The British are said to be a nation of animal lovers, and it also seems that we like taking photographs of the fellow creatures that share our land.
A beautiful photo showing a puffin flying with a meal in its beak has won the BBC's Countryfile Photographic Competition.
The photo was taken on the Farne Islands in Northumberland. The islands have a colony of around 56,000 puffins.
These photos of British wildlife show how breathtakingly beautiful Britain is...
Puffin’s in-flight meal wins photo competition
11/10/2008
The Telegraph
In-flight meal taken by Richard Steel on Inner Farne Island, Northumberland
With fish spilling from its beak, this puffin gives new meaning to the concept of the in-flight meal.
This striking image was captured by amateur photographer Richard Steel as he watched puffin return to their nests on Inner Farne Island, off the coast of Northumberland. It has been voted the winner of the BBC's Countryfile Photographic Competition.
The contest, which had the theme of "animals in action", attracted thousands of entrants.
Twelve finalists were then selected by judges John Craven, from Countryfile, wildlife presenter Chris Packham and comedienne Jo Brand.
Viewers of the BBC One programme were then asked to vote for their favourite. The 12 final images will also be produced in a calendar that will be sold to raise money for the Children in Need appeal.
Among the other photographs to make the final was Peter North's image of a mother bottlenose dolphin and her calf gliding through the water in Cardigan Bay, near Anglesey, north Wales.
Gamekeeper Steve Barker also managed to take a dramatic picture of a pair of hares boxing in the snow on the South Downs, near Worthing, while John MacTavish won praise from the judges for his shot of a displaying male pheasant in Argyll as it strutted on the moor.
A colourful bumblebee settled on a daisy was also among the judges favourites along with a pair of hungry song thrush chicks that had taken up residence in a shed in Hertfordshire.
Describing why she selected the overall winning shot of the puffin for the shortlist, Jo Brand said: "It looks like a plane coming in to land – very solid and quite comical. I like that."
To order a copy of the 2009 Countryfile Calander, which costs £9, visit: https://www.hcsonline.co.uk/countryfile2009/home/index.asp
Slippery customer by Raymond Alexander, taken in June, at at Sion Mills, County Tyrone.
Heading home taken by Anthony Elegy, near Wrexham
Winter hares taken by Steve Barker, last winter on the South Downs near Worthing, West Sussex
In-flight meal taken by Richard Steel on Inner Farne Island, Northumberland
Hungry Chicks taken by Graham Johnson in his garden shed in Hertfordshire.
Swan lake taken by Terry Slater at Welney Wetlands Centre, Norfolk.
Dolphins on display taken by Peter Evans last October, between Anglesey and Great Orme Head
Sea horses taken by Jeffrey Warren on Weymouth beach in Dorset.
Knots in flight taken by Terry Heath on Lindisfarne, Northumberland.
Pony gathering taken by Derrick Williams in the Carneddau Mountains, Snowdonia National Park.
Highland fling taken by John MacTavish on a morning walk in Argyll.
Busy bee taken by Matthew Waite in August at Lotherton Hall, West Yorkshire.
dailymail.co.uk
A beautiful photo showing a puffin flying with a meal in its beak has won the BBC's Countryfile Photographic Competition.
The photo was taken on the Farne Islands in Northumberland. The islands have a colony of around 56,000 puffins.
These photos of British wildlife show how breathtakingly beautiful Britain is...
Puffin’s in-flight meal wins photo competition
11/10/2008
The Telegraph
In-flight meal taken by Richard Steel on Inner Farne Island, Northumberland
With fish spilling from its beak, this puffin gives new meaning to the concept of the in-flight meal.
This striking image was captured by amateur photographer Richard Steel as he watched puffin return to their nests on Inner Farne Island, off the coast of Northumberland. It has been voted the winner of the BBC's Countryfile Photographic Competition.
The contest, which had the theme of "animals in action", attracted thousands of entrants.
Twelve finalists were then selected by judges John Craven, from Countryfile, wildlife presenter Chris Packham and comedienne Jo Brand.
Viewers of the BBC One programme were then asked to vote for their favourite. The 12 final images will also be produced in a calendar that will be sold to raise money for the Children in Need appeal.
Among the other photographs to make the final was Peter North's image of a mother bottlenose dolphin and her calf gliding through the water in Cardigan Bay, near Anglesey, north Wales.
Gamekeeper Steve Barker also managed to take a dramatic picture of a pair of hares boxing in the snow on the South Downs, near Worthing, while John MacTavish won praise from the judges for his shot of a displaying male pheasant in Argyll as it strutted on the moor.
A colourful bumblebee settled on a daisy was also among the judges favourites along with a pair of hungry song thrush chicks that had taken up residence in a shed in Hertfordshire.
Describing why she selected the overall winning shot of the puffin for the shortlist, Jo Brand said: "It looks like a plane coming in to land – very solid and quite comical. I like that."
To order a copy of the 2009 Countryfile Calander, which costs £9, visit: https://www.hcsonline.co.uk/countryfile2009/home/index.asp
Slippery customer by Raymond Alexander, taken in June, at at Sion Mills, County Tyrone.
Heading home taken by Anthony Elegy, near Wrexham
Winter hares taken by Steve Barker, last winter on the South Downs near Worthing, West Sussex
In-flight meal taken by Richard Steel on Inner Farne Island, Northumberland
Hungry Chicks taken by Graham Johnson in his garden shed in Hertfordshire.
Swan lake taken by Terry Slater at Welney Wetlands Centre, Norfolk.
Dolphins on display taken by Peter Evans last October, between Anglesey and Great Orme Head
Sea horses taken by Jeffrey Warren on Weymouth beach in Dorset.
Knots in flight taken by Terry Heath on Lindisfarne, Northumberland.
Pony gathering taken by Derrick Williams in the Carneddau Mountains, Snowdonia National Park.
Highland fling taken by John MacTavish on a morning walk in Argyll.
Busy bee taken by Matthew Waite in August at Lotherton Hall, West Yorkshire.
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