American Bittern by Richard Mills
An American Bittern striding along the side of a ditch, an almost purposeful look on its face with an "I'm going this way and nothing is stopping me" attitude; what more could you want from a winning image?
This is a wonderfully caught shot by Richard Mills of the well-watched bird at Castlefreke, Ireland, and getting it must have taken a lot of patience. Richard kept his distance when taking the shot, using a 500mm lens and a 1.7× converter on a camera with a 1.5x crop factor. A shutter speed of 1/640th second has perfectly stopped the movement as the bird makes its way through the vegetation.
Congratulations to Richard on his POTW; a new species and a new photographer to add to this year's winners.
You can read more on bird photography from Steve Young, including product reviews and a regular Photo Challenge for readers, every month in Birdwatch magazine.
Other notable images
Black-throated Diver, Hartlepool, Cleveland (Photo: Ian Forrest)
Grey Phalarope, Farmoor Reservoir, Oxfordshire (Photo: Dave Soons)
Nuthatch, Cannop Ponds, Gloucestershire (Photo: Clive daelman)
Firecrest, Cardiff Bay, Glamorgan (Photo: Peter Howlett)
Kingfisher, Clara Vale LNR, Durham (Photo: Ron Hindhaugh)
Bittern, Minsmere RSPB, Suffolk (Photo: John Richardson)
Purple Sandpiper, Newhaven, East Sussex (Photo: Bob Eade)
Robin, Chivenor, Devon (Photo: Martin Bond)
Short-eared Owl, Winterton-on-Sea, Norfolk (Photo: Tim Hemmings)
Fan-tailed Warbler, Cyprus (Photo: Nigel Bell)
Blackbird, Llandudno, Conwy (Photo: Bob Garrett)
Barred Warbler, Thorntonloch, Lothian (Photo: Dennis Morrison)
