The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Gordon snaps up first prize with chance shot of osprey
Photography: Outstanding image of young bird
A stunning shot of a young osprey, appearing to shield itself with its wings in a Highland river, has triumphed at this year’s Scottish Nature Photography Awards.
Gordon Rae captured the incredible image in Rothiemurchus, near Aviemore.
Yesterday, hesaid it was a “huge” surprise to learn he had been selected by the judges. He added: “My winning image came by chance one morning when the light was in my favour really early on.
“This juvenile bird returning to the Highlands for the first time was having a real problem lifting clear of the water with such a huge fish and had sat back down to regain his composure.
“I had taken images in the past almost like this but never just quite right, so to find this one in the camera .... well, you can just imagine the smile on my face.”
Among the other winners at this year’s event was Paul Webster, of Grantown-on-Spey, who came out top in The Land category.
His image Dreams and Nightmares shows a bird soaring over the snowcapped Aonach Eagach mountain ridge in Glen Coe.
Meanwhile, Stephen Crossan, of Inverurie, won the Sea and Coast category with the gloomy Bow Fiddle Rock, taken in Moray.
The photograph is of the stunning 50ft high natural landmark in Portknockie, submerged in mist.
And Andy Howard, from Little Dalcross in Inverness, beat off the competition to take first prize in the Scottish Wildlife Photography with Mating. The image, of two red- necked phalaropes, was taken at Loch Funzie, Shetland.