Conker Nature Magazine - November 2023: The Urban Jungle Issue

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NOVEMBER 2023 VOL XXVII ISSUE I

THE WILD SIDE OF KATOWICE VIETNAM’S CONCRETE OASIS WINNERS UNVEILED BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR 2023

AN URBAN ADVANTAGE TOP 20 RURAL WONDERS OF THE UK

THE URBAN JUNGLE

Inside cover: Photographer: Przemysław Koprowski IG: @przemyslawkoprowski WB: http://www.pkoprowski.eu/gallery

WILDLIFE MAGAZINE

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Editor-in-chief Lucy Morris Sally Marie Rosie Jones Tobias James Kararaina Bishara Darren Wynne Heather Wilkins Laura Woolley Isabelle Price Laszlo Balogh

Executive Editor Wildlife Editor Digital Editor Features Editor Photo/Sub Editor Photo Assistant Travel Editor Advertisement Director Logo Illustrator

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CONTENTS OBSERVER LATEST 08 WILD STORIES AND NEWS IN THIS MONTH’S WILD OBSERVER FEATURE WE COVER THE SEASON’S IMPORTANT EVENT ON THE RIVER LEAPING SALMON HAVE RETURNED.

URBAN FOX AND 10 THE JUVENILE STARLINGS PHOTOGRAPHER: JESSICA HUMPHREYS INSTAGRAM: @EMERALD_WILDLIFE WEBSITE: WWW.EMERALDWILDLIFE.CO.UK

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WILD SIDE OF KATOWICE KATOWICE, THE CAPITAL OF THE UPPER SILESIA REGION, IS RARELY ASSOCIATED WITH NATURE AND WILDLIFE.

NATURAL 30 THE ENVIRONMENT PHOTOGRAPHER: SERBIAN MONITOR WB: WWW.SERBIANMONITOR.COM PHOTOGRAPHER: LAZAR STAMENKOVIC IG: @PHOTO_WITH_LAZAR FB: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ LAZARSKY9294

CONCRETE 34 VIETAM’S OASIS MATTHEW WALSH RESIDED AND TRAVELLED A GREAT DEAL OF VIETNAM. HERE HE EXPLORES THE SPRAWLING CITIES AND WILD SPACES TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS COUNTRY’S STRANGE AND UNEXPECTED URBAN HAVENS.

42 THE NEMAN RIVER

PHOTOGRAPHER: ОЛЬГА ТОМАШЕВИЧ INSTAGRAM: @OLETOMA

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THE SHOOTING WAS CARRIED OUT FOR TWO DAYS ON THE TERRITORY OF THE ORENBURG NATURE RESERVE IN THE STEPPE. IT WAS POSSIBLE TO SEE AND FILM PRZEWALSKI’S HORSES IN NATURAL CONDITIONS.

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BECOMING URBAN MAYBE NOT THE TYPICAL FIRST THOUGH OF URBAN WILDLIFE, HOWEVER AS WE BUILD ON AND DESTROY THEIR HOMES, THIS STUNNING WILDLIFE HAS NO OPTION BUT TO MOVE INTO OUR HOMES.

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WELCOME TO THE FIRST AUTUMN CURATED PAGES, BROUGHT TO YOU FROM THE CONKER NATURE TEAM, JUST IN TIME FOR THE AUTUMN AND WINTER SEASON. IN THIS MONTH’S FEATURE, WE ARE FOCUSING ON ONE SPECIAL LOCATION - SCOTLAND. WE’VE GOT EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR AN AMAZING AUTUMNAL TRIP TO ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN THE UK.

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November 2023

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BEAUTIFUL CREATURES

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WINNERS OF BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2023 ANNOUNCED

PHOTOGRAPHER: BOGDAN EFTIMIE INSTAGRAM: @FOTO_BOGDANEFTIMIE

DISCOVER THE WINNERS OF THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2023 - THIS YEAR, A PEREGINE FALCON TACKLING A BROWN PELICAN TAKES THE PRIZE

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BRITISH AUTUMNAL WILDLIFE

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MORNING GREETINGS

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NATURE IN THE CITY

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AUTUMN WILDLIFE OF ST.PETERSBURG

PHOTOGRAPHER: EMILY TAYLOR INSTAGRAM: @CAPTURE_NATURE_EMILY_TAYLOR

PHOTOGRAPHER: EVGENIA LIPNITSKAYA INSTAGRAM: @D.JEKSON

PHOTOGRAPHER: VITA BELYAKOVSKAYA INSTAGRAM: @PHOTO_PASSION_NEW

PHOTOGRAPHER: OLGA KHOLM INSTAGRAM: @OLGA_KHOLM

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102 THE RUT PHASES OF BRADGATE PARK LOCATED IN CHARNWOOD FOREST, IN LEICESTERSHIRE, BRADGATE PARK IS HOME TO AROUND 550 RED AND FALLOW DEER - MAKING THIS THE SPOT TO OBSERVE AND PHOTOGRAPH THEM.

106 TAKING AN URBAN ADVANTAGE PHOTOGRAPHER: SCOTT DUFFIELD INSTAGRAM: SCOTT.DUFFIELD.PHOTOGRAPHY FACEBOOK: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/SCOTT.DUFFIELD.PHOTOGRAPHY WEBSITE: WWW.SCOTTDUFFIELDPHOTOGRAPHY.PIXIESET.COM

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YOUR LETTERS YOUR LETTERS PROVIDES A PLATFORM FOR OUR READERS TO SHARE THEIR OWN EXPERIENCES AND OBSERVATIONS OF NATURE. IT’S ALWAYS INSPIRING TO HEAR ABOUT THE UNIQUE INTERACTIONS AND ENCOUNTERS OUR READERS HAVE HAD WITH WILDLIFE AROUND THE WORLD.

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Editor’s Letter

NOVEMBER 2023

Lucy Morris Editor-in-chief Welcome to an issue that has been highly anticipated, The Urban Jungle Issue. This month, our journey takes us not into the depths of the wilderness, but into a landscape that is much closer to home - the urban jungle. Amid the towering skyscrapers, bustling streets, and concrete pathways, a unique world of wildlife thrives, often overlooked but no less fascinating than their counterparts in more traditional natural habitats.

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Photographer: Scott Duffield Instagram: scott.duffield.photography Facebook: www.facebook.com/Scott.duffield.photography Website: www.scottduffieldphotography.pixieset.com

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Our urban environments, while primarily designed for human comfort and efficiency, have become a refuge for a multitude of species. They have adapted to, and even capitalised on, the unique opportunities that city life provides. This issue is dedicated to celebrating these resilient and adaptable creatures, and the unexpected harmony between the urban landscape and the natural world.

However, the urban ecosystem is not without its challenges. Human activities, pollution, and habitat loss continue to pose threats to our urban wildlife. In this issue, we also delve into these issues, seeking to understand the effects of our urbanised lifestyle on nature and exploring ways we can coexist more harmoniously.

In this issue we are joined by wildlife writer and photographer, Matthew Walsh. Matthew has resided and travelled a great deal of Vietnam. Here he explores the sprawling cities and wild spaces to find out more about this country’s strange and unexpected urban havens. Find out more on page 34.

We hope that this issue not only fosters a deeper appreciation for the urban wildlife that share our cities but also inspires you to take a closer look at your own backyard. You might be surprised to discover the array of wildlife that calls it home.

Looking forward to next month, we have a special treat for our readers - our Winter Wildlife issue. This edition will be a visual feast, presenting stunning images of wildlife in their winter habitats. We hope it will offer a fresh perspective on the beauty and resilience of nature during the coldest months of the year. So, keep your eyes peeled for our next issue!

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MATALAN

In the following pages, we shed light on some of these urban marvels. From foxes that have become adept at navigating the night streets, to birds who have traded forest canopies for the crevices of high-rise buildings, each story is a testament to the endurance and adaptability of life. Remarkably, amidst the noise, the lights, and the relentless pace of city life, these creatures have carved out a niche for themselves and created a diverse and vibrant ecosystem right under our noses.

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ELLA JAMES: HEDGEHOG IN TOADSTOOL HOUSE - £59 BARBOUR: KATRINE TARTAN LEATH - £79.95 FABLE ENGLAND: FOX AND MUSHROOM SADDLE BAG - £90

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Until next time!

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WILD OBSERVER WHAT’S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW SENSATIONAL SALMON SEASON There is much wildlife out and about in the autumn-winter season than what you might think. Fully-grown fox cubs are learning to be independant and leaving their families to discover life on their own. Overwinter geese are arriving to our shores to gather in the flocks of millions spending their time here from Scandinavia, and Atlantic salmon are moving upstream to spawn.

The Salmon navigate back to their rivers where they were born, and gather at the mouths of rivers - migrating from the Atlantic, after five years of maturing in the Atlantic ocean.

As the weather changes in the UK, bringing more rain, the river levels begin to rise, marking the start of the salmon’s journey upstream.

How the salmon know their way through the ocean to the rivers is unclear, but it is thought in studies that they use a combination of knowledge of ocean currnts and following the Earth’s magnetic field. Futhermore, it’s thought that once at the coast, salmon locate their river of birth by recalling a ‘chemical memory’ that is imprinted into the salmons as young.

Once the salmon enter their first stop of the estuary, both genders have a drastic transformation. The female salmons, known as ‘hens’, become much darker in colour and develop a rainbow colouration along their flanks. In the males, known as ‘cocks’ develop their own colouration of red bellies, and streaky flanks - they also develop a large hook, known as a kype, which protrudes outwards and upwards from their lower jaws.

