Wildlife pictures take wing

Sep 13 2007 by Paula Owens, Liverpool Daily Post

Jeffrey Ashworth's winning photo of a greater flamingo _320

THIS stunning image of a greater flamingo preening its wings won top prize in Martin Mere’s first annual photography competition.

Birdlover Jeffrey Ashworth waited an hour for the bird, usually found in Africa, Asia and southern Europe, to strike the elegant pose.

His entry was among 551 entries received in the local heat of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust’s national wildlife photography competition.

Mr Ashworth, from Garstang, Preston, won Martin Mere’s overall photo of the year award, with David Fyles, from Burscough, and Becki Scott, from Manchester, both commended for their photos of, respectively, a whooper swan and a moorhen with its chick.

All three images are on display at the bird reserve in Burscough, near Ormskirk, together with winners of two further categories, Digi-scoping Photo of the Year and Junior Photo of the Year.

“I’m a member of a local camera club and I took the winning photo on one of our outings,” said Mr Ashworth, 68.

“I sat for about an hour waiting for the flamingo to get into the right position – and eventually it did. You have to be patient.

“I’m really delighted to have won and am looking forward to the final in London.”

Paul Jarvis from Rufford, near Ormskirk, won the digi-scoping competition with his shot of a common sandpiper and Derek Belton from Rainhill was commended for his picture of a cormorant. Mr Jarvis, 30, a joiner, said: “I’m a member of Martin Mere. I regularly take photos there to record the birds and wildlife I’ve seen.

“This is the first photography competition I’ve ever won – I was really surprised and thrilled.”

Richard Carter, 11, from Accrington, won the junior photo of the year award for his colourful image of a mandarin duck, while William Campbell, from Liverpool, was commended for his picture of a lesser white-fronted goose.

Martin Mere centre manager Andy Wooldridge said: “I am absolutely delighted with the number and quality of the entries we received.”

The competition was judged by award-winning Wirral wildlife photographer Graham Eaton.Š

He said: “The overall standard of entries is very good, but the winner had all the components I was looking for.

“I know through personal experience how difficult it actually is to get a picture like this. It takes a lot of patience and determination.”

The winners each received a pair of binoculars and their entries will now go into a national exhibition alongside winning entries from the UK’s other eight Wildlife and Wetland Trust Centres.

paulaowens@dailypost.co.uk