{"id":6558,"date":"2020-03-24T13:20:47","date_gmt":"2020-03-24T13:20:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/?p=6558"},"modified":"2020-03-24T13:21:37","modified_gmt":"2020-03-24T13:21:37","slug":"eyecatchers-march-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/2020\/03\/24\/eyecatchers-march-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Eyecatchers &#8211; March 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><i>Eyecatchers<\/i><span>\u00a0are show-stopping and surprising standalone images from the natural world, accompanied by the photographers\u2019 stories from behind the lens. Below is a sample from our latest selection. The full series can be viewed\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/pictures\/pdfs\/NaturePL_Eyecatchers_02_2020_UK.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Wingspan &#8211; Guy Edwardes<\/h3>\n<p>Lake Kerkini, near the Bulgarian border, is one of the most important wintering sites in Europe for Dalmatian pelicans. At this particular location, local fishermen regularly feed the pelicans, making them more tolerant of humans. Photographer Guy Edwardes snapped the picture in January, when the pelicans were in their breeding plumage \u2013 and therefore more photogenic. <em>(below left)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery gallery-6558 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633865-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) in flight, hilly landscape in background. Kerkini, Sintik, Greece. January.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633865-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633865-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633865-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633865-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633865.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633865-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633865-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633865-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633865-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633865-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633865-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) in flight, hilly landscape in background. Kerkini, Sintik, Greece. January.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01638540-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Visitors taking selfie with smartphone while giant polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is swimming past, Zoo de la Fleche, France, September 2019\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01638540-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01638540-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01638540-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01638540-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01638540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01638540-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01638540-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01638540-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01638540-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01638540-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01638540-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Visitors taking selfie with smartphone while giant polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is swimming past, Zoo de la Fleche, France, September 2019\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Animal Selfie &#8211;\u00a0Philippe Clement<\/h3>\n<p>When I sat down to observe this polar bear in Zoo de la Fleche,\u00a0I was equally intrigued by the behaviour of the human visitors.\u00a0They weren\u2019t just taking pictures of the bear, they were including\u00a0themselves in the frame. Afterwards, they spent several minutes\u00a0posting their \u2018animal selfies\u2019 on social media. It seemed to me\u00a0that these visitors were missing an opportunity to simply enjoy the moment.<em> (above right)<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Take Off! &#8211; John Shaw<\/h3>\n<p>Over the course of several days I watched this Arctic fox terrorise an eider nesting colony located just outside of Longyearbyen,\u00a0Spitsbergen. The fox was extremely bold, returning over and over,\u00a0taking both eggs and chicks \u2013 I counted over 60 eggs taken just\u00a0during the time I was photographing \u2013 while deftly avoiding any\u00a0attempts by the nesting birds to drive it away.\u00a0<em>(below left)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery gallery-6558 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01625971-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Common eider duck (Somateria mollissima) female defending her nest from arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus). Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen. June.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01625971-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01625971-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01625971-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01625971-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01625971.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01625971-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01625971-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01625971-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01625971-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01625971-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01625971-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Common eider duck (Somateria mollissima) female defending her nest from arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus). Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen. June.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01595306-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Blue dragon \/ Blue seaslug (Glaucus atlanticus) feeding on a Portuguese man o&#039; war (Physalia utriculus), Kona, Hawaii\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01595306-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01595306-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01595306-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01595306-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01595306.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01595306-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01595306-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01595306-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01595306-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01595306-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01595306-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Blue dragon \/ Blue seaslug (Glaucus atlanticus) feeding on a Portuguese man o&#039; war (Physalia utriculus), Kona, Hawaii\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Armed and Dangerous &#8211; Doug Perrine<\/h3>\n<p>A blue nudibranch (or sea slug) approaches the colourful,\u00a0venom-filled tentacles of a bluebottle jellyfish, also known as a\u00a0Portuguese man-of-war. The ocean-faring slug hunts and eats\u00a0bluebottles, ingesting its prey\u2019s powerful stinging cells (called\u00a0nematocysts) and deploying them to special organs at the\u00a0tips of its own cerata (the spiny outgrowths on its body). These\u00a0confiscated weapons are then used for the slug\u2019s own self-defence.