So, how do salmon make the leap upstream? Salmon are made up of incredible muscle and use all their strength and agility to move up the river. The movement of the salmon is seemingly dictated by the rain, with more rain producing a higher flow rate, making it easier for the salmon to swim.

Famously known for their leaping abilities, salmon are able to jump at a great height depending on the ‘run-up’ the pool at the base of the waterfall allows for. Making the leap from the bottom of the river to the air is to aim to jump over obstacle such as rocks - with leaps of over 3 metres possible. On many occasions, the salmon’s leap ends in failure as they are thrown back into the tumbling waters below, but eventually all of them will past the obstacle, especially when water levels are higher.

So, with that how can you spot a leaping salmon? To spot a leaping salmon you’ll want to find places such as rapids and waterfalls. The salmon are most active in early mornings and late afternoons, as well as after heavy rainfall. Finally, a good vantage point is ideal, these pointers will make this wildlife spectacle absolutely perfect.

There are a few locations in the UK that are the best places to

see leaping salmon. Starting at the north, Scotland has a great deal of locations to visit.

Buchanty Spout, Perth, Scotland This small waterfall and series of rapids on the River Almond north of Crieff are best known for leaping salmon, especially during late summer and autumn and following heavy rain. There isn’t much information online, with Buchanty not having a dedicated website or team onsite.

Our advice would be to be prepared for all scenarios. This in undoubtably on of the best locations to witness salmon leaping - and is a particularly favourite spot amongst photographers.

Philiphaugh Salmon Viewing Centre, Scottish Boarder On the Scottish boarder, near Selkirk, is the Philiphaugh Salmon Viewing Centre. This centre offers amazing opportunities to understand salmon further, with education given on the salmon’s life cycle, before seeing the salmon for yourself at ‘the cauld’ - a large weir in the centre that is only a short walk away to enjoy.

The Falls of Shin, Sunderland The River Shin is a Highland waterfall in Achany and is famed for its leaping salmon - the falls of shin offers a lookout to witness the action, and there is a vistor centre nearby to explore.

Hexham Weir, Northumberland Stand along the banks of the River Tyne, you’ll be able to spot salmon leaping up the weir as they had to their spawning grounds further up the river in the Pennines.

Gilfach Nature Reserve, Powys, Managed by the Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, the River Marteg is a great place to watch both leaping salmon and otters trying to intercept them. This location is best when the river is swollen with rain.

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THE URBAN JUNGLE: THE URBAN FOX AND JUVENILE STARLINGS Photographer: Jessica Humphreys Instagram: @emerald_wildlife Website: www.emeraldwildlife.co.uk

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WILD SIDE OF KATOWICE Katowice, the capital of the Upper Silesia region, is rarely associated with nature and wildlife. For most people, it is known as an industrial hub dominated by heavy industry: coal mining and metallurgy. Far fewer people realize that beyond its industrial façade, the city hides vibrant and abundant wildlife. Forests occupy over 40% of the city’s area and are home to numerous wildlife species. All the photos in this editorial were taken within the city borders of Katowice, where a blend of industry and nature creates a truly unique experience.

Photographer: Przemysław Koprowski IG: przemyslawkoprowski WB: www.pkoprowski.eu/gallery

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THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT Photographer: Serbian Monitor WB: https://www.serbianmonitor.com/en/ Photographer: Lazar Stamenkovic IG: @photo_with_lazar FB: https://www.facebook.com/lazarsky9294

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VIETNAM’S CONCRETE OASIS

Situated in the tropics and home to a plethora of habitats from the chilly mountains of the north to the sweltering Mekong Delta in the south, Vietnam should be an unmatched paradise for wildlife. Strangely though, the country’s wild spaces often fall utterly silent. The same cannot be said for Vietnam’s urban landscape. In a land of quiet coastlines and empty rainforests, it is amongst the city rush and fringing farmland that wildlife is at its finest here.

Matthew Walsh resided and travelled a great deal of Vietnam. Here he explores the sprawling cities and wild spaces to find out more about this country’s strange and unexpected urban havens.

Written by Matthew Walsh

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Hoang Lien Mountain View | Photography by Ke Seng Chew

Edge of Asia

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ietnam’s more than one-and-a-half thousand-kilometre length curves along the easternmost edge of southern Asia. Counting among its neighbours Cambodia, Laos, and southern China, the entirety of the country lies south of the Tropic of Cancer, placing it in the bountiful goldilocks zone of the tropics. In this region, where consistent daylight hours and persistent rains bring biological productivity to a global high, it is thought there can be found up to eighty per cent of the planet’s animal species (Leahy, 2018). But it isn’t just misty rainforest here, there is true variety.

In the country’s far north, the land rises high, to the chilly pinnacles of the Hoang Lien Son range, topping out at summits more than three kilometres up. Here, the land is carved into deep, forested valleys and seemingly endless hill country. Along its central coast, Vietnam is low-lying to the east and steep to the west; a spine of green mountains separating the country from neighbouring Laos. Down in the deep south, the landscape changes entirely, the whole country widening and flattening as it morphs into the sticky swelter of the Mekong Delta, the very tip of one of Asia’s great rivers.

With such intense diversity in habitat, fertility in soils, and predictable and bountiful waters, can eventually come only one thing: humans. Almost 100 million people now call this moderately sized country home, and at a little under one-and-a-half times the size of the United Kingdom, Vietnam has become more densely populated than even most cramped European countries. As a result, its cities are an inescapable throng. Car horns, bike horns, engines, traffic, tightly packed buildings, the hum, light, the equally intoxicating scents of fresh cooking and exhaust fumes. Vietnam’s cities are, loud and proud, the thumping heart of the nation. It may be difficult to conceive then, that not only does Vietnam accommodate these 100 million people, but also a significant percentage of the planet’s biodiversity. Yet when I left the cities and ventured away, the country became eerie, almost dreamlike.

The landscapes of Vietnam border on the mythical. Among twisted forests and knifeedged mountains are wild tales from the very depths of human imagination. Woven between the seabound spires of Ha Long Bay is the story of a dragon, ancient and powerful, now resting along the nation’s shore. Lakes carry legends of magical turtles and whispers abound of unicorns deep in the central forests. However, as I dug deeper into the wildernesses of this inviting country, what appeared a greater myth than all, was that of nature’s abundance.

Something isn’t quite right.

Noiseless North I take a wander towards the lake. Up the slopes behind me and in the distance, the hills of northern Vietnam stretch on, clad in a thick mat of wet greenery. The lake itself is colossal, a body of turbid, dark water reaching far off into the distance. My camera hangs by my side, switched on, poised, settings prepared for any glimpse of wildlife. I’ve read stories of monkeys, herons, and raptors, the full compendium of a true biodiversity hotspot, an example of the majesty of Vietnam’s wildlife.

I’ve also read stories of something else. Something far stranger, that fits more to fiction than fact. I am in one of Vietnam’s mythical places. The land of the unicorn.

In 1993, Vu Quang National Park spread its name across the scientific journals of the world with a discovery. The saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), a small antelope-like bovid – the family to which all cattle belong – instantly became one of the planet’s rarest mammals, taking on a mystical moniker: the Asian unicorn. More morbidly fascinating than its rarity though, is the manner of its discovery. Not stumbled upon in a verdant clearing or captured on trap footage but discovered to science by its remains in the possession of a local hunter. Since this moment – the first discovery of a large mammal in more than half a century at that point – the elusive creature is still yet to be witnessed in the flesh by biologists (WWF, no date a). Vietnam’s most magical inhabitant appears to exist only in the pixels of a remote photograph.

I walk longer through the park along its tyre-worn gravel roadways, the only soundtrack being the crunch of my steps and the pants of a stray dog that has taken a shine to my heels. I can’t quite fathom the bizarreness. This place should be thriving. It feels like a ghost town. At the lakeshore, Vu Quang shows a slight pulse. A small murder of large-billed crows (Corvus macrorhynchus) fish for silvers in the shallows, a little egret (Egretta garzetta) perches on a small pole, and in the distance, a grey heron (Ardea cinerea) slips between the shoreline trees. It’s something. But it doesn’t last. For the remainder of the day, the crows eventually retreat into the forest, the heron hides away and the egret makes for pastures new. I see nothing else. Perhaps it is the nature of wildlife in Vu Quang to remain as mysterious and unseen as the unicorn.

Perhaps the truth is far more worrying.

Further north, where the low hills of Vu Quang give way to the giants of the Hoang Lien Son range, rises the largest of them all. Fansipan. Vietnam’s highest peak, a

Large Billed Crow | Photography by Surachai Charownchaidej

Assam Macaque | Photography by Warmlight Photography

little more than three kilometres high, its summit is my destination. Between it and I though, lies a swaying mass of forest. Here in the borderlands between Vietnam and China’s southern Yunnan province, the air is cool, the humidity manageable and the scenery second to none. This is the more temperate region of Vietnam, a consequence of the high altitude and the extensive latitudes covered by such a tall and thin country. The tropically abundant greenery persists where the tropical climate does not, however, and Vietnam’s landscapes still fill me with an unavoidable hope.

