck season since 1986, and for decades he's laid the bodies of protected waterbirds in front of the steps of the state's parliament house. ADVERTISEMENT Speaking to Yahoo News on Tuesday, the Coalition Against Duck Shooting veteran spokesperson recalled that in 2025, there were several freckled ducks among the bodies he presented this year. 'There were around nine illegally shot freckled ducks. One of them had 98 or so pellets in it. There are around 200 pellets in a shotgun cartridge, so it must have been shot at close range,' he said. When Laurie Levy conducts his annual protest, freckled ducks are usually among the bodies he displays. Source: AAP Photo sent to parliament house as authorities urged to act When large flocks of threatened species are reported at sites open to shooters, like Lake Learmonth, they are reported to the Department of Environment (DEECA), which has the role of investigating whether the wetlands should be closed to protect them. Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell reported details of the Lake Learmonth sighting to environment minister Steve Dimopoulos, urging his office to investigate. ADVERTISEMENT 'We're hoping to get the wetland closed because of the presence of freckled ducks,' she told Yahoo. 'They are one of the most rare waterbirds in the world. And we saw on the opening weekend of this year's duck shooting season that they are not immune from falling victim to shooters' guns. There's constant misidentification in duck shooting.' Birdwatcher in Africa responds to freckled duck picture On the other side of the world, Birdlife Australia's Sean Dooley was preparing to go birdwatching in Uganda. But when he heard news of the sighting, he picked up the phone and spoke with Yahoo. ADVERTISEMENT While he's seen many large flocks of freckled ducks in his years of bird watching, his excitement about the species hasn't dulled. 'They are a bit fussy about where they gather — usually there's some timber in the water or trees along the shore. But while it's always a thrill to see them, they often gather in groups,' he said. Like many conservationists, Dooley's immediate thought was about the danger shooters posed to the freckled ducks. 'Unfortunately, even though they're pretty distinctive, they are shot with alarming regularity,' he said. "As the season continues, ridiculously, we still have to have people out there looking for threatened species." The Animal Justice Party's Georgie Purcell has reported the freckled duck sighting to the environment minister, urging his office to act. Source: AAP In 2023, the Andrews Labor Government commissioned an inquiry into the annual season due to growing welfare and environmental concerns, and dwindling public approval. The inquiry suggested banning duck season, and animal welfare groups rejoiced. But state unions, including the CFMEU and the ETU threatened to interrupt state projects through industrial action if it went ahead. While the Labor Party is understood to be split on the issue, when Jacinta Allan took over as premier, she reportedly made a 'captain's call' to allow duck season to continue, but with new restrictions. Concern for ducks as numbers plummet during drought There are now renewed calls to ban the season because western Victoria is suffering ongoing drought and waterbird numbers have plummeted. A survey of NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland by the University of NSW found a 50 per cent drop in numbers when compared to 2023 — from 579,641 down to 287,231. Noting the report's findings, Purcell said she had 'enormous concerns' for the state's waterbirds, and urged the state Labor government to cancel next year's season. 'We're shooting our native birds to extinction,' she warned. With government resources limited, she believes it's impossible to police the state's private and public wetlands to ensure threatened birds aren't being shot. It's often photos like Tom's being shared on social media that lead to awareness about the presence of species like freckled ducks. 'It's citizen science that's protecting these birds. It should be the government that's protecting them, but they refuse to ban duck shooting. So we'll keep fighting,' she said. Photographer responds to impact of his sighting Reflecting on the ripples caused by his simple photograph, Tom told Yahoo he has never held strong opinions one way or the other about duck season. However, he is aware of the controversy, so he wasn't surprised that it caused a stir, and he wouldn't like the ducks he photographed to be shot. "It would be a pity to disturb them when there are so many there," he added. DEECA has been contacted for comment. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
CBC
11-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Birdwatchers gather in Codroy Valley for rare house finch sighting
A rare sighting among a flock of birds may have been a first for Newfoundland and Labrador. Kellie Joyce spotted a house finch on May 1, and immediately knew it was unusual. "The house finch came in with a flock of about 20 to 25 purple finches, and along with that came in about 50 Savannah sparrows and a bunch of others," Joyce told CBC News. "It was quite an amazing day here at my feeder." Having previously seen house finches during her time in Ontario, she contacted a fellow birder and friend to share her discovery. "He knew right away that it was a rare bird, and then he went on to tell me that it's never been here before," she said. "So that was kind of neat." Word quickly spread about the discovery through the birding community, drawing the attention of enthusiasts from near and far. Many travelled to Codroy Valley in hopes of catching a glimpse of the rare visitor. "I had one guy try to get here from Labrador, but unfortunately the house finch left. He was the only one of, like, say 25 to 30 people that came to see it that didn't actually get to see it and photograph it," Joyce said. Joyce says her passion for photography and birdwatching are interconnected pursuits. "Birding has become like second nature to me now, and I just love photographing anything in nature, but birding especially," she said. "There have been 24 different species in my yard this week, so there's always something new to look at." After the house finch's departure, Joyce said she had spotted another Wednesday evening. It is still uncertain whether it was the same bird or a new visitor. Her success in attracting rare birds is attributed to her proximity to a bird sanctuary. "I'm kind of lucky in the sense that this is the path birds take when they're migrating through," she said. "I put out feed all year … if you don't feed them, they won't come. It's quite an expensive hobby." A strong advocate for sharing the joys of birdwatching, Joyce says she is always willing to welcome fellow enthusiasts to her birdwatching spot.
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Birdwatchers gather in Codroy Valley for rare house finch sighting
A rare sighting among a flock of birds may have been a first for Newfoundland and Labrador. Kellie Joyce spotted a house finch on May 1, and immediately knew it was unusual. "The house finch came in with a flock of about 20 to 25 purple finches, and along with that came in about 50 Savannah sparrows and a bunch of others," Joyce told CBC News. "It was quite an amazing day here at my feeder." Having previously seen house finches during her time in Ontario, she contacted a fellow birder and friend to share her discovery. "He knew right away that it was a rare bird, and then he went on to tell me that it's never been here before," she said. "So that was kind of neat." Word quickly spread about the discovery through the birding community, drawing the attention of enthusiasts from near and far. Many travelled to Codroy Valley in hopes of catching a glimpse of the rare visitor. "I had one guy try to get here from Labrador, but unfortunately the house finch left. He was the only one of, like, say 25 to 30 people that came to see it that didn't actually get to see it and photograph it," Joyce said. Joyce says her passion for photography and birdwatching are interconnected pursuits. "Birding has become like second nature to me now, and I just love photographing anything in nature, but birding especially," she said. "There have been 24 different species in my yard this week, so there's always something new to look at." After the house finch's departure, Joyce said she had spotted another Wednesday evening. It is still uncertain whether it was the same bird or a new visitor. Her success in attracting rare birds is attributed to her proximity to a bird sanctuary. "I'm kind of lucky in the sense that this is the path birds take when they're migrating through," she said. "I put out feed all year … if you don't feed them, they won't come. It's quite an expensive hobby." A strong advocate for sharing the joys of birdwatching, Joyce says she is always willing to welcome fellow enthusiasts to her birdwatching spot. Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here to visit our landing page.
