I was rapt to be a finalist in last year’s Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year competition but to have made the cut two year’s in a row is seriously exciting.
The Hand of Man
Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor)
1/1600, f/8.0, ISO 400
Canon EOS 5DIII, Canon EF 100-400mm L II IS USM
Sadly this year’s image isn’t a pretty one. When I first shared it I hid it beneath a non-graphic image but this time it seems silly to do that as it will be seen in the AGNPOTY exhibitions and the Australian Geographic book. I hope no one is too horrified, or if they are I hope they write a note to the Victorian Premier about banning duck shooting.
I had to write a character-limited caption to accompany the image, it reads: “During Victoria’s duck shooting season rescuers found spent cartridges, dog prints and freshly shot protected species, along with this Little Penguin which the zoo vet said had injuries consistent with dog attack. Instead of a catchlight in the penguin’s eye it is captured in the droplet of blood.”
I was on the foreshore of the Western Treatment Plant, just east of the Beach Road boat ramp, with two rescuers from the Coalition Against Duck Shooting. They had responded to information that shooting had been taking place in the area and I was with them in case they found any dead or injured birds. Which they did. There was a Pied Cormorant, a Musk Duck, a Grey Teal and this Little Penguin. The Grey Teal is a so-called ‘game’ species which can be shot but which should not have been abandoned, the others were all protected species – Grey Teal are protected for nine months of the year.
One of the rescuers noticed the ‘no shooting’, ‘no dogs’ sign and held the penguin beside it – it was a photograph that had to be taken. Usually if I am photographing something that isn’t alive I lower the shutter speed and the ISO but in this case the poor Little Penguin was still bleeding and I decided to try to capture a drop of blood as it fell. It took concentration and it was sickening.
My finalist image in last year’s AGNPOTY (The Pollinator) sold several copies, I don’t expect anyone to want The Hand of Man hanging in their home but I do hope that it helps to spread awareness about the duck shooting season and that maybe, just maybe, this will be the last year that our drought-affected native waterbirds are shot for ‘sport’.
Happy birding
Kim
NB My sincere thanks to the three judges of this year’s AGNPOTY competition. The full list of finalists is due to be announced on 28 June, I will post a link when it becomes available.
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