The British Wildlife Photography Awards proudly announce the winners for 2019.

The overall winning image is by Daniel Trim titled: “Behind Bars” (Grey heron) taken in London

 The awards celebrate both the work of amateur and professional photographers and the beauty and diversity of British wildlife. Winning images are chosen from thousands of entries in fifteen separate categories including a category for film and two junior categories to encourage young people to connect with nature through photography.

Grey herons thrive around London’s wilder waterways, but they also do well in more urban settings such as the smaller parks and canals, despite the litter and large numbers of people walking by. This individual was hunting in the cover of a bridge – presumably the fish were taking shelter among the fallen leaves and plastic bottles. The morning light shining through a grill gives the impression that the bird is trapped as it gazes out through the mesh.
 
To mark its tenth anniversary and help raise awareness about our coast; its incredible biodiversity and the threats it is facing BWPA have expanded the Coast and Marine category to include British and Irish Coastlines within four separate categories; Wales, Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland & the Coast of Ireland.

New for this year: BWPA 2019 – Coast & Marine Overall Winner

 “Seal in Seaweed Garden” (Grey seal) taken at Isle of Coll, Inner Hebrides Argyll and Bute by Alex Mustard

CJS has been a sponsor of the Awards since the first competition in 2010, we've sponsored a few different categories over the years but recently we've been delighted to be associated with the Botanical Britain section.  This year there is another incredible image: a single bluebell in a sea of green mare's tail, it was captured by Jack Mortimer in Worton Woods, Oxfordshire

 

Jack Mortimer – Amongst Emerald Depths (Bluebell, Mare’s tail) Worton Woods, Oxfordshire

Last night saw the gala opening of the tenth British Wildlife Photography Awards.

Mark Carwardine comments “Who needs penguins or polar bears when we have puffins and badgers?

"With so many photographers scouring the globe for exotic megafauna, it’s easy to forget how much wildlife we have in our own small and densely populated backyard. Just look up – from behind your desk, the kitchen sink or inside your car – and the chances are you will see a wild creature of one kind or another. A red fox running across a field, a blue tit on the bird table, or a red kite over the motorway. We are very fortunate in having an outstanding biodiversity in this country – so it’s not surprising that British Wildlife Photography Awards has become one of the most eagerly anticipated events in the wildlife photography calendar.

"This year, BWPA celebrates its tenth anniversary and I am delighted that it is marking the occasion by focusing on British coasts. The Coast and Marine category has now been expanded to include four separate categories"

Click through to see all the winners.

Over 100 images including the winning and commended entries launches at the Mall Galleries, London, commencing Tuesday 16th September 2019 and is open until 1pm Sunday September 22nd.  After this the exhibition will go on tour around the country,  See the full tour details here to find a location close to you so you can see the incredible images in glorious full size.

We are collating our coverage of the awards including many of the winning images here.

If you take photographs of anything countryside related, it doesn’t have to be wildlife then you should consider entering our own photography competition and you never know you might end up at the gala! We have a very special prize for the overall winner (and guest) of our photography competition who will receive an invitation to the gala opening night of next year's awards.  This year's awards ceremony was held on Wednesday and was hosted by Mark Carwardine. You'll get to see all the winning photographs in high definition, get to meet the photographers and the judges as well as representatives from the many supporters.  Entry is exclusively by invitation only, this really is a special prize that money can't buy.

You can enter any countryside relevant image at any time, we are suggesting themes each month.  As the summer season is mostly over this month the theme is Visitors and Recreation and the winning image for September will receive a membership package (individual, joint or family) to Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust - you never know you might snap another winning image when visiting one of their many amazing sites. 

Full details of the CJS Photo Competition here: c-js.uk/CJSPhoto