Western Morning News (Saturday)
Bird amid blossom was a winning view
THE way nature enthusiastically reclaimed the outdoors during lockdown was an unexpected positive of the unprecedented measures imposed to combat coronavirus. This is captured in our winning photo for the Garden Views theme of the Western Morning News Westcountry Photographer of the Year competition – a goldfinch in the cherry blossom by Debbie Woollacott (left).
Debbie, who lives in Bampton close to Exmoor, has been photographing wildlife for the past seven to eight years. “My camera goes everywhere with me – whether that is walking the dogs, or on the car seat beside me,” explains Debbie.
“The cherry tree in the picture is in my front garden with numerous feeders for the birds – finches of all types, blue tits, blackbirds and sparrows argue over who is going to get to the sunflower hearts.
“It was one of those beautiful sunny mornings in April when everything was quiet, I had just got back from walking the dogs and could hear the birds singing their heads off, looking up I saw the goldfinch – that was the only sound, and the beauty of it with the warmth of the sun, made me smile.”
All other shortlisted photographs are featured on these pages.
New theme
The next theme for the competition is Westcountry waterways.
Send your photographs to wmnpiccomp@westernmorning news.co.uk Please put ‘Westcountry waterways’ in the subject line and include a brief caption.
Closing date for entries is September 30, 2020.