I stumble up the mountain trails in the footsteps of my guide, a man who has known little else beyond these mountains from birth. He still stops at every viewpoint and breathes them in as though they are new to him, in reality, he summits this peak up to three times a week. Such persistent wonder is a testament to the natural beauty of Vietnam, few places I have visited come close to its splendour. Despite this, an irksome inconvenience keeps rising. The noise. Or rather, the lack of it. I am deep in the forest, surrounded by all manner of unnameable trees, and all that crosses my path is a single, white buffalo, around its muzzle is lashed a rope signifying its domesticity. Not a tweet emerges from the canopy, nor do the fallen leaves rustle.

At night, when starlight closes in on the col where we camp, all that stirs is the wind and the snores of fellow hikers. There should be more to this. The lorises, sold as residents by the Hoang Lien Son National Park’s headquarters, should be beginning to emerge among the tall trees and matted bamboo. The crickets should be creeping out into chorus, and the last of the birds should be singing themselves to sleep. Instead, nothing. It’s a bizarre situation to be somewhere so stunning yet that feels so lacking.

From the summit at sunrise, all of Vietnam stretches out before me. Burned by an orange morning glow and wrapped in a flowing ocean of marshmallow clouds. Every forest, every mile of coastline, every river valley and hilltop are ahead of me, and almost all of it seems to be lying quiet of wildlife. That is but for one unlikely exception.

Birds in the ‘burb I wake up to a scream and check my phone for the time. It’s 2 am and the scream repeats. High, shrill, inhuman. I stumble to the balcony to source it. Looking out across the rooftops on the outskirts of Ha Tinh – a small, little-visited city in central

Woods at Highlands of Sapa District of Vietnam| Photography by Efired Photography

Vietnam – I spy a figure. White among the blackness of night, it sits screeching from the pinnacle of the neighbours’ roof. I watch for a while, mildly unsure as to what it is. Some bizarre tropical bird I couldn’t even dream up I suppose.

Barn Owl | Photography by Paolino Massimiliano

But when it takes off, heading towards the open land of the rice fields on the edge of town, it is unmistakable. An owl. An eastern barn owl (Tyto javanica) to be exact. It’s a scene more akin in my mind to the British countryside than the cities of Vietnam, it is also one I much more expected from the twilit forests of Fansipan. I drink it in all the same.

My time in Vietnam has been largely spent here, in this city of around 100,000 people, relatively small for this corner of the world but not alien in scale to myself. It is a pleasant city, far from the humdrum of Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City or any of the larger metropoles the country offers. Traffic here is fairly quiet, and more importantly, greenery is rife. Along the grid-iron roads are planted mango trees, guava trees, palms, cycads and a near-endless array of arboreal mysteries. The city, too, is yet to fall victim to the exponential growth of the rest of the country. Its modest size is surrounded only by a smattering of sparse suburban streets and then appears to fall away entirely into a stunning rural fringe.

It is from here, from these trees and this blending urban-rural landscape, that Vietnam begins to reveal its secrets. Its wildlife has moved home, seemingly urbanising with the rapidity of the human population. I take a walk to the very edge of town, to the rice fields in the heart of a city ward known as Thach Hung and in the next moment, I appear in a scene truly pastoral. Under a beating sun, farmers work their crops, aided by the might of their buffalo, and between them can be counted a multitude of birdlife I had begun to think was impossible.

In the paddies, little egrets and cattle egrets (Bubulcus ibis) with their ginger heads wade through the still water. Joining them for a fish bounty is a common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis bengalensis), streaking like a cobalt dart through the humid air, hovering and surveying, diving and feeding.

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Top left: Slaty-breasted rail by Cowboy Photography Top right: Sa Pa, Hoang Lien Son Mountain by Quang Praha

A flock of tree sparrows (Passer montanus) are joined by thirsty house sparrows (Passer domesticus) at a pool’s edge. As evening falls, and as clouds of tiny flies begin to ascend from the sodden land, Asian palm swifts (Cypsirius balasiensis) make the commute in their tens from nests among the tall suburban houses, hunting their supper on delicate wings. A slaty-breasted rail (Lewinia striata) cries among the rice stalks, its deep pink beak giving away its position among the greens and browns in the dying light.

Slaty-breasted Rail | Photography by Cowboy Photography

Around town, among the flowering and fruiting trees, hop more sparrows. That most stereotypical urbanite the rock dove (Columba livia) makes itself known, to be joined by glorious spotted doves (Spilopelia chinensis). Every so often can be seen a greater coucal (Centropus sinensis), a large member of the cuckoo family, spreading its deep russet wings and flitting across the street. In university quads and outside bia hois - Vietnam’s answer to the pub - I spot Oriental magpie-robins (Copsychus saularis) and common tailorbirds (Orthotomus sutorius), their name coming from the nests they seemingly sew together using their needle-point beak. When the sun is high, lizards bask along the side of pathways or the edges of canals, the hot concrete speeding their daily recharge. And in the night, frogs sing in loud chorus from the city’s many ponds, endless species of gecko cling to walls, and bats in their hundreds take to the wing to gorge on the emerging insects. One night I even discover a roost of pipistrelles (Pipistrellus pipistrellus) living in the canopy of my balcony and watch them to-and-fro for a while on the night hunt.

The cities here have become ecosystems in of themselves, a forced mass adaptation to a rapidly changing country. The mice and ever-resourceful rats that disappear into the undergrowth with a shudder as I walk past, or that move among the rice paddies, are the draw for the owls, screeching along the rooftops at night.

Insects breeding in the waters of the rice fields or the ponds of the city centre are a buffet for the birds and weaving spiders. The tiny silverfish in the pools feed kingfishers, egrets and other herons. It is a wonder to witness such an abundance in the everyday landscape. But what about the landscape of the rest of Vietnam?

In truth, being exposed to these animals in the city only raises more questions about the wildlife in Vietnam’s countryside.

Why were Vu Quang and Hoang Lien silent? These are National Parks, supposedly intent on creating a harbour for the oppressed wildlife of the world. To the eye, wilderness proliferates in Vietnam, but to the ear and under the microscope it exists only on the concrete fringes of human habitation. In a country with such global significance for biodiversity, the reasons for its unlikely urbanisation must be equally significant.

Damage done A summary of the root causes of Vietnam’s biodiversity loss, published by the WWF (no date b), indicates the likely local extinction of the Sumatran rhinoceros, sika deer, Eld’s deer, kouprey, Edwards’ pheasant, Malayan tapir and even wild buffalo in Vietnam during the twentieth century. Continuing, this summary also shines light on the fearful view towards the future of several more species; the banting, Javan rhinoceros, Asian elephant, tiger, and of course, the mythical saola, all of which are noted to be “facing certain extinction” without immediate conservation intervention (WWF, no date b). The reasons for this worrying decline - not just in the macro-mammals mentioned, but across the board from flowering plants to amphibians to insects – particularly in Vietnam, are complex, and weave together into a damaging cycle.

Vietnam has had an uphill struggle in its recent history. You only have to go back one generation and the name would be making front-page news on a far too regular basis.

The American War, as it is known in Vietnam, gripped not just the country but the whole Southeast Asian region for more than two decades. Shortly before that, Vietnam battled for its independence from France until 1954, before that came Japanese occupation during the Second World War and before that, colonial rule from France again. Four major conflicts in a century are bound to leave their scars.

Sa Pa, Hoang Lien Son Mountains | Photography by Quangpraha

It is well documented that, during the American War, the US military utilised almost nineteen million gallons (more than seventy million litres) of herbicides across Vietnam and its neighbours (US Institute of Medicine Committee to Review the Health Effects in Vietnam Veterans of Exposure to Herbicides, 1994). Committee to Review the Health Effects in Vietnam Veterans of Exposure to Herbicides, 1994). In an attempt to remove natural cover for opposing armed forces, these defoliant herbicides (those designed specifically to destroy vegetation)

removed almost eight thousand square miles of forest cover (Ives, 2010). While perhaps not immediately noticeable to the eye of an outsider – Vietnam very much still appears green and pleasant – losing nearly two per cent of the whole country’s scale in forest cover does not come without consequence. And it isn’t just defoliants, during the same conflict, a greater tonnage of bombs was dropped in the region (including Vietnam’s Laotian and Cambodian neighbours) than in both the European and Pacific theatres during the entirety of the

Second World War (Miguel and Roland, 2011).

Physical devastation across the twentieth century in Vietnam and Southeast Asia was as widespread as it has been anywhere else in the world at any other point in history. In the national psyche, the wars are in the past.

A unifying spirit remains, but a charge to the future is Vietnam’s focus. But as unified as the people may be, fragmenting the natural world holds consequences for the future far starker than expected.

Ho Chai Minh City | Photography by Muk Photo

Habitat fragmentation (the separation of once cohesive habitats) is known to be one of the primary drivers of biodiversity loss across the world. An extensive compilation of more than thirty-five years of studies into fragmentation’s impacts on the world’s biodiversity indicates that biodiversity reductions of anywhere from thirteen to a staggering seventy-five per cent can be caused by this one factor (Haddad et al., 2015). Everything from a disruption of nutrient cycles (Haddad et al., 2o15) to the possibility of impacts on genetic diversity among populations (Keyghobadi, 2007) are purported to be part of the complex and diverse negative impacts of fragmentation. When coupled with a general loss of habitat – some 2.8 million hectares of forest cover in Vietnam are reported to have been lost to commercial agriculture alone in the twenty years leading up to 2021 (Thuaire et al., 2021) – it can be clearly seen that Vietnam’s ecosystems are becoming unsustainably pressurised. With such high biodiversity comes high demand for living space, but so too do these demands come with inflating human populations. And we hold the axes.

