Winners of the
1st Annual Photography Contest, 2021

“Seabirds of the Azores”

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To celebrate its first anniversary, Asas do Mar (IOMA) opened the first annual “Seabirds of the Azores” photography contest to the general public in 2021 with the aim of promoting bird watching and photography as a means of expression.

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Photographs entered into the contest must have been taken in the Azores and have as their theme aspects relating to the seabirds of the Azores, their habitats, and threats to their conservation.​

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We received 36 images from 10 participants living in the Azores, mainland Portugal, Spain, the UK, and Germany. The winning images were selected by three judges, each very familiar with photographing seabirds and the difficulties involved. Both the judges and Asas do Mar (IOMA) would like to thank all participants for their interest in the wildlife and biodiversity of the Azores and for having submitted images.

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The three winning images in the 2021 contest are:

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1. Flying adult Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis atlantis), photographed by Olivier Coucelos from Pico. Olivier nicely captured a typical species of the Azores in flight, in fresh plumage, and with a brightly coloured ornate wrasse (Thalassoma pavo) in its bill. The picture was taken in the port of Madalena, on the island of Pico, in January 2020. Olivier received the first prize of €100.

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2. Band-rumped Storm Petrel (Hydrobates castro) chick, photographed by Ben Porter from the UK. Ben made this picture while doing scientific work as a volunteer on Ilhéu da Praia, off Graciosa Island, in March 2020. The young bird, almost ready to fledge, had been raised in a nest that was easily accessible, beneath a rock – a rare opportunity for taking pictures of this bird in its natural environment. Ben received a voucher for a whale and seabird watching trip for one person on Faial Island.

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3. Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) taking flight, photographed by Olivier Coucelos from Pico. Olivier made this picture during a pelagic trip off the island of Faial in September 2020. He received a seabird identification guide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All winners also received 1 year of free membership of Asas do Mar (IOMA).

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The winning images, along with some other images submitted to the competition and with a photograph taken by each of the three judges, were displayed in a photographic exhibition at the Museum of Horta on Faial Island and at the Port of Madalena, Pico Island.

 

The winning photos were printed in postcard format and, to support our work, are for sale.