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More than 2000 entries from 24 countries flooded in for 2004's competition, establishing it beyond doubt as the world’s premier contest for bird photographers. Though a majority of entries came from the UK again there was a very strong entry from Scandinavia and Holland, while many quality pictures were submitted by American photographers.

For the second year in a row, a Finnish photographer was chosen as International Wildbird Photographer. Jari Peltomaki, the popular proprietor of the Finnature travel company, pipped England’s Mark Hamblin in the final judging with his image of a Red-Throated Diver, but he also finished runner-up in the Digital Bird Portrait class with an image of Bar-tailed Godwits.

It appears bird photographers are embracing the modern photographic technology with enthusiasm, with 1,002 digital entries being received, compared to 1,046 transparencies. Once again the title-winning image was created with a digital camera. The quantity and quality of entries meant the judging panel had a hard day’s work at the Finnish Ambassador’s official residence in London. We would all like to pay tribute to Sue Begg, Bird Watching’s editorial assistant and picture researcher who toiled tirelessly to organise the entries and ensure the judging day went off without a hitch.

CATEGORIES: Overall Winner | Bird Portrait | Patterns and Composition | Best Altered Image | Birds In Habitat | Best Portfolio | Bird Behaviour | Birds in Gardens | Best Digiscoped Image

JUDGES: Chairman - Pertti Salolainen (Finnish ambassador), Bill Oddie (TV presenter), Mike Mockler (Photographer and tour leader), Gordon Langsbury (Photographer and author), Nick Hammond (County Wildlife Trust director), Robert Gillmor (Society of Wildlife Artists vice-president), Jon Adams (Editor, Digital Photo magazine), Stuart Winter (Sunday Express birding columnist)

ADMINISTRATOR : Sue Begg

Overall Winner
Category: PATTERNS AND COMPOSITION - Unaltered Digital Print
Winner: Jari Peltomaki, Finland (Red-Throated Diver - see below)

Jari says he has only been taking his wildlife photography seriously for a couple of years, so was thrilled to learn he’d won the overall IWP2004 title as well as this class. The judges loved the subtle colours and patterns created by the wing blur and water splashes and the fact the bird has been framed so that it is looking into space. The fact that the bird is beautiful and the activity has not been well recorded before were added bonuses.

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Unaltered Digital Print
Winner: Pekka Pura, Finland (Wood Sandpiper - see left)

This beautifully-composed picture made an immediate impression on the judges. Though the bird is central in the frame, the reflected part of the picture ensures the eye travels around the whole frame. The lack of movement in the water ensures the reflection is almost as clear-cut as the bird itself, though the variation in the vegetation prevents it becoming a complete mirror image.

Runner-Up: Jari Peltomaki, Finland (Bar-tailed Godwit)

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Winner: Armando Maniciati, Italy (Grey Heron - see left)

The truism that Italians are blessed with a great sense of style and elegance is reinforced with this study that had the judges making references to Mondrian’s abstract paintings. This well thought out image should inspire more photographers to consider the aesthetic possibilities in the bigger picture, rather than just going for the ‘frame-filler’ subject.
Runner-Up: Hal Beral, USA (Shore Birds)

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Jari says he has only been taking his wildlife photography seriously for a couple of years, so was thrilled to learn he’d won the overall IWP2004 title as well as this class. The judges loved the subtle colours and patterns created by the wing blur and water splashes and the fact the bird has been framed so that it is looking into space. The fact that the bird is beautiful and the activity has not been well recorded before were added bonuses.

Runner-Up: Adrian Winter, England (Red Knot)

Category: BEST ALTERED IMAGE
Winner: Craig Churchill, England (Yellowhammer - see left)

This is the ‘anything goes’ category where the only limit is the imagination of the photographer. Several of the more creative efforts were let down by poor Photoshop technique, whereas our winner Craig created a favourable impact on the judges by taking a simple idea and executing it well. Here, the intensity of the bird’s colour contrasts beautifully with the monochrome foreground and background.