Sadly, it isn’t just the national, governmental and organisational scale to which Vietnam’s wildlife is threatened. Numerous factors on a much smaller, local scale are present across the country. One such factor, particularly keeping Vietnam’s wildernesses quiet and its cities loud, is one of a centuries-old tradition. The songbird trade. In Vietnam’s two major urban centres of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 2016, TRAFFIC - a conservation organisation aiming to ensure legal and sustainable trade in wild species - documented 8,047 birds belonging to 115 different species for sale (TRAFFIC, 2021).

The reasons for keeping songbirds are multitudinous. Most, TRAFFIC (2021) found in a survey in the same cities, are kept solely as household pets. Yet some find use for caged birds in ever-popular songbird competitions where, especially in larger competitions, prizes can be relatively lucrative (TRAFFIC, 2021). The trapping of wild birds for the purpose of ownership is believed unsustainable by forty-five per cent of keepers asked in this study, where only thirty-nine per cent believed it was a currently sustainable practice. In an upsetting turn of events, some of the species I have seen flitting around town – the Oriental magpie-robin and spotted dove - are known to be among the most popular for ownership (TRAFFIC, 2021). It seems from this, that Vietnam’s forests may be being consciously emptied of their wildlife for recreational purposes too.

While the songbird trade may be a legal and much-admired tradition in Vietnam, other webs of the wildlife trade are far darker. In recent years, the country has become a global centre for the illicit wildlife trade. Reported in 2021, only one in seven seizures of illegal wildlife in Vietnam led to a conviction, including both import and export (Tian Tong, 2021).

The seized material in this period was inclusive of no fewer than 120 rhino horns, pangolin scales and pieces of elephant ivory, imported largely from Africa (Tian Tong, 2o21).

But with the conviction of only seventeen of these cases, this could set an unwanted precedent that there is an ability to act illegally towards wildlife with relative impunity in Vietnam. The country is still seen to be Asia’s primary hotspot for wildlife trade, and while demand for wildlife products has declined on a global scale in recent years, Vietnam still sees large numbers of wildlife farms – particularly in the country’s south - on which parts of its population are reliant for passive income and as an additional food source (Thu Pham et al., 2022).

The sheer number of threats faced by Vietnam’s wildlife as well as the severity of these threats – both habitat fragmentation and the wildlife trade are seen as some of the heaviest drivers of species and biodiversity loss in the world – are causes for great concern.

As a result, Vietnam is still suffering from increasing degradation of its biodiversity, an issue requiring a “whole-of-society effort” (Thuaire et al., 2021) to slow and reverse. It is thoroughly understandable, then, that while this effort to protect and restore the wild areas of the country is still in the future, wildlife, in its infinite persistence for survival, must adapt in one way or another in order to stay alive. Urbanising appears to be that very adaptation.

Looking for life If the focus is placed entirely on the literature surrounding Vietnam’s wildlife, the picture painted is an especially harrowing one. In 2019, the New York Times published an article containing some quite concerning terms. “Genocide” and talks of “especially intense” declines do little to prop up anyone’s confidence in the wildlife of Vietnam (Nash, 2019). They are descriptions so matter-of-factly potent, that in my time spent in the country, I have been excessively determined to prove those statements wrong.

Whenever I can, I make ventures out into the wilderness areas of Vietnam, to the places I hope would be a wildlife success. The National Parks. Vu Quang proved somewhat of a dud, of course, I could never expect to witness the mysticism of the saola, but to see little beyond a few crows and a heron? To not even catch a glimpse of something scurrying into the undergrowth or diving under the water of the lake? Perhaps the literature was right all along. I try again. Another National Park, this time Bach Ma, is further south and more prominently visited. It is similar in its landscape, green, thickly forested mountains and valleys, rolling mists and simply gorgeous lakes. Different is its approach to the visitor.

At the park headquarters, on websites, and in its promotional material are images of the bizarre orange faces of red-shanked duocs (Pygathrix nemaeus), of radiant endemic doves and pheasants.

Loris | Photography by Seregraff

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Bach Ma National Park | Photography by Fabian Zurheide Photography

Images of the kind of wildlife I think everyone expects to proliferate in this part of the world. Similar, though, is Bach Ma in its quietness. Not once do I see an animal beyond small Eurasian tree sparrows and a surfeit of leeches thirsting for my ankles. So, I think once again to Ha Tinh and its fringing birdlife, maybe the urban migration I have witnessed there is national in scale.

I travel to Hue. An hour or so drive from Bach Ma National Park, this is the ancient capital of Vietnam, the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), and the site of one of the fiercest battles of the American War. But when I arrive, the sounds are not of gunfire and the city is not one of dark, brutalist monuments. The streets are open and airy, the delightfully named Perfume River flows wide and lazy through the city’s heart, and the ancient citadel is brightly coloured and exquisitely crafted. More importantly than anything I find here, are the sounds of life.

‘WITHIN THE CITADEL WALLS, REPELLING THE OUTSIDE WORLD FOR CENTURIES, BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS (NYCTICORAX NYCTICORAX) AND KINGFISHERS DIVE THE ROYAL PONDS FOR FISH.’ In the hollows of trees, families of common mynas (Acridotheres tristis), a starling relative, pop their heads in and out, surveying. Among parklands in the day fly the palm swifts and sparrows I had seen in Ha Tinh, and by night the pipistrelles too. And it isn’t just birds and mammals. Cicadas screech like a deafening choir from their camouflaged tree perches along roadways, and frogspawn fills small citadel pools.

Hue and Ha Tinh are not anomalies either. The same wild characteristics are present in Da Lat, a mountain city in the country’s south, although the climate and montane pine habitat here allows for further variety in

species. Brown shrikes (Lanius cristatus) adorn the lawn of the old Emperor Bao Dai’s palace, as do stunning white doves once kept as pets, and Pallas’ squirrel (Callosciurus erythraeus) hops its dull orange belly through the surrounding pines. In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest metro, the story is much the same. Sparrows, pipistrelles, rock doves, spotted doves, palm swifts, mynas, late-night amphibians and earlymorning reptiles all make themselves known.

Heartbreakingly, the trend in quiet wilderness also continues in the country’s southern regions. As I traverse the flat land and oppressive humidity of the Mekong Delta region – admittedly a nature destination I have long desired to see – I am left as dejected as I had been in Vu Quang, Hoang Lien and Bach Ma. When my small boat, powered by a woman in inspirational defiance of her years, floats through the canals of the delta I feel as concerned as I am at peace. On either bank, running alongside the milky, sediment-rich waterway, are tangles of root systems and palms and over all of it, an invasive blanket of silence.

A pattern has arisen, that through each and every city I travel to, I encounter wildlife in extensive numbers, and through each and every wild space, I encounter little to nothing. The draw of the parklands, gardens, manicured trees, untouched citadels and abundant fringing rice fields seems to be unavoidable to the country’s struggling wildlife as it is to its people and tourists. It isn’t the way it should be, but where the literature tells of Vietnam’s wildlife is all but lost, its urban landscapes are deciding to tell me otherwise. They are a lifeline.

security, drastically falling poverty rates and drastically increasing purchasing power for the individual. But as in all things in the world, there must be balance. To make way for rapid economic growth and social mobility, environmental degradation has become rife. In addition to this, the impacts of climate change, most often felt by the developing world, are expected to make no exception for Vietnam. A projected rise in sea levels of just one metre is predicted to impact eleven per cent of Vietnam’s population and five per cent of its total land (Le, no date), increasing the pressure on the country’s already pressurised wildlife.

I think back to the story of the saola’s discovery.

One of the most significant mammal discoveries in recent memory, unveiled to science for the first time dead, in the hands of a hunter. It is hard not to feel as though this story is symptomatic of the much more deep-rooted issues among Vietnam’s wilderness areas. It is true that in my time among the forests, mountains and coastal areas of Vietnam, these issues have come to the forefront, I have seen the falling forests, overfished seas and encroaching farmland and concrete.

But what I have also seen from the determined wildlife here is cause for much hope for the future.

Natural developments

It isn’t all doom and gloom. Like much of the world, Vietnam is in the process of laying high standards and targets in order to hold itself accountable for the natural world it relies on and thrives alongside. Cutting ocean plastic debris - a prevalence of which has not gone unnoticed in my time here – to twenty-five per cent of current levels by 2030, and a net zero target for 2050 (Vietnam Plus, 2023) are both hopeful and positive moves towards a healthier natural Vietnam.

The World Bank considers Vietnam “a development success story” (World Bank, 2023), with strong food

Legislative change regarding the trade in illegal wood products, protection of forested areas, and the

replanting of previously deforested regions is a boon to the health of these regions too. From July 2016, under orders from the Prime Minister, fifty-eight localities in Vietnam closed their natural forests to non-permitted access and to logging in its entirety (Viet Nam News, 2020). A lockdown attempt to curb rapid deforestation in the country. The measure was drastic, and despite deforestation levels remaining high after this closure, in a two-year period following its enaction, a decline in logging of thirty-five per cent was witnessed. It is reported that the Central Highlands region, where the city of Da Lat is located, even witnessed an increase in forest cover between 2016 and 2018. It would be the first such increase in almost half a century, leaving the region’s forested areas now able to cover 2.5 million hectares - more than double the size of Yorkshire (Viet Nam News, 2020).

