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A prestigious annual photography award for bird lovers has announced its 2026 winners.
The grand prize winning photograph of Bird Photographer of the Year, titled ‘Sunball Rocket’ (above), was taken by Henry Spiers, who hails from the United Kingdom.
Entered into the Birds in the Environment category, which it also won, the picture was taken in the waters of Scotland.
“The handsome northern gannets lead a dualistic existence”, wrote Spiers, about his photograph. “In the nest, their newborn is carefully nurtured, and a couple’s bond is reinforced by pointing sharp beaks to the sky as they tenderly stroke their white necks together. In flight, hunting mode takes over, and piercing yellow eyes, fringed with blue circles, scour the sea for prey.” Gannets dive into the water from heights of up to 30 metres, at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.
