Firecrest by Ashley Howe

Lighting is an important component of bird photography and Ashley Howe has utilised it to great effect in this beautiful portrait of a Firecrest. Looming out of the darkness, the bird has been caught in a brilliant head-on pose. Excellent eye contact with the bird adds to the image, as does the clean background and an uncluttered bramble perch. But it is the perfect angle and positioning of the shard of light in this image which really makes it stand out, catching the spectacular 'fire' crest and making this the focus of the image. It may be an increasingly common bird in southern parts of England, including in Hampshire where this image was taken, but an encounter with a Firecrest will brighten any day spent in the field!

Other notable images

Eurasian Wigeon, Summer Leys LNR, Northamptonshire (Dave Jackson).

Eurasian Coot, Golden Bay, Malta (Natalino Fenech).

Ptarmigan, Cairn Gorm, Highland (Matt Scott).

Sanderling, Out Head, Fife (Harry Bell).

Waxwing, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire (Miles Cluff).

Myrtle Warbler, Kilwinning, Ayrshire (David Carr).

Goldcrest, Blashford Lakes HWT, Hampshire (Darryl Gorman).

Goldfinch, Westonzoyland, Somerset (Carl Bovis).

Steel-blue Whydah, Samburu, Kenya (Kit Day).

Crested Oropendola, undisclosed site, Bolivia (Richard Johnson).