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam| Photography by Perfect Lazy Bones Photography

It isn’t just the physical landscape that is on the brink of massive change in Vietnam. It is policy too. Despite the aforementioned seizures of animal product imports in 2021, national policy on the trade of live animals had previously changed to create a ban on practice as a whole (Earth.org, 2020). Since this moment, prompted by action from conservation organisations within Vietnam, as well as through the recognition of an increase in zoonotic disease transmission (diseases that pass from animals to humans – notably COVID-19 is a pandemic-scale zoonotic disease), the country has called for tougher action on the illegal wildlife trade and harsher punishments for those convicted (Earth.org, 2020). As evidenced previously, illicit acts of wildlife trade still proliferate in Vietnam, but with proper enaction of these important policies, the trade in illegal wildlife can dwindle over the years.

It is clear that there are widespread issues with, and concern for, Vietnam’s wild spaces and wildlife, and my time in the country has only cemented the reality of their struggles in my mind. But in Vietnam’s great and miraculous wave of modern development, it seems that mindsets are also on the turn. Following the devastation wrought on the region by the COVID-19 pandemic, public support for the closure of wildlife markets and the ending of deforestation has surged to more than 90 per cent, according to a 2021 survey from WWF.

Hoi An, Vietnam | Photography by Samart Boonyang Photography

Vietnam is not blind to any of its environmental issues, and reverence for wildlife, animals and nature bleeds through every aspect of Vietnamese culture from food to dance to architecture. With luck, hope, and prompt, effective action, one day a return to this incredible nation will be met with birdsong in the forests and monkeys in the mountains. For now, the homes, the cities and the towns up and down the length of the country will remain Vietnam’s concrete oases.

FOLLOW THE WRITER + PHOTOGRAPHER Matthew Walsh is a nature and travel writer and natural world photographer from Yorkshire, UK. Previously longlisted for Bradt Guides’ New Travel Writer of the Year 2022, he has a background in wildlife conservation and animal behaviour and runs the travel and nature website Finding Earth.

Follow Matthew and Finding Earth: Instagram: @mwalshwrites Photography Instagram: @matthewwalshphoto Twitter: @mwalshwrites Website: www.finding-earth.com

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THE NEMAN RIVER Photographer: Ольга Томашевич Instagram: @oletoma

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UNBRIDALED Photographer: Katerina Rudy Instagram: @katerina.rudy The shooting was carried out for two days on the territory of the Orenburg Nature Reserve in the steppe. It was possible to see and film Przewalski’s horses in natural conditions.

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BECOMING URBAN Maybe not the typical first though of urban wildlife, however as we build on and destroy their homes, this stunning wildlife has no option but to move into our homes.

Photographer: Victoria Haigh Instagram: @victoria_haigh_photography Facebook: www.facebook.com/victoriahaigh

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PHOTOGRAPHER: SCOTT DUFFIELD INSTAGRAM: @SCOTT.DUFFIELD.PHOTOGRAPHY

FATFACE: CANDICE CABLE CREW JUMPER IN IVORY - £58

LOCATION: SCOTLAND, UK SCOTLAND CAN FEEL CHILLY IN THE AUTUMN, IT CAN ALSO HAVE FREQUENT RAINSTORMS SO ALWAYS HAVE A COAT ON HAND. YOU WILL ALSO WANT TO OBTAIN A WARM JUMPER, JEANS AND STURDY SHOEWEAR SUCH AS BOOTS.

FABLE ENGLAND: PAINTED ENAMEL AND PEARL MUSHROOM NECKLACE - £27

FATFACE: KESWICK WIDE LEG CROP JEANS - £59

THE

DUNE LONDON: NAKITAS TAN LEATHER BELT - £40

FALLEN LEAVES The fallen leaves of forest give a complete autumnal feel. Here, in the UK, one of the most outstanding forest in the autumn is Cairngorms National Park, Scotland.

Full of rare Caledonian pine forest, and stunning scenery of Cairngorm mountains as well as views of Speyside.

IA OAD

R TA : B

T REGA OOF ERPR WAT

BARBOUR: KATRINE TARTEN LEATH - £79.95

ET JACK 0

- £10

FATFACE: ROMY BOOT - £79

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LOCATION: SCOTLAND, UK

FATFACE: LS SANDY CHECK SHIRT - £49.50

SCOTLAND CAN FEEL CHILLY IN THE AUTUMN, IT CAN ALSO HAVE FREQUENT RAINSTORMS SO ALWAYS HAVE A COAT ON HAND. YOU WILL ALSO WANT TO OBTAIN A WARM JUMPER, JEANS AND STURDY SHOEWEAR SUCH AS BOOTS.

BARBOUR: ROKER SPORTS CAP - £24.95

BARBOUR: WINTERDALE GLOVES £39.95

THE

STAG AND RUT

CREW CLOTHING: CORLEIGH QUILTED GILET £120

End of September and beginning of October sees the turn of the season, with one remarkable event in the natural world’s calendar - the rutting season.

You’ll need to be prepared for bellowing, cooler days and a lot of walking, maybe a ton of photos.

TKMAXX: MEN’S BROWN BOOTS £49.99

REGA TTA :

FARBA N

K - £7

5

Grab out your walking gear and camera and take a trek!

REGATTA : SAMARIS LITE WATERPROOF MID WALKING BOOTS - £120

TBCO: RECYCLED WOOL PICNIC BLANKET £103

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PHOTOGRAPHER: DAN KNIGHT INSTAGRAM: @DANKNIGHTPHOTOGRAPHY

BEAUTIFUL CREATURES Photographer: Bogdan Eftimie Instagram: @foto_bogdaneftimie

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FEATURE - PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD

WINNERS OF BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2023 ANNOUNCED THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2023 WINNERS HAVE BEEN UNVEILED. AN IMAGE OF A PEREGRINE FALCON TACKLING A BROWN PELICAN THAT VENTURED TOO CLOSE TO ITS NEST HAS TAKEN THE GRAND PRIZE IN THE WORLD’S LARGEST BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION. Words by Bird Photography Of The Year Edited by Mia Wallace Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) and Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) Southern California, United States.

Jack Zhi, United States. Category: Bird Behaviour.

GOLD AWARD WINNER and Bird Photographer of the Year 2023.

THE BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 2023 WINNERS HAVE BEEN UNVEILED. AN IMAGE OF A PEREGRINE FALCON TACKLING A BROWN PELICAN THAT VENTURED TOO CLOSE TO ITS NEST HAS TAKEN THE GRAND PRIZE IN THE WORLD’S LARGEST BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION. Words by Bird Photography Of The Year Edited by Mia Wallace

Winners of Bird Photographer of the Year 2023 Announced Photographers from all over the world entered more than 20,000 images into the competition, each with their eyes on the £5,000 grand prize.

Photographer Jack Zhi, from the USA, was declared this year’s grand prize winner for his dramatic image taken in Southern California.

“For four years, I attempted to capture the rare sight of the female falcon attacking large brown pelicans with incredible speed and agility,” says Zhi. “I love the eyes of the pelican in this image - surprised and scared. The action was fast, and over in the blink of an eye.

But I’ll remember that moment forever.”

©Jack Zhi | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

“Each image is not merely a testament to the immense talent of our photographers, but a poignant reminder of the breathtaking beauty of birds,” says Will Nicholls, Director of Bird Photographer of the Year. “The astonishing calibre of these photographs underscores a vital message: let us champion the cause of conservation, so that future generations can marvel at the real-life inspirations behind these extraordinary images.”

The Young Bird Photographer of the Year 2023 was awarded to 17-year-old German photographer Anton Trexler for his incredibly atmospheric image of a blackbird silhouetted against the moon. (Image pictured left).

Bird Photographer of the Year has conservation at its heart. This year, the competition donated £5,000 to partner charity Birds on the Brink, which provides vital funding to grass-roots bird conservation projects around the world. (www.birdsonthebrink.co.uk) Photographers competed in 8 different categories in the adult competition: Best Portrait, Birds in the Environment, Bird Behaviour, Birds in Flight, Black and White, Urban Birds, Conservation (Single Image), and Comedy Bird Photo. There was also a Conservation Award, Portfolio Award, and Video Award.

All awarded images are published by William Collins in a hard-back coffee-table book, which is now available online at birdpoty.com. Foreword by wildlife cameraman and presenter Gordon Buchanan (HB, £30).

The 2024 competition is now open for entries at birdpoty.com, and invites photographers of all experience levels to submit their best bird photos.

FEATURE - PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD

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BIRD BEHAVIOUR BPOTY LOOKS FOR IMAGES THAT BEST DEPICT A BEHAVIOUR OF A BIRD. THIS MIGHT BE THE LEKKING DISPLAY OF A BLACK GROUSE, THE COURTSHIP OF A GREAT CRESTED GREBE, OR A SINGING ROBIN.

GRAB THE BULL BY THE HORNS Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) and Brown Pelican (Pelecanus ) occidentalis Southern California, United States Jack Zhi, United States Category: Bird Behaviour Gold Award Winner and Bird Photographer Of The Year 2023 During the breeding season, a female Peregrine Falcon fiercely protects her young, attacking anything that comes near the nest. For four years, I attempted to capture these rare moments of her attacking large Brown Pelicans with incredible speed and agility. The high speed chase made it challenging to capture a close-up shot with a long lens. The falcon’s precision was amazing as it struck at the pelican’s head.

