For the birds: 2023 Audubon photography awards winners

2023 Audubon Photography Awards

This week, the National Audubon Society announced the winners of the 2023 Audubon Photography Awards. Judges selected winners from a pool of over 2000 entrants representing all 50 states and 8 Canadian provinces and territories.

In addition to factors like originality and artistic merit, all photos were evaluated according to Audubon’s Guide to Ethical Bird Photography and Videography.

Winners will be featured in the Summer 2023, issue of Audubon Magazine.

Grand Prize Winner

Grand Prize: Rock Pigeons by Liron Gertsman

The story behind the shot: They may be common and non-native across most of the globe, but Rock Pigeons are amazing birds. They thrive in a wide variety of habitats, including where few other species can: a city center. I rarely point my lens toward pigeons, but I couldn’t resist as this pair, perched under a pier, carefully groomed each other’s feathers. Purposefully exposing for the brighter parts of the image, I used the shadowy environment to create a studio-like black background for these remarkable iridescent birds. I hadn’t planned on photographing pigeons that day, but I’m glad that this couple’s beauty captured my attention.

Location: White Rock, British Columbia

Professional Winner

Professional Winner: Atlantic Puffin by Shane Kalyn

The story behind the shot: My wife and I were on a road trip in Iceland, and we took a ferry to the Westman Islands where we’d heard there was a puffin colony. We pulled over at a beautiful spot to stretch our legs. There we saw a lone bird perched on the most amazing lava rock cliff, which was covered in colorful lichen and blooming wildflowers. It was raining and the sky was dark, creating a moody tone. I knew this moment was special: It was the first Atlantic Puffin I’d seen, let alone been able to photograph.

Location: Westman Islands, Iceland

Professional Honorable Mention

Professional Honorable Mention: Hawk Owl by Liron Gertsman

The story behind the shot: Despite my spending time in Northern Hawk Owl habitat over the years, my encounters with this elusive and stunning species were few and far between. My explorations had mostly been in summer, when the owls are locally scarce and harder to find. Eager to change my luck, I spent several days hiking and searching this winter. Even with my large snowshoes, I regularly sank to my knees in the deep, powdery snow. I was finally rewarded with several unforgettable encounters with a Northern Hawk Owl pair as they hunted and courted. I captured this image as one perched at the tip of a frosty tree.

Location: Thompson-Nicola, British Columbia

Amateur Winner

Amateur Winner: Chinstrap Penguin by Karen Blackwood

The story behind the shot: On a stormy, snowy day, I was in a Zodiac touring an iceberg-filled cove. The rough water tossed the little rubber boat around. As I watched Gentoo Penguins leap onto the rocky shore and march to their nesting colony, I spotted a Chinstrap Penguin standing alone on a blue iceberg capped with fresh snow. It peered over the edge, and I knew it was going to jump. I adjusted my settings, keeping in mind the pitching boat, moving iceberg, and penguin that would soon be in midair. The bird jumped directly in front of me, diving straight into the water. I caught it just before it slipped beneath the waves and got both eyes and its perfect shape. I had captured a “perfect 10” of a dive. Wow!

Location: Near Esperanza Station in Cierva Cove, Antarctica

Amateur Honorable Mention

Amateur Honorable Mention: Egret by Nathan Arnold

The story behind the shot: At sunrise, when the tide was low, I kayaked to a local spot where Reddish Egrets fish. Heavy fog obscured the sun, creating a yellow-orange light. The scene felt surreal. It’s amazing to capture the craziness of this bird’s feeding behavior—how they stab their bills into the water, jump, and flap. I took this photo as the light over my shoulder illuminated water droplets and a small fish, right as the egret flipped its breakfast into its bill.

