Tring buzzard and Winslow frog photos win places in charity wildlife calendar

A 'stunning' shot of a buzzard in flight taken at a Tring nature reserve has won top prize in a local wildlife photography competition, while a frog snapped in a Winslow garden pond and a picture taken at taken at Weston Turville Reservoir were also among the winning entries.

Roy McDonald, from Berkhamsted, took first place in the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) 2022 Photography Competition, with his crystal clear shot of a buzzard in mid-air at the trust's College Lake reserve near Tring.

After winning the contest, the 45-year-old former courier driver revealed that he has struggled with his mental health for some years, and wildlife photography has helped.

As overall winner, Roy won a top-of-the-range Panasonic Lumix digital camera and a wildlife photography masterclass, as well as receiving a printed canvas of his picture and having it appear in BBOWT's 2023 calendar.

Winslow mum Helen Touchard-Paxton won the Team Wilder category with her snap of a frog in a garden pond that she and her family dug during the coronavirus lockdown.

She said: "I believe this photo shows that you don't need acres of land to create a successful wildlife area. If you are interested - no matter how small your space - just have a go and see what works.

"I don't have high-end expensive equipment, and I have no idea how to use photo editing software - the photo is very much 'as taken'. I was absolutely amazed to have won the Team Wilder category."

The prize pictures, which were all taken at local nature reserves or green spaces.

The Wildlife Trust restarted its popular photo competition this summer after a three-year break due to the pandemic.

This year's contest had six new categories - flora and fauna; nature reserve landscapes; people in nature; children's category (ages six to 12), teenagers (ages 13 to 19) and Team Wilder, for shots of action for nature in the community.

The trust received hundreds of entries, creating an very difficult job for this year's judges - BBOWT communications officer Kate Titford, trust magazine editor Ben Vanheems and professional photographer Steve Gozdz, who runs local nature safaris in Berkshire through his business GG Wildlife Experiences.

A total of six winners have been chosen, one in each category, alongside a runner-up in each category.

All winners will have their photographs printed in the 2023 BBOWT calendar, which is being printed by competition sponsor Chroma Group, of Reading.

Flora and fauna (and overall winner) - Ray McDonald (buzzard in flight) taken at College Lake

Runner-up - Adrianna Bielobradek (poppy seedhead) taken at Buckleberry Common

People in Nature - Petra Mohr (girl on decking) taken at Weston Turville Reservoir

Runner Up - Lorraine Clarke (man in hide) taken at College Lake

Team Wilder - Helen Touchard-Paxton (frog)

Runner Up – Peter Massam (bug hotel)

Landscape – Charlotte Day (sunrise landscape) taken at Cholsey Marsh

Runner Up - John Kearns (Warburg trees) taken at Warburg

Teenagers – Zachery Osbourne (14) (kingfisher)

Runner Up – Lucy Colston (17) (marbled white on scabious)

Children – Roly Lewis (8) (Shieldbug)

Runner up – Hayden Denham (7) (Hummingbird Hawkmoth)