WINNER: Mario Suárez Porras
The winning image captures a griffon vulture after a bath. After drinking from a pond, the bird shakes off the water from its head. The author notes that while this behavior is not easy to observe, vultures drink and bathe in natural ponds or livestock water troughs. Birds gather there, splash in shallow water to groom their feathers, and then dry in the sun with wings partly spread. For bird lovers, it is a spectacle that creates lasting memories and intense satisfaction for the photographer.
ACCESS: Omar Alonso Bautista
King of the taiga is a large Finland shot featuring a tawny owl perched on a branch. The afternoon light reveals the owl listening to rodents moving under the snow. The photographer felt fortunate to capture this magical moment and shared that sentiment with the writer.
ACCESS: Francisco Contreras Pardos
Monagu’s Harriers were filmed in Granada in 2017, showing nine examples perched on a wooden fence. The birds had dispersed before sunset, yet the photographer valued the rare view offered by the moment, even as the sun slipped away.
ACCESS: Concepción Coronado
Ptarmigan couple earned a notable second prize thanks to a composition that pairs a male and female in an alpine setting. The photographer described a remote Svalbard landscape where day and night blend, making the environment and wildlife a dream for nature photographers.
ACCESS: Kevin Hazelgrove
Incoming earned another second prize while presenting a glimpse of a common cuckoo perched on a dry branch. The shot was captured in southeast England after careful setup and timing, delivering an almost perfect angle as the bird spread its wings for a backlit moment.
ACCESS: Miguel Ángel Pradera
Combing the feathers shows a duck in the process of grooming. The moment was photographed in the morning, with the photographer intensely focused on the birds’ curious movements and the quiet energy of the grooming routine.
FINALISTS (selection)
Ten finalists joined the 2024 calendar lineup. The entries include Crepúsculo by José Antonio Chacón Valle featuring a barn owl; Flying in a Snowstorm by José Carlos González Castro with a red crowned crane; Water Blackbird by David Mediavilla as a striking example of the species; Singing Among the Poppies by Aleix Casadó Tortosa featuring the common icon; Sunset in Tierra del Fuego by Daniel Valverde Fernández highlighting an Antarctic giant bird; Winged Turquoises by Daniel López Velasco showcasing Lear’s macaw; Observando Madrid by Federico Grande Romero with a common kestrel; Foggy morning by Juan Carlos Fajardo Juan with a gray heron; Reflections of a Papuan by Ricart Ibars showing a gentoo penguin; and Autumn Bird by Alberto García Santervás featuring a bullfinch.
Calendar details were provided by SEO BirdLife for 2024. A calendar edition was prepared to celebrate these images and the volunteers behind the project. The organization remains the main point of contact for participants and supporters.