The big picture

We showcase the podium finishers for the BirdGuides/Birdwatch Photo of the Year 2020.

For the fifth year in a row, our Photo of the Year competition was decided by a public vote. And you chose this stunning image of last autumn’s Wilson’s Phalarope in Hampshire, taken by Ian Wells (main photo). It was a close-run affair, though with Ian’s winning shot scooping 29% of the vote, while the second-placed Common Cuckoo by Lee Gregory took 23% (top). It was even tighter between third and fourth places, with Harry Bell’s Long-eared Owl (above) taking bronze ahead of John Wall’s Bearded Vulture by a mere two votes. The full shortlist will be published at BirdGuides.com soon, as well as in our digital edition.

This year’s shortlist of 10 images was chosen from the 52 Photo of the Week winners by the entire BirdGuides and Birdwatch team, with each team member’s top 10 aggregated to provide the final list from which the vote was conducted. We were thrilled that so many of you took time out to choose a favourite this year – it was a record year for votes. We’d like to extend our thanks to all our contributors, who make the galleries the diverse, vibrant and uplifting experience they are. We look forward to welcoming more of your uploads as 2021 progresses; as this year’s Photo of the Week winners and shortlists have already demonstrated, there’s no signs of your collective standard slipping! Go to www.birdguides.com/gallery to see more stunning images or upload your own. ■