Sony A9 II with Sony 600mm f/4 G lens. 600mm; 1/4,000s; f/6.3; ISO 1,000. ©Jack Zhi | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

BLUE-FOOTED FISHING DIVE Blue-footed Booby (Sula nebouxii) Los Islotes, Baja California Sur, Mexico Henley Spiers, United Kingdom Category: Bird Behaviour Silver Award Winner

In early autumn, a sardine shoal at Los Islotes attracted seabird predators. Amid the shoal, I waited patiently for the elusive shot of a Blue-footed Booby rising with a sardine in its beak.

Finally, a crash came down close to me, and I instinctively captured the moment.

Nikon D850 with Nikon 28–70mm f/3.5–4.5 lens. 28mm; 1/250s; f/13; ISO 500. ©Henley Spiers | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

A MOTHER’S LOVE Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa) Zhejiang, China Qiuqing Mu, China Category: Bird Behaviour Bronze Award Winner

A Great Grey Owl adult was hunting in a wheat field, and a juvenile flew to the edge of the field to be fed. Suddenly, the parent caught some prey. I quickly pressed the shutter and captured a heartwarming moment between the parent and the next generation.

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II with Canon 400mm f/2.8 II lens. 400mm; 1/2,000s; f/4; ISO 1,000. ©Qiuqing Mu | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

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best portrait BPOTY LOOKS FOR AN IMAGE THAT BEST CAPTURES THE CHARACTER OF THE SUBJECT BIRD AND ITS DISTINCTIVE FEATURES. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR IMAGES THAT INCLUDE LOTS OF DETAIL. CAPTURED IN A CLASSIC POSE OR SHOWING THE ANIMAL’S FEATURES.

GLISENING-GREEN Glistening-green Tanager (Chlorochrysa phoenicotis) Mashpi Amagusa Reserve, Ecuador Nicolas Reusens,Spain Category: Best Portrait Gold Award Winner

Venturing into the tropical forest, I was excited to spot the rare Glistening-green Tanager. After hours of waiting, I saw the vivid-green bird on a perfect heart -shaped leaf. Its shimmering feathers reflected a dazzling array of colours. I captured every detail, grateful for this magical moment amid the lush jungle backdrop.

Canon EOS R7 with Tamron 100–400mm f/4.5–6.3 lens. 213mm; 1/500s; f/7.1; ISO 400. ©Nicolas Reusens | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

PARENTING GOALS Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) Antarctica Thomas Vijayan, Canada Category: Best Portrait Silver Award Winner

Before capturing this image, I spent two days observing these penguins, lying flat on the ice to avoid scaring them. Waiting for the chick to appear, I finally got this touching shot of parental love. I trekked eight hours a day on soft snow to reach this colony and even made friends with some penguins.

Canon EOS R3 with Canon 100–500mm f/4.5–7.1 lens. 472mm; 1/1,600s; f/7.1; ISO 125. ©Thomas Vijayan| Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

COMING STORM Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) Adirondack Park, New York, United States.

Jake Levin, United States Category: Best Portrait Bronze Award Winner

The best place to see Canada Jays for those living in Montreal is across the border in upstate New York. During my winter 2022 visit to Adirondack Park, I focused on capturing this species. This image shows a jay seemingly concerned that the snow is ramping up, and rightly so, as it made driving back home a challenge.

Sony A1 with Sony 600mm f/4 G lens and 1.4× teleconverter. 840mm; 1/500s; f/7.1; ISO 1,600. ©Jake Levin | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

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birds in flight CELEBRATING AVIAN MASTERY OF THE SKY, THIS CATEGORY FOCUSES ON BIRDS IN FLIGHT. WHETHER YOU’RE FREEZING THE ACTION OR USING CREATIVE MOTION BLUR, AS LONG AS YOUR SUBJECT IS ON THE WING THEN IT CAN BE ENTERED IN THIS CATEGORY.

FLYING SWORD Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera) Bogotá, Colombia Rafael Armada, Spain.

Category: Birds in Flight Gold Award Winner

The Sword-billed Hummingbird, common in the Andean forests, has the world’s longest bill relative to its size. This bird’s unique bill, adapted to feed on flowers with long corollas, makes it a vital pollinator, as bees and butterflies can’t reach the nectar and so don’t pollinate these plants. This image captures the bird approaching a feeder, with natural backgrounds and lighting.

Canon EOS R5 with Canon 600mm f/4 III lens. 600mm; 1/1,000s; f/4; ISO 5,000. ©Rafael Armada | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

GREEN PLANET FLAMINGOS Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) Lake Bogoria, Kenya Paul Mckenzie, Ireland.

Category: Birds in Flight Silver Award Winner

This aerial photograph captures a flock of Lesser Flamingos in flight over a vast and concentrated bloom of cyanobacteria (sometimes called blue-green algae), their staple food source.

The photo was taken from the open doors of a light aircraft.

Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100–500mm f/4.5–7.1 lens. 500mm; 1/4,000s; f/7.1; ISO 400. ©Paul McKenzie | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

COMMON NIGHTHAWK IN FLIGHT Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) Florida, United States Richard Sanchez, Cuba Category: Birds in Flight Bronze Award Winner

At 10am, a Barn Owl appeared before us and we followed it to a crop field where it began hunting. Nearby, several cooperative Common Nighthawks circled around our vehicle. I captured a perfect shot of them in flight, though it was partly a matter of luck.

Nikon D850 with Sigma 150–600mm f/5–6.3 lens. 600mm; 1/2,500s; f/6.3; ISO 500. ©Richard Sanchez | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

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urban birds IN AN INCREASINGLY URBAN WORLD, MANY BIRDS ARE FORCED TO LIVE ON THE DOORSTEPS OF HUMANS. THIS CATEGORY EXPLORES THE WORLD OF URBAN BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY. IMAGES SHOULD SHOW BIRDS ALONGSIDE MAN-MADE OBJECTS, BUILDINGS, AND OTHER URBAN SETTINGS.

A MOMENT OF PRAYER Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa) Helsinki, Finland Arto Leppänen, Finland Category: Urban Birds Gold Award Winner

During winter migration, owls from northern Finland often head to the south where they can find more food due to less snow. This Great Grey Owl chose a cemetery with abundant voles as its hunting ground. While hunting, the owl would often stop on tombstones or other structures to observe the area. Keeping a safe distance, I followed the owl and managed to capture a fleeting moment when it landed briefly on a beautiful angel statue.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III with Canon 600mm f/4 lens. 600mm; 1/50s; f/5; ISO 1,600. ©Arto Leppänen | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

URBAN PARADISE Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) Shenzhen, China Xiaoke Wang, China Category: Urban Birds Silver Award Winner

From October to March, Shenzhen is a wintering ground for over 100,000 migratory birds.

In January 2022, tens of thousands of Great Cormorants were spotted flying over Talent Park, adding to the area’s avian diversity.

Canon EOS R5 with Canon 35mm f/1.4 II lens. 35mm; 1/8,000s; f/5; ISO 1,000. ©Xiaoke Wang | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

DAWN AT THE DOOR OF THE FARMHOUSE European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola) Isso, Hellin, Albacete, Spain.

Julian Fernandez Quilez, Spain.

Category: Urban Birds Bronze Award Winner

This image features an abandoned farmhouse in my town, with a painting of a woman and a European Stonechat perched on the door. I orientated the door to let the sunrise in and used three flashes to illuminate the painting. It took multiple sessions to achieve the desired effect.

Canon EOS 7D Mark II with Canon 70–200mm f/2.8 II lens. 140mm; 1/250s; f/20; ISO 125. ©Julian Fernandez Quilez | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

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comedy bird photo BPOTY WANTS TO SEE THOSE FUNNY MOMENTS IN NATURE. THIS CATEGORY LOOKS FOR HILARIOUS BIRD MOMENTS THAT ARE ASKING FOR A FUNNY CAPTION!

NO WAY OUT Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) Lake Chiusi, Italy Antonio Aguti, Italy Category: Comedy Bird Photo Gold Award Winner

The Purple Heron is a migratory bird that nests in the lake basins of the Italian Peninsula and feeds mainly on fish, although it also preys on mice, snakes, toads and other creatures.

In this shot, the heron caught a large Crucian Carp (Carassius carassius) and voraciously swallowed it after several attempts to turn the fish onto its side.

Sony A1 with Sony 600mm f/4 GM lens. 600mm; 1/4,000s; f/4; ISO 320. ©Antonio Aguti | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

MORE FISH PLEASE! King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) Saunders Island, Falkland Islands (Malvinas).

Levi Fitze, Switzerland.

Category: Comedy Bird Photo Silver Award Winner

When observing King Penguins, I was struck by how their behaviour sometimes resembles that of humans. This juvenile constantly begged until the annoyed adult walked away.

However, the fact that the juvenile was more massive than the adult suggests good parenting overall.

Sony A1 with Sony 400mm f/2.8 lens. 400mm; 1/1,250s; f/4; ISO 640. ©Levi Fitze | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

NORTHERN CREASTED CARACARA DISPLAY Northern Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) Santa Clara Ranch, Texas, United States Ann Gillis, United States Category: Comedy Bird Photo Bronze Award Winner

A group of Northern Crested Caracaras was gathered around some pieces of chicken that had been placed out for them. This individual was more interested in displaying to all the others while they ate.

