European Bee-eater by Heiko Peters

 

 

European Bee-eater, Malterdingen, Baden-Württemberg (Heiko Peters).

 

This Monday's POTW column showcases a truly terrific selection of images and this week's winner needed to be a special photo. This European Bee-eater, with Painted Lady prey, taken in Germany by Heiko Peters, certainly fits the bill.

Illustrating the bee-eater's divine colour palate against a complementary dark green background, the subject has been caught in a brilliant pose and in good light conditions. The icing on the cake, however, is the prey, which itself has been framed in a great pose as to allow identification. Congratulations to Heiko on this excellent photo!

 

Other notable images

 

Slavonian Grebe, Mŷvatn, Iceland (Dave Jackson).

Arctic Tern, Long Nanny, Northumberland (Andrew Jordan).

Puffin, Saltee Islands, Wexford (John Murphy).

Kittiwake, Bempton Cliffs RSPB, East Yorkshire (Stephen Dunkling).

Squacco Heron, Lodmoor RSPB, Dorset (John Wall).

Common Cuckoo, Co Antrim, Britain (Jonathan Rosborough).

Alpine Swift, Old Harry, Dorset (Mark Wright).

Common Swift, Pennington Marshes, Hampshire (Matthew Barfield).

Common Starling, Whitby, North Yorkshire (Peter Kemp).

Eleonora's Falcon, Worth Marsh, Kent (Jack Morris).

Eleonora's Falcon, Worth, Kent (Henry Wyn-Jones).

Great Reed Warbler, Snettisham Coastal Park, Norfolk (Jonathan Lowes).

Lesser Grey Shrike, Horsham St Faith, Norfolk (Patrick Safford).

Dipper, Llandrindod Wells, Powys (Kev Joynes).

Great Tit, Dunford Bridge, South Yorkshire (Daniel Bell).

Common Linnet, Hook-with-Warsash LNR, Hampshire (Darryl Gorman).

 

House Sparrow, Barnsley, South Yorkshire (Peter Miles).