Runner-Up: Ellen Anon, USA (Spoonbill)

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Winner: D. E. McCutcheon (Cinnamon Bittern Juv.  - see below)

This class attracted many imaginative entries such as ox-peckers on buffalo and a Cormorant in front of the Millenium Wheel, but in the end the judges plumped for this shot which showed a direct relationship between an attractive bird and an equally striking environment.

Runner-Up: Mark Hamblin, England (Slavonian Grebe)

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Unaltered Digital Print
Winner: Peter Cairns, Scotland (Long-tailed Skua - see below)

Pristine Arctic tundra and a cloudless sky provide the backdrop for this exciting flight shot of a Long-tailed Skua. Peter’s picture rose above the opposition thanks to its clarity and the immaculate positioning of the bird within the frame.

Runner-Up : Markus Varesvuo, Finland (Ptarmigan)

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Winner: H Satish, India (Green Bee-Eaters, Small Blue Kingfisher, Red-Vented Bulbul)

The competition’s first entrant from India presented the judges with a delightful trio of native birds, all taken with back lighting to create a pleasing effect. The pick of the bunch was this Red-vented Bulbul, which chose an attractive perch to enhance the overall composition.

Runner-Up: Daniel J Cox, USA (Emperor Penguin, Marabou Stork, Bald Eagle)

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Unaltered Digital Print
Winner: Markus Varesvuo, Finland (Goldcrest, Black Grouse, Grey Partridge)

The portfolio classes are included to reward technical versatility and photographer imagination. Some entrants settled on a theme, but Markus (last year’s IWP champion) contrasted two game bird pictures that were very different in character with a technically difficult action picture of Europe’s smallest bird, the Goldcrest. In every image the level of detail and clarity is deeply impressive.

Runner-Up: Adrian Winter, England (Red Knot, Red Knot, Red Knot)

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Winner: S Paul, India (Pelicans  - see left)

The judges winced when this image flashed up on the screen, as the adult Pelican must have found this feeding encounter with its youngster rather painful. This image took the top award not only because it showed interesting behaviour, but because it was an aesthetically pleasing picture.

Runner-Up: Mike Muddiman, England (Mistle Thrush)

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Unaltered Digital Print
Winner: Adrian Winter, England (Black-tailed Godwit - see left)

On many occasions photographs of birds sparring are spoilt because in the flurry of action, parts of the bird move beyond the picture edge. Adrian’s image, captured at Sunderland saltmarsh in Lancashire in March avoids this fault and is enhanced by the varied postures of the combative godwits.

Runner-Up: Roy Glen, England (Little Grebe)

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Winner: David Slater, England (Mistle Thrush  - see left)

The inclusion of the fence helped put this interesting and well illuminated behavioural picture into a garden context. Many of the competing photographers failed to include any identifiable garden details, such as feeders, birdbaths or just border plants, leaving judges with the impression that the picture could have been taken anywhere.

Runner-Up: Tony Bates, England (Spotted Flycatcher)

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Unaltered Digital Print
Winner: Paul Keene, England (Red Kite - see left)

The success of the Red Kite reintroduction scheme in the Chilterns means that this elegant raptor is now regularly seen over urban areas, and in one of two places they have been attracted by regular feeding to enter gardens. On this occasion Paul was on hand to capture this pin-sharp picture of a bird swooping down to food on the ground.

Runner-Up: Dickie Duckett (Dunnock)

Category : BEST DIGISCOPED IMAGE
Winner: David Palmer, England (White Wagtail - see right)

With the welter of digiscoped images appearing in bird magazines and websites, it was expected that this category would attract a huge entry, but the reverse was true. David’s immaculately detailed portrait of a White Wagtail, taken in Brittany in July, was obtained using a Nikon 4500 camera and Leica APO 77mm telescope.

Runner-Up: David Palmer, England (Black-Necked Grebe)

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