Young Bird Photographer of the Year
Johan Carlberg of Sweden won the youth award for this image of a Great Crested Grebe preening amid the golden light of early morning.
“It was a beautiful early morning at the end of May in Stockholm, Sweden, where I live,” Johan says. “The day before I took this picture, I realized that the best place for taking photos in the lake — which has several pairs of breeding Great Crested Grebes — was from the west side. That meant a backlit sunrise for me! So, I set my alarm for 3 a.m., took my bike and went off. When I arrived at the lake where I had planned to lie down and photograph, I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful it was — in fact, much better than I had expected. Swans, grebes, and Mallards were everywhere! What really caught my attention, though, were the Great Crested Grebes, with their graceful and interesting behaviour, and with the best light that nature can offer. It was truly a glorious moment.”
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