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Photo of the Week Winners 2006
Published: March 3, 2006
2006 Grand Prize Winner
Red-winged Blackbird, by Neil Losin
Neil Losin's photo showing the condensing breath of a Red-winged Blackbird has won the grand prize in our 2006 Photo of the Week contest, sponsored by Eagle Optics.
Renowned photographer Arthur Morris awarded the prize to Losin after fellow frequent Birder's World contributor Kathy Adams Clark selected the photo as a bimonthly contest winner in December.
Morris said judging the contest was tough. "After much thought, I chose the Red-winged Blackbird exhaling a foggy breath. It is aesthetically pleasing, the subject is well back in the frame, it is technically excellent, and it shows dynamic and interesting behavior."
"The stream of condensation is beautiful against the darker portion of the background," added Clark. "I've never seen this in the wild, and Neil captured it with such elegance."
Losin, a biology graduate student at the University of California at Los Angeles, captured the moody scene at the Yolo Wildlife Area near Davis, California. He used a Nikon D70 and a 500mm f/4 AF-S Nikon lens. "Normally I don't pay much attention to common birds when they're backlit," said Losin, "but I was impressed with how this male's breath condensed as he sang on a chilly February morning."
Losin won an Eagle Optics Denali 60mm spotting scope and Radian tripod, and each bimonthly winner was awarded an Eagle Optics Denali 8x42 or 10x42 PC binocular, plus a Birder's World subscription or renewal.
Special thanks to contest sponsor Eagle Optics for supplying the Denali binoculars and spotting scope. Also deserving kudos are judges Tom Vezo, Marie Read, Steve and Dave Maslowski, Jeffrey Rich, Jim Zipp, Kathy Adams Clark and Arthur Morris. They are among the best and most experienced bird photographers we know.
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Sharp-tailed Grouse by Dan Streifel
The fifth winner of our Photo of the Week contest is Dan Streifel, who took this picture of a male Sharp-tailed Grouse near Ipswich, South Dakota. Wildlife photographer Jim Zipp judged our contest. "The sweet early morning light, breeding plumage, and courtship display make this a fine image," said Zipp. The purple neck sack of the Sharp-tailed Grouse is inflated during courtship.
Streifel used a Canon 20D digital SLR and a 500mm f/4 lens to take the picture in late April 2006. Look for Streifel's picture in the February 2007 issue of Birder's World.
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White Ibis by Siddhardha Garige
Siddhardha Garige, of Tampa, Florida, is the fourth winner of our Photo of the Week contest. His picture of this White Ibis pair greeting one another was judged best by Birder's World contributing photographer Jeffrey Rich. "It shows cool behavior, a decent background, and a unique beauty that shouts, 'Love is in the air.' I'm a sucker for romance, and these two birds are definitely showing that message," said Rich. Garige took the picture at Cockroach Bay Aquatic Preserve, on the southeast part of Tampa Bay. He used a Nikon D50, a Sigma 100-300mm zoom lens, and a 1.4x teleconverter. Look for Garige's picture in the December 2006 issue of Birder's World.
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Bald Eagle by John J. Henderson
Congratulations to John J. Henderson, of St. Petersburg, Florida. He is the third bimonthly winner of our Photo of the Week contest! His picture of a Bald Eagle, taken at Homer, Alaska, was judged best by Birder's World contributing photographers Steve and David Maslowski. "A magnificent shot," they said. "Not only is there strong action, the eagle is looking right at you. We also get to see a wonderful background of Alaskan mountains." Look for Henderson's image in the October 2006 issue of Birder's World.
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American Kestrels by Andrew Neighbour
Congratulations to Andrew Neighbour, the second bimonthly winner of our Photo of the Week contest! His picture of mating American Kestrels, taken from his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, was judged best by Marie Read, a Birder's World contributing photographer. "The image shows some fascinating behavior and has a very spontaneous feel to it, as well as great color and composition. Super shot," said Read. Neighbour took the picture using a Canon 1Ds Mark II digital SLR and a 100-400mm zoom lens. Look for Neighbour's image in the August 2006 issue of Birder's World.
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Ross's Geese by Richard Buquoi
Congratulations to Richard Buquoi of Georgetown, Texas, the first bimonthly winner of our Photo of the Week contest! Strong diagonal lines, excellent composition, and degree of difficulty make this shot of two Ross's Geese a winner, according to guest judge and contributing photographer Tom Vezo. The staff wholeheartedly agrees. Look for Buquoi's image, taken at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico, in the June 2006 issue of Birder's World.
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