Hawfinch by Jim Almond

A terrific portrait of a Hawfinch, taken by Jim Almond, is this week’s winning image.

With the bird munching on berries, this is the perfect autumn setting for the photograph. The bird has posed nicely, back-on with head turned towards the lens. The leaves frame the bird beautifully while the background colour offsets the image in suitable fashion.

I just have to say that in nearly 25 years of autumn visits to Scilly, I have never had a Hawfinch pose like this for me ... I’m not bitter at all! It serves me right for not heading south-west this year.

Congratulations to Jim on his winning shot, taken with a 500mm lens and 1.4x converter at 1/500 th second, f9 on ISO 400.

Other notable images

Scarlet Tanager, Co Cork (Norma Gleeson).

American Buff-bellied Pipit, Shetland (Peter Garrity).

Grey Plover, Norfolk (Mark Rafter)

Leach's Storm Petrel, Cheshire (John Tymon).

Western Osprey, Gwent (Mike Warburton).

Red-flanked Bluetail, Shetland (Peter Garrity).

Bearded Tit, Norfolk (Nick Appleton).

Red-backed Shrike, Suffolk (John Richardson).

Jackdaw, London (Clive Daelman).

Cedar Waxwing, Scilly (Ashley Howe).

Jay, Staffordshire (Derek Lees).

Wilson's Phalarope, Kent (Chris Bond).