Sony A1 with Sony 200–600mm f/5.6–6.3 G lens. 600mm; 1/4,000s; f/7.1; ISO 2,000. ©Ann Gillis | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

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conservation (single image) THIS CATEGORY LOOKS FOR STRONG CONSERVATION STORIES SHOWN IN ONE IMAGE. THIS IS SEPARATE TO THE MAIN CONSERVATION AWARD WHICH LOOKS AT A COLLECTION OF PHOTOS TOGETHER.

DON’T MAKE WAR European Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) Southern Malta.

Ewan Heath-Flynn, United Kingdom Category: Conservation (Single Image) Gold Award Winner A Maltese hunter stands proud, having legally shot a European Turtle Dove, a prized quarry on the island. European Union legislation bans the hunting of Turtle Doves in the breeding season. Nevertheless, across the Mediterranean, an estimated 0.34–0.87 million are killed every year. Generations of Maltese have hunted this species on migration; a few continue to hunt and follow tradition. In 2017, Malta introduced a spring hunting moratorium, which left some hunters feeling their ‘traditional’ way of life had been spoilt. Unfortunately, the ban was lifted in 2022, allowing European Turtle Doves to be killed once again. The decision has the potential to dramatically impact and further damage this beautiful bird’s chances of survival and drive it further towards extinction. BirdLife International and their partner BirdLife Malta both condemn the hunting.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with Canon 35mm f/2 lens. 35mm; 1/200s; f/8; ISO 800. ©Ewan Heath-Flynn | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

SEEING EYE TO EYE Southern Boobook (Ninox boobook) Bonorong Wildlife Hospital, Brighton, Tasmania, Australia Michael Eastwell, United Kingdom Category: Conservation (Single Image) Silver Award Winner

Southern Boobooks, the smallest Australian owl species, are often brought to veterinary hospitals after car accidents. Their large, outward-projecting eyes adapted for low-light hunting make them vulnerable to injury. In this image, Dr Luke Gregory is examining an owl named ‘Rocket’, focusing on the posterior eye, where injuries can be less visible.

Sony A1 with Sony 50mm f/1.2 lens. 50mm; 1/250s; f/1.2; ISO 400. ©Michael Eastwell | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

THE SPECTACLE OF MIGRATION Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) CRUMA wildlife rescue centre, Livorno, Italy Luca Giordano, Italy Category: Conservation (Single Image) Bronze Award Winner

A young Peregrine Falcon lying dead is being examined at the CRUMA wildlife rescue centre in Livorno, Italy. It had been shot down by a poacher and X-rays revealed lead shot in its body – evidence of how unsafe the migratory routes that cross Italian skies are. Through this photo, I hope to raise awareness of this ongoing issue affecting wild birds in Italy.

Nikon D850 with Nikon 24–70mm f/2.8 lens. 24mm; 1/200s; f/2.8; ISO 800. ©Luca Giordano | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

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birds in the environment THIS CATEGORY FOCUSES ON PHOTOS THAT BEST DEMONSTRATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A BIRD AND ITS HABITAT. EXAMPLES INCLUDE A SWAN ON A LAKE AT DAWN, A DIPPER ON A ROCK BESIDE A WATERFALL, OR A BALD EAGLE FLYING THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS.

SUNFLOWER PARADISE Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) Lower Silesia, Poland Mateusz Piesiak, Poland Category: Birds in the Environment Gold Award Winner Flooding meant that a field of sunflowers could not be harvested, and thousands of birds, including Greenfinches (Chloris chloris), Goldfinches (Carduelis carduelis) and Bramblings, flocked to it in winter. Despite their colourful plumage making them easy targets, when foraging their colours blend with the surroundings, making them hard for predators to spot. Using a wide-angle lens masked with snow and dried sunflowers, I photographed a flock of Bramblings from their perspective, with one perched in front of my camera.

Fujifilm X-T2 with Fujifilm 10–24mm f/4 lens. 10mm; 1/680s; f/11; ISO 1,600. ©Mateusz Piesiak | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

THE DANCE OF THE SHADOWS Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) Adélie Land, Antarctica Clément Cornec, France Category: Birds in the Environment Silver Award Winner

The Emperor Penguin breeds during winter in Antarctica, the coldest environment on Earth.

It endures temperatures as low as -40°C during the long polar nights and 250km/h blizzards.

Adaptations allow it to maintain body temperature and conserve energy.

Nikon D7100 with Nikon 16–300mm f/3.5–6.3 lens. 52mm; 1/640s; f/13; ISO 100. ©Clément Cornec | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

STARING AT THE RIVER White-throated Dipper (Cinclus cinclus) Kuusamo, Finland Stefan Gerrits, Netherlands Category: Birds in the Environment Bronze Award Winner

Last winter, I spent considerable time at the Kitka River in Finland photographing Whitethroated Dippers. The conditions were ideal, with abundant dippers, fresh snow, and crystal-clear ice. However, the harsh temperatures, reaching as low as -27°C, were a challenge. I focused on longer-exposure shots, using a 70–200mm lens to capture silkysmooth water in each photo.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with Canon 70–200mm f/2.8 II lens. 200mm; 0.3s; f/16; ISO 100. ©Stefan Gerrits | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

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black and white INTRODUCE SIMPLICITY AND DRAMA INTO YOUR SHOT THROUGH THE USE OF BLACK AND WHITE IMAGERY. THIS CAN BE SHOT IN-CAMERA OR CONVERTED DURING POST PRODUCTION.

FASCINATING DROPLET Musk Duck (Biziura lobata) Perth, Australia Jason Moore, Australia Category: Black and White Gold Award Winner A young Musk Duck seems mesmerised by a drop of water falling from its mother’s mouth. Of course, it’s actually interested in the morsel of food that she has in her bill. Their coloration may be drab, but they more than make up for it with their beautiful expressions and fascinating displays.

Sony A1 with Sony 600mm f/4 G lens. 600mm; 1/1,250s; f/4; ISO 1,600. ©Jason Moore | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

THE HERON IN THE PALMS Black-headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala) Samburu National Reserve, Kenya Yaron Schmid, Israel Category: Black and White Silver Award Winner

Among Samburu’s most distinctive features are its Doum Palms (Hyphaene thebaica).

While moving away from the river, I noticed a Black-headed Heron perched on one of the palm tree branches. I asked the guide to stop and captured a minimalistic image using a smaller lens.

Nikon D850 with Nikon 70–200mm f/2.8 lens. 70mm; 1/640s; f/7.1; ISO 560. ©Yaron Schmid | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

MORNING SERENITY Australasian Darter (Anhinga novaehollandiae) Northern Country, Victoria, Australia Cheng Kang, Australia Category: Black and White Bronze Award Winner

On a winter morning, fog swirled around perched birds and dead trees like tentacles. It was a breathtaking sight that filled me with calm and tranquillity. Converting the image to black and white in post-processing further emphasised the sense of stillness and peace.

Canon EOS R5 with Canon 100–500mm f/4.5–7.1 lens. 363mm; 1/2,000s; f/7.1; ISO 160. ©Cheng Kang | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

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gold young bpoty THE YOUNG BIRD PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR IS AWARDED TO ONE OF THE WINNERS OF THE 3 AGE GROUPS (11 AND UNDER, 12-14 YEARS, 15-17 YEARS).

BLUE HOUR AND RED MOON Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) Mainz, Germany Anton Trexler, Germany Category: 15-17 years Gold Award Winner and Young Bird Photographer Of The Year 2023

Blackbird singing in the dead of night. Blue atmosphere and red moon. Getting up before sunrise allows you to experience the magical awakening of animals. The blackbird is one of the first animals to awaken.

Nikon D3S with Nikon 300mm f/2.8 lens. 300mm; 1/125s; f/2.8; ISO 640. ©Anton Trexler| Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

HIGH-KEY TERNS Arctic Tern Sterna (paradisaea) and Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) Örnsköldsvik, Sweden Harry Sedin, Sweden Category: 12-14 years Gold Award Winner

In a small inlet in Örnsköldsvik, there are terns everywhere during summer. So, one afternoon on an overcast day, I headed down to the water with the goal of photographing terns in flight.

Instead of that, I ended up photographing an Arctic and Common Tern perched together on a railing. By utilising the white of their bodies, the overcast weather and the bright reflections in the water, I captured a high-key image of the two terns.

Nikon Coolpix P1000. 324mm; 1/100s; f/8; ISO 200. ©Harry Sedin | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

VERDITER FLYCATCHER Verditer Flycatcher (Eumyias thalassinus) Pelling, Sikkim, India Arko Saha, India Category: 11 and Under Gold Award Winner

Pelling is one of the most beautiful hill stations in India. I observed so many birds when I visited the area. I snapped this very colourful bird in a garden near our hotel. The extremely vibrant blue colour makes this bird so beautiful.

Canon EOS 80D with Canon 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6 II lens. 400mm; 1/400s; f/5.6; ISO 500. ©Arko Saha | Bird Photographer of the Year 2023

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BRITISH

AUTUMNAL WILDLIFE Photographer: Emily Taylor Instagram: @Capture_Nature_Emily_Taylor

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MORNING GREETINGS Photographer: Evgenia Lipnitskaya Instagram: @d.jekson

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NATURE IN THE CITY Photographer: Vita Belyakovskaya Instagram: @photo_passion_new

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URBAN FAUNA OF ST. PETERSBURG Photographer: Olga Kholm Instagram: @olga_kholm

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FEATURE - FEATURED ARTICLE

THE RUT PHASES OF BRADGATE PARK Located in Charnwood Forest, in Leicestershire, Bradgate park is home to around 550 red and fallow deer - making this the spot to observe and photograph them. This piece explores the unique behaviours and events that take place during the rutting season of the deer population in Bradgate Park As a writer and photographer, Emily Jane Taylor provides a detailed chronicle of the rut phases, offering readers an intimate look at the natural rhythms and cycles of wildlife within an urban park setting.