\u00a0<em>(above right)<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Safety &#8211; Oscar Dewhurst<\/h3>\n<p>I spent a year documenting a family of mute swans nesting on a\u00a0lake near my home. When the cygnets hatched in the spring, they\u00a0spent a substantial amount of time on their parents\u2019 backs, where they were less vulnerable to predators. Here, two of the cygnets\u00a0are sheltering underneath their mother\u2019s wing. I spent many early\u00a0mornings watching and photographing them as they grew up and\u00a0gradually explored more of their new world.\u00a0<em>(below left)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery gallery-6558 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633872-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Mute swan (Cygnus olor), two cygnets sheltering under parent&#039;s wing. Richmond Park, London, England, UK. April.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633872-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633872-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633872-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633872-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633872.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633872-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633872-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633872-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633872-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633872-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633872-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Mute swan (Cygnus olor), two cygnets sheltering under parent&#039;s wing. Richmond Park, London, England, UK. April.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633218-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), group socialising in shallow water, aerial view. Part of larger group of more than 50 whales congregating, Sea of Okhotsk sub-population, Russia.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633218-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633218-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633218-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633218-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633218.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633218-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633218-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633218-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633218-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633218-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633218-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), group socialising in shallow water, aerial view. Part of larger group of more than 50 whales congregating, Sea of Okhotsk sub-population, Russia.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Social Club &#8211; Tony Wu<\/h3>\n<p>After a long cold winter, bowhead whales gather to feed on krill and other small animals, attracted to northern waters by plankton blooms. In between bouts of feeding, the whales get together to socialise. I saw large numbers like this just once, when more than 50 whales were congregated in a shallow bay. I entered the water to photograph them, but although I managed to approach within a few metres, the whales bolted away with tremendous speed. Once I understood that the whales were uncomfortable with my presence, I got out of the water and concentrated on aerial images. <em>(above right)<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Twice in a Lifetime &#8211;\u00a0Stefan Christmann<\/h3>\n<p>If there\u2019s one thing that could be considered the holy grail of Antarctica, I would argue it\u2019s to witness the southern lights (or aurora australis) above an emperor penguin colony. In order to photograph this, the moon has to be full (or almost full), to shine enough light onto the penguin colony. At the same time, the aurora has to be strong enough to outshine the full-moon. The chances of witnessing these conditions are so slim that it can only be described as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, I didn\u2019t care about the odds. In 2012, while overwintering in Antarctica as a scientist, I vividly recall failing eight times to photograph this phenomenon. It was during attempt number nine, on the night of September 30th 2012, that I finally succeeded. Everything fell into place, and I witnessed one of the strongest outbursts of the aurora I had ever seen, dancing above the emperor penguins.<br \/>\nAlmost exactly five years later, on September 6th, 2017, I was back in Antarctica on a moonless night, staring at a promising aurora forecast. I quickly got dressed, hopped onto my skidoo, and drove down to the penguin colony, where I could already see the green band of the aurora stretching across the sky. The show only became more dramatic as the hours passed. At one point, even the snow on the ground was bathed in green light. It was hard to believe that the conditions were just right for a second time. In my experience, if you get really lucky, a once-in-a-lifetime experience can happen to you twice! <em>(below left)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-4' class='gallery gallery-6558 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01630743-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony huddled together under the Southern Lights, Aurora australis, Atka Bay, Antarctica. September.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01630743-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01630743-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01630743-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01630743-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01630743.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01630743-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01630743-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01630743-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01630743-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01630743-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01630743-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colony huddled together under the Southern Lights, Aurora australis, Atka Bay, Antarctica. September.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01627520-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Labiated rainfrog (Pristimantis labiosus) feeding on spider prey, Mashpi, Pichincha, Ecuador\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01627520-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01627520-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01627520-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01627520-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01627520.