A photograph of a scarce Worcestershire butterfly is the overall winner of this year’s annual photography competition run by local charity Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.
More than 130 spectacular photographs were entered into the competition, which required photographers to focus their efforts on the charity’s nature reserves and wildlife found there.Winners will feature in the Trust’s 2013 calendar, on sale now.
Wendy Carter, Communications Manager for the Trust, explained “Once again we’ve been impressed by the quality of photographs taken of our local wildlife and nature reserves.This is the third consecutive year we’ve run the competition and each year it gets harder and harder to pick just 12 winning images.
“We’re delighted with this year’s entries, which really do show the diversity of wildlife and habitats in Worcestershire – from butterflies and birds to woodlands and wetlands, we’re lucky to live in such a great county.”
Each month of the calendar features an A4 sized print of the winning image along with two smaller runner’s-up images.Winning photographs include birds, trees, flowers and landscapes.
The front cover image is a pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly taken in the Wyre Forest by Jason Curtis of Far Forest.Pearl-bordered fritillaries were once a widespread butterfly in Worcestershire but have declined rapidly in recent years and are now confined to the Wyre Forest.
Jason Curtis commented “I was delighted and surprised to hear that I have been voted the 2012 winner of the WWT photography competition!
“Although I have been photographing wildlife for over 15 years this is only the second time I have ever entered a photography competition. I can now see that the 1000’s of hours spent in very some very uncomfortable and embarrassing positions over the years hasn’t been wasted.”
Wendy continued “It’s great that so many people enjoy getting outside and appreciating wildlife.Although the photos in our calendar feature our nature reserves, we hope that they will encourage people to go out to investigate and make the most of their local green spaces and natural environment.”
The winners are:
January – Stuart Andrews (Bromsgrove) – snipe at Upton Warren nature reserve
February – Gethin Thomas (Redditch) – veteran tree at Piper’s Hill and Dodderhill Common nature reserve
March – Jason Curtis (Far Forest) – common toad at Knowles Coppice nature reserve
April – Paul Lane (St Johns, Worcester) – the Granary at Lower Smite Farm
May (& overall winner) – Jason Curtis (Far Forest) – pearl-bordered fritillary at Knowles Coppice nature reserve
June – Dave Butler (Worcester) – common spotted orchid at Eades Meadow nature reserve
July – Bob Tunstall (Worcester) – emperor dragonfly at Lower Smite Farm
August – Tony Ellis (Wordsley, Stourbridge) – starling at Upton Warren nature reserve
September – Bas Yates (Inkberrow) – hummingbird hawkmoth at Grafton Wood nature reserve
October – Tim Ellis (Stourport on Severn) – sunrise at Chaddesley Wood nature reserve
November – Melvyn Dodd (Kingswinford) – grey heron at Upton Warren
December – Ruth Bourne (Droitwich Spa) – berries at Lower Smite Farm
Photographs featured in the calendar can be viewed at www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk or as part of the charity’s Flickr group at www.flickr.com/photos/worcestershirewildlifetrust. Calendars are available to buy from the Trust’s website or their offices at Lower Smite Farm, Hindlip, 01905 754919.They’ll also be available to buy from Tiddesley Wood Open Day, Pershore, on Sunday 6th May.They cost £6.50 each and all proceeds will directly benefit the conservation of Worcestershire’s wildlife and wild places.
For more media information please contact Wendy Carter, Communications Manager, on 01905 754919
Editors Notes
·Worcestershire Wildlife Trust is the foremost organisation actively restoring and protecting wildlife and wild places in Worcestershire.The Trust owns and manages over 70 nature reserves throughout the county and works with local community members and other organisations to encourage a landscape for people and wildlife. It has over 18,500 members and around 500 volunteers who support the Trust by active involvement in its conservation, education, fundraising and administration work. www.worcswildlifetrust.co.uk
