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“What’s All the Fuss About?” In this photograph, the Arctic walrus who had come ashore to rest on the harbour slipway in
Scarborough has lifted its head as a car passed on Foreshore Road. The image is lit by the
streetlights to the left and features the town’s fishing boats in the background. Despite being
taken handheld at 1/80th of a second at f/1.6, an ISO of 6400 was still needed to properly expose Thor and the slipway at 2:28am. Will Palmer, Urban Wildlife | Runner-up
A fascinating photograph of a barnacle-covered soccer ball that traveled thousands of miles across the Atlantic Ocean took home top honors at the 2024 British Wildlife Photography Awards this month. Photographer Ryan Stalker snapped the image near the shores of Dorset, saying: “Although the ball is waste and should not be in the sea, I do wonder about the journey the ball has been on. From initially being lost, then spending time in the tropics where the barnacles are native and perhaps years in the open ocean before arriving in Dorset.”
The photograph beat out 14,000 other entries across 10 categories to be named the Grand Prize Winner.
barnacles are not native to the UK but can wash up on our shores during powerful Atlantic storms. Although the ball is waste and should not be in the sea, I do wonder about the journey the ball has been on. From initially being lost, then spending time in the tropics where the barnacles are native and perhaps years in the open ocean before arriving in Dorset. However, this waste can also bring creatures that may survive in UK waters and could become invasive species. More human waste in the sea could increase the risk of more creatures making it to our shores. Image: © Ryan Stalker, British Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 and Winner of Coast & Marine
“The British Wildlife Photography Awards brings to light the spectacular tapestry of Britain’s natural heritage,” said Will Nicholls, Director of BWPA. “This collection is more than just a gallery of images; it is a celebration, a reminder of the enduring beauty of British wildlife and a call to preserve the natural spaces that we are so fortunate to have in Britain.”
the feeder for some time. I aimed to capture the sense of movement and flight patterns in my
images while still preserving the fine details of the birds. To achieve this, I used flash in rear curtain sync mode. Timing was crucial, and I needed to carefully balance the flash with the ambient light to record the starling’s trail at the beginning of the exposure, while a brief burst of flash would freeze the bird in mid-flight. Image: © Mark Williams/British Wildlife Photography Awards, Animal Portraits | Winner
parental territory. The fenced-off area provided her with a quiet place to rest away from the busy city. She would often walk along this wall, and I was able to capture this photo through the gaps in the metal fencing, while making the most of some striking lens flare. Image: © Simon Withyman/British Wildlife Photography Awards, Urban Wildlife | Winner
brown hares over the past couple of years. During this time, I’ve invested many hours into developing fieldcraft and gaining a good understanding of their behaviour, allowing me to get close without disturbing the animal – hares are often skittish. For this image, I lay low and silent in a spot of the field they tend to follow from the hedgerow. This hare was very relaxed and allowed me to capture some portraits as the sun was starting to rise over the field. Image: © Spencer Burrows/British Wildlife Photography Awards, Animal Portraits | Runner-up