Location: San Carlos Bay, Bunche Beach Preserve, Fort Myers, Florida

Plants for Birds Winner

Plants for Birds Winner: Verdin and cane cholla by Linda Scher

The story behind the shot: I birded the Sweetwater Wetlands while visiting Tucson and saw Verdins for the first time. At the far end of the site, I found a pair building a nest in a cane cholla. Given how tiny the birds are, I was surprised by the nest’s large size. Four weeks later, I came back with friends. Using long lenses to stay distant, we photographed the busy pair gathering insects and caterpillars for their chicks. I love this image because it captures the Verdin’s high energy, its desert habitat, and the protection that cacti offer.

Location: Sweetwater Wetlands, Tucson, Arizona

Plants for Birds Honorable Mention

Plants for Birds Honorable Mention: Tree Swallows and bald cypress by Vicki Santello

The story behind the shot: I was enjoying the quiet of a secluded sunrise in my kayak when I heard a loud hum. I couldn’t imagine what could make such a persistent sound. My ears guided me to the source: thousands of Tree Swallows hunting insects on the wing and water surface. Their collective wing-beating generated the noise. As I got closer, I had a second wondrous realization: The swallows that were not actively hunting rested on bare, old-growth bald cypress trees; the birds crowded together so tightly that the branches looked as if they had leaves. I let my kayak drift and began to shoot, experimenting with focal lengths and angles until the flock burst up as one and departed.

Location: Atchafalaya Swamp, Louisiana

Youth Winner

Youth Winner: Dunlin by Kieran Barlow

The story behind the shot: On a winter trip to New Jersey, my goal was to capture images of Harlequin Ducks. Instead, I became enraptured by a flock of sandpipers feeding on the rocks. They would all fly out of the way when a wave crashed onto shore, so I hunkered down between boulders and waited. It was a challenge not to fall between the wet, seaweed-covered rocks into the water. After more than an hour of unsuccessful attempts, I picked out a nearby sandpiper and hoped it would take flight. As a wave crashed, the entire flock took to the air. I eagerly reviewed my photos: I had finally captured a Dunlin as it narrowly avoided being dragged into the sea.

Location: Barnegat Light, New Jersey

Youth Honorable Mention

Youth Honorable Mention: Green-winged Teal by James Fatemi

The story behind the shot: I enjoy taking pictures of wildlife in snow, but this winter was one of the least snowy on record. In late February, just as I was beginning to think the season would end with no snowfall, the forecast predicted flurries the next morning. I went to the marsh soon after sunrise and waited. These two Green-winged Teals were some of the only subjects in the marsh that day. After a few hours, they began their courtship ritual and mating just as large flakes started to fall. I hung my lens over the boardwalk to get a water-level view. The snow and smooth water created a serene image that I was happy to capture.

Location: Huntley Meadows Park, Alexandria, Virginia

Fisher Prize Winner

Fisher Prize Winner: Pelican by Sunil Gopalan

The story behind the shot: On a cruise in the Galápagos with my family, my kids called for me. The lights of the docked boat had attracted many fish. This, in turn, drew several Galápagos sharks and a Brown Pelican. An interaction of species like that is a photo opportunity. The pelican would jump out of the water when the shark got close, so I hoped to time my shots to get both in the frame. After a couple of hours, I was able to photograph a few interactions. In this image, the shark swims under the bird, creating a ghostly silhouette. I didn’t know if this sort of photograph was common, but for me, it was special.

Location: Galapagos National Park, Ecuador

Female Bird Prize Winner

Female Bird Prize Winner: Baltimore Oriole by Sandra M. Rothenberg

The story behind the shot: Since I was a child, Baltimore Orioles have nested on our property. I have always loved watching the females: aerial acrobats that collect dried grasses and long gossamer strands of horsehair from my sister’s adjacent farm. The birds use the materials to build their pendulous, pear-shaped nests. What miraculous feats of avian engineering! Once they arrive in May after their long migration north, I use a tiny blind to observe the birds without disturbing them. This female barely landed to grasp a tangled clump of horsehair and natural hemp and sisal fibers caught on a branch. She was surrounded by a lacy, fluttering, diaphanous veil. Off she flew into the woods with her prize trapped in her slender bill.

Location: Warren, Pennsylvania