The ornithological station's visitor centre is always worth a visit.

Overall winner | Great White Egret | Mateusz Piesiak

«Every autumn thousands of birds of different species appear in Barycz Valley in Poland to eat fish and gain energy before winter. Great White Egrets and large flocks of Black-headed Gulls are a great opportunity to take interesting photos. I lengthened the exposure time to highlight the contrast between the din of the flying gulls and the stillness of a lone egret.»

1^st place general | Common Crane | Agnieszka Florczyk

«This photo was taken from under a camouflage net at a Crane roost on a foggy morning. In autumn, the Cranes often choose fish ponds for their night shelter. They are accompanied by herons and screaming flocks of gulls, which every now and then take flight, disturbed by White-tailed Eagles. Fish ponds are an easy source of food for all fish-eating birds.»

2^nd place general | Mute Swan | Nicolas Stettler

«Although Mute Swans tend to be quite trusting, the underwater housing initially raised some suspicion. But after countless mornings, the swans got used to it. As the water was icy cold, I could only hold the camera in the water with stiff fingers and was not able to look through the viewfinder. It was pure luck that the sunlight hit the camera at the right angle.»

3^rd place general | Eurasian Wryneck | Jörg Stemmler

«The Eurasian Wryneck is one of my favourite subjects because it almost always cuts a fine figure. It often sticks out its impressive tongue, but retracts it so quickly that by the time you press the shutter button, it is usually too late. In many hours of observation I gathered enough experience to read the birds’ behaviour and be ready at just the right moment.»

1^st place emotion | White Stork | Matt Engelmann

«I captured this pair of storks nesting on an island using my super-telephoto lens. The effect was created by photographing with wide aperture through the still leafless waterside vegetation. I tried to take the picture through a gap in the branches, using the opening to direct the eye of the viewer to the storks.»

2^nd place emotion | Greater Flamingo | Jonathan Lhoir

«This picture taken in the Camargue shows a small group of flamingos at rest, illuminated by the last rays of sun. With the help of a slow shutter speed and an intentional movement of the camera, I transformed this rather ordinary scene into something offbeat.»

3^rd place emotion | Dunlin | Levi Fitze

«During an autumn trip to the island and birding hotspot of Heligoland, I discovered a small group of Dunlins. As the wind picked up, sweeping the sand across the ground, I tried to position the birds against a dark background. The waders were struggling against the sand and kept stopping briefly with their eyes closed. »

1^st place action | Barn Swallow | Adrian Schmid

«A small lake had formed in a corn field after the torrential rain in the summer of 2021. Barn Swallows and House Martins took advantage of the flooded area for foraging, drinking and bathing. Armed with wellies and a camping chair, I sat in the water and took thousands of pictures. The corn in the background gave the water a green colour. I like this image in particular for its beautiful symmetry.»

2^nd place action | Red-throated Loon | Erkko Badermann

«I have been following the Red-throated Loon’s mating season for five years. Birds return to their home pond in spring immediately after the ice melts. They go fishing on bigger lakes and arrive at their home pond every morning at sunrise for their mating dance. I have photographed their landings several times. The angle straight ahead and perfect timing make this photo special.»

3^rd place action | Common Kestrel | John Mihopulos

«While I was sitting in the car, which I often use as a hide, this Kestrel on the hunt flew directly over my head. As it hovers in the air, the bird maintains a fixed position relative to the ground. A slow shutter speed emphasises the movement of the Kestrel’s beating wings.»

1^st place birds and humans | Tawny Owl | László Tóth

«An uncovered well on the edge of the forest caused the death of this Tawny Owl. The bird probably detected movement and swooped down in the direction of the noise. Unfortunately, it was unable to take off again.»

2^nd place birds and humans | Northern Gannet | Volker Sander

«On a walk on Heligoland’s north beach we found this dead Gannet that someone had thrown into the rubbish bin. I entered this picture because it is a striking example of the human relationship with nature. Animals are treated like objects – even after their death.»

3^rd place birds and humans | Great Spotted Woodpecker | Manon Billard

«In the pine forest at Teide National Park, the Great Spotted Woodpeckers are not shy. After a few days of observation, I realised that the woodpeckers drink directly from the taps in the tourist recreational areas around the park. After many attempts, I was able to photograph this handsome adult male who was teaching its young below by example.»