Written by Emily Jane Taylor Instagram: @ capture_nature_emily_taylor

A

s autumn approached, the deer at Bradgate Park were preparing for the fight of their lives. I headed to Bradgate Park, known for some of the best rutting views in the UK. Bradgate Park is home to around 550 red and fallow deer, meaning there are plenty of opportunities to spot and photograph them. They can often be seen posing perfectly against backgrounds of stunning autumnal colours, enabling photographers to capture truly beautiful pictures.

As a first-time visitor, I was amazed by the 830 acres of natural beauty people have the privilege of strolling around. Based in Leicestershire, the Medieval deer park attracts all kinds of wildlife, the River Lin runs through the lower section of the park where you can see deer roaming through the streams, sometimes stopping for a drink. Kingfishers and grey wagtail are frequently spotted, and the river is also known to attract waders, raptors, wetlands birds, and owls - even ospreys have been seen fishing and flying overhead. I was fortunate enough to see several green woodpeckers feeding in the grass mounds in front of the ruins along the bottom part of the park, eating the ants.

With the rock walls, medieval ruins, streams, and woodland areas, the sights are varied and wonderful; seeing Old Johns’s Tower reminded me a little of some of the scenes from Lord Of the Rings. The pure vastness and variety of the landscape creates an air of magic, and I instantly knew I’d become a frequent visitor.

Within a few minutes we spotted fallow deer in the upper part of the park which is home to thousands of ferns. A fallow deer emerged with his antlers covered in ferns, creating the effect of a headdress - covering themselves in vegetation is something stags often do to make themselves look larger, in a bid to impress the fertile hinds.

While bird watching by a stone wall, I heard the clashing of antlers and crashing sounds of two fallow stags battling - putting on quite a show. Once I realised there was a fight going on, I quickly stepped back out of harm’s way. Of course, it’s best to keep your distance and dogs on leads, especially during rutting season when deer can become very aggressive if you’re invading their space.

I did my research to understand the various phases during ‘The Rut’: On your marks, get set: from July to August, testosterone levels rise and the velvet antler shed stage begins. Antlers harden and shaggy manes start emitting a strong odour.

The loudest roar: next the larynx becomes more prominent and tongue changes shape to enable a deeper, louder roar (signalling a larger animal and attracting females). One stag can sometimes attract up to 50 hinds, and his roar is a key part of this attraction process.

A crown fit for a king: stags rub their antlers among the vegetation, creating king-like headdresses or ‘crowns’ - again impressing females, plus making them look formidable and intimidating to their rivals.

Walk the walk: Any rival not put off by the bellows and roars is approached, and the two begin parallel walking. If one stag decides to stand his ground rather than admit defeat, they prepare to fight by locking antlers - battling it out in a brutal match which sometimes leads to serious injuries or even death.

Boxing Behaviour: But, it’s not all about the stags - hinds can become pretty fed up, especially towards the end of the rutting season - and it’s no wonder if they’ve been dealing with the constant attention from the dominant stags. As these larger ‘alphas’ begin to tire, the younger stags take the opportunity to begin paying the hinds attention which can result in ‘boxing fighting’. This is also a territorial hierarchy action that can take place between families as they start to form groups.

During the rut, a stag can lose up to a third of its weight during a fortnight of intense activity where they barely eat or sleep. With family groups formed, they then prepare for the winter months ahead - and next year, they’ll do it all over again.

Witnessing the rut of Bradgate Park was breathtaking. I’d highly recommend a trip to experience the magic of this place for yourself. Whilst a beautiful sight throughout the whole year, the best time to visit is during the autumn. I went with my husband and two children who thoroughly enjoyed not only the deer and rutting but paddling and splashing in and out of the stream that runs along the bottom of the park. We were lucky enough to also witness a pair of rare red crested pochards waddling about and standing out in a crowd of mallards and gulls!

After lots of walking and soaking up the sights and sounds, be sure to have a well-deserved break at the cafe offering hot waffles, homemade soup, cakes and refreshments. Perfect for families, photography and avid wildlife lovers.

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TAKING AN URBAN ADVANTAGE Photographer: Scott Duffield Instagram: scott.duffield.photography Facebook: www.facebook.com/Scott.duffield.photography Website: www.scottduffieldphotography.pixieset.com Finding wildlife that’s ingeniously adapting & exploiting the advantages of living in an Urban and Sub urban environment isn’t difficult with a little patience. In this set I will show you the wildlife that can be found in inner cities and its outlying villages from Rough legged buzzards cruising the uninhabited wind farms on the city edges to Little owls patrolling city gardens & allotments.

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YOUR LETTERS 20 Rural wonders by Humes Outfitters Spending time in nature is so important, with charities like Mind advising that spending time in green space can benefit both physical and mental wellbeing.

In light of this, champions of the UK countryside, Humes Outfitters have scoured the UK and highlighted the most wonderous locations on a map, complete with a helpful key.

Each location was carefully selected in relation to factors such as flora and fauna hotspots, natural landmarks and stargazing destinations to showcase the variety the UK has to offer.

Flora hotspots Simonside Hills- Northumberland, England Mayfield Lavender Farm- Surrey, England Snowdonia, Wales Peak District, England Fauna hotspots Stackpole- Pembrokeshire, Wales Minsmere- Suffolk, England Handa Island- Sutherland, Scotland Galloway Forest Park- Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland Night skies Kielder Water & Forest Park- Northumberland, England Davagh Forest- Northern Ireland Exmoor National Park- Somerset/Devon, England Elan Valley- Cambrian mountains, Wales Waterfalls High Force waterfall- County Durham, England Pistyll Rhaeadr- Powys, Wales Fairy Pools- Isle of Skye, Scotland Waterall Walkway, Glenariff Forest Park- Northern Ireland Natural landmarks Marble Arch Caves- County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland Bow Fiddle Rock- Dorset, England Wistman’s Wood- Dartmoor, England Flamborough Head- Yorkshire, England

Monsoon vibes of Jhalana Photographer: Anish PR Instagram: @anishpr12 Featuring Rana - a young male Leopard at Jhalana.

Location- Jhalana Leopard Conservation Reserve, Jaipur, Rajasthan.

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Nature Calls To Me

By Emily Taylor Instagram: @Capture_Nature_Emily_Taylor Nature is everywhere, everywhere I go, Nature is a healer and I run for the light I take my hand off the wheel and find myself surrounded by fields Somewhere I could only imagine is magic waiting for me Nature provides me with a clearer mind Nature is life and is patient and kind I look to the sky, to the bird soaring high I’m done with looking behind, it’s time for me to spread my wings and fly Nature is timeless and is my beloved friend, Nature is pure and something on which I depend I take myself off the busy roads and find myself amongst the wildflower meadows Somewhere out on the horizon, planets are in motion Only something I’ve imagined to fill my heart with hope Nature is the ocean, the crashing waves of the sea Nature is the mountains, the rivers, and where I need to be I walk through the mountains and see there is a new world rising The gentle Spring wind lifts me up with the trees, dancing in the evergreen I’m where I belong, free, happy with the light shining down on me I am swaying with the breeze, singing along to the tune of the bees Nature is carved within my soul Nature is the sunset creating skies of gold I’m trying to remember that I’m allowed to make mistakes I’m done with losing my mind, wildlife is out there and waiting for me to embrace Nature is a floating cloud that catches your dream Nature is the sparkles of light on a cool running stream.

I swim through calm waters, and I look at my life, opening up like a butterfly Walking with the sand between my toes, the ocean spray cooling my face I find comfort when my eyes meet the Foxes gaze Nature is the midnight air, the falling stars, the eclipse moon cycles Nature is all the seasons, Nature is life and we should all care As I walk through the autumn woodlands, rust-coloured leaves fall softly down to lay a carpet of crunchy leaves on the ground with the wind gusting through each swaying tree, almost with me, what a joy to feel just me Nature is wide open spaces, watching fireflies in mid-flight.

Nature pulls me out of dark places guiding me back to my light I can smell the crisp cold air, with the clouds walking over the icy grass fields Winter is coming and leaves me cold, but winter gives bright twinkling stars on a clear dark night Nature is pausing life’s busy clock to marvel at the crystalline winter Spider Web Nature is a new day, with the ebbing waters in a lake, and the hoot of an Owl reminding me to always be proud I wake up to the sound of the morning birds singing, wondering what is out there waiting for me to discover, The world that we call Mother I know that nature is on my side I’m going to spread these broken wings and ride with wildlife to where the future sings.

Nature is the rainbows after a storm, Nature is sunshine and the beginning of amazing things to come

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YOUR LETTERS + GALLERY Bergen University Museum - Natural History Photographer: Iryna Chumakova Instagram: @iryna_i_bergen

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PHOTOGRAPHER: SCOTT DUFFIELD INSTAGRAM: @SCOTT.DUFFIELD.PHOTOGRAPHY WEBSITE: WWW.SCOTTDUFFIELDPHOTOGRAPHY.PIXISET.COM

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