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It’s been a long time since I’ve entered competitions but this year I put two photographs into the prestigious Birdlife Australia Photography Awards (which received over 6000 entries) – and amazingly both of them have been shortlisted.

I shared this shot a few months ago and accompanied it with this text: Magical moment – can you imagine being low down on the bank of a small lake, its surface covered in duckweed, watching as an Australasian Darter disappears under the water. Each time it dived I had no idea where it would briefly resurface, sometimes without food, sometimes swallowing it quickly and just this once tossing its catch into the air to ensure it went down head first. I love the way the minuscule duckweed leaves are clinging to the darter’s feathers.

I entered the shot in the Bird Behaviour category and added this caption: “Gone Fishing – Each time this Australasian Darter dived I had no idea where it would briefly resurface, sometimes without food, sometimes swallowing it quickly and just this once tossing a Common Galaxias into the air to ensure it went down head first. The way the darter is rising from the water, with duck weed clinging to its feathers, reminds me of a sculpture emerging from its plinth.”

This shot upsets some people who are distressed for the fish, while others acknowledge that it’s all part of nature.

The second image I entered is in the Human Impact category and I added this caption: “Anguish – This was such a heart-wrenching situation, not only the adult’s anguish being entangled in nylon filament but also the juvenile’s desperation as it tries to free its parent. I called a specialist rescue service that was unable to save this bird.” I wish I had written a longer caption, including some of the comments below, but it was too upsetting at the time.

This is a heavy crop of a photograph taken with a 600mm lens. The birds were a long way away with many other species in the water around them and it wasn’t until I loaded my images into Lightroom that I realised what was happening. I immediately called wildlife rescuers who put me onto the Marine Rescue Unit. The biggest problem facing rescuers was that although the bird looked as though it was unable to preen or feed itself, it was able to fly. They needed to know where it roosted. I made dozens more phone calls to ask rangers and birders to search for it in the early morning and late evening. It was sighted a few times and the Marine Rescue Unit attended but had promised to let me know if they caught it – I didn’t hear from them again. I am grateful to them and to everyone else who tried to help this bird. I hope its plight raises awareness about the dangers of entanglement and the impact not only on the bird that is entangled but also to others in its family group.

Human Impact nature photographs can be confronting but they give us the opportunity to help wildlife and even to encourage major changes like the banning of opera house yabby nets that trap platypus, disposal bins for fishing lines and hooks, and the development of fruit tree netting that is safer for birds.

The way the juvenile has its wing around the parent, and the expressions in the eyes of both cormorants brings tears to my eyes. The more I watch birds and animals the more anthropomorphic I become.

Other short listed images can be found here: Birdlife Australia Photography Awards 2023

Happy birding, Kim

Calendar Update: Many thanks to everyone who has contacted me about the calendars. I had hoped to have more information this week but am awaiting an update from the printer. The images are all chosen and cropped to size, and looking pretty fantastic. Please leave a comment here or contact me at kim @ lirralirra.com (without the spaces) if you would like to be on the list.

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~ Facebook group  Ethical Bird Photography