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01627520-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01627520-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01627520-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01627520-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01627520-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01627520-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Labiated rainfrog (Pristimantis labiosus) feeding on spider prey, Mashpi, Pichincha, Ecuador\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Caught in the Act &#8211; Lucas Bustamante<\/h3>\n<p>As a biologist with a special interest in herpetology, night hikes\u00a0in the jungle are favourite pastime of mine. Every single night\u00a0is different, sometimes you score dozens of cool sightings,\u00a0sometimes the forest is empty. In one such night adventure, I\u00a0found this rainfrog with a baby tarantula in the mouth! The well-fed\u00a0amphibian belongs to one of the most common frog species in the\u00a0Ecuadorian Choc\u00f3, but this was the first time I\u2019d encountered it. I was very happy to photograph this one caught in the act! <em>(above right)<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Challenge &#8211; Edwin Giesbers<\/h3>\n<p>One of the best places to see red deer is Richmond Park in London. The deer were introduced there in the sixteenth century by King Henry VIII, for hunting purposes. However, that pastime ended long ago, and today the city of London cherishes the deer. This image shows a large stag bellowing at sunset. The annual rut, when the dominant male rounds up a harem of females and fights off other amorous stags, takes place between September and October every year. <em>(below left)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-5' class='gallery gallery-6558 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633855-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Red deer (Cervus elaphus) silhouetted stag bellowing during rut in grassland, doe in background. Richmond Park, London, England, UK. October\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633855-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633855-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633855-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633855-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633855.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633855-600x401.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633855-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633855-320x214.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633855-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633855-900x601.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633855-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Red deer (Cervus elaphus) silhouetted stag bellowing during rut in grassland, doe in background. Richmond Park, London, England, UK. October\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633879-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Frozen bends and flood plain of Halliste River, aerial view. Soomaa National Park, Viljandimaa County, Estonia. Febraury 2019.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633879-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633879-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633879-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633879-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633879.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633879-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633879-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633879-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633879-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633879-900x599.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01633879-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Frozen bends and flood plain of Halliste River, aerial view. Soomaa National Park, Viljandimaa County, Estonia. Febraury 2019.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Ice Sculpture &#8211; Sven Za\u010dek<\/h3>\n<p>Frozen bends and flood plain of Halliste River, aerial view. Soomaa National Park, Viljandimaa County, Estonia. Febraury 2019. When Sven Za\u010dek took this image in February 2019, it was so cold he had to keep his drone batteries close to his body to ensure they would still work when he reached the take-off spot. The aerial perspective allowed him to depict the frozen bends and flood plain of Halliste River in Estonia. <em>(above right)<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Candy Cane Comfort &#8211; Alex Mustard<\/h3>\n<p>Emperor shrimps are tiny, but beautifully coloured crustaceans that live commensally with several types of marine invertebrates, including sea slugs and sea cucumbers. \u2018Commensalism\u2019 is a type of relationship where one party benefits (the shrimp, which is hitching a ride), while the other party receives no benefit, nor does it come to any harm. The host species in this scenario was a candy cane sea cucumber &#8211; a species which is rarely seen. I was particularly pleased to find one with a shrimp living on it. I chose to fill the frame with the amazing abstract pattern of the sea cucumber. <em>(below left)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-6' class='gallery gallery-6558 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01628789-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Commensal emperor shrimp (Periclimenes imperator) moves across the colourful red patterned surface of its host Candycane sea cucumber (Thelenota rubralineata). Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia. Ceram Sea. Tropical West Pacific Ocean.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01628789-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01628789-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01628789-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01628789-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01628789.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01628789-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01628789-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01628789-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01628789-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01628789-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01628789-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Commensal emperor shrimp (Periclimenes imperator) moves across the colourful red patterned surface of its host Candycane sea cucumber (Thelenota rubralineata). Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia. Ceram Sea. Tropical West Pacific Ocean.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01616017-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Seven spot ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata) on Mayweed (Anthemis sp) flower. Cyprus. April.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01616017-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01616017-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01616017-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01616017-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01616017.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01616017-600x401.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01616017-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01616017-320x214.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01616017-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01616017-900x601.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01616017-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Seven spot ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata) on Mayweed (Anthemis sp) flower. Cyprus. April.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Mellow Yellow &#8211; Edwin Giesbers<\/h3>\n<p>During a trip to Cyprus I discovered a beautiful field of wild flowers including crown daisy and mayweed. While I was photographing the plants, I saw a common ladybug (seven spot ladybird) crawling around on a mayweed flower. Choosing a shallow depth of field allowed me to blur out the backdrop (bright yellow flowers), so that the insect and the mayweed became the sole focus of the image. <em>(above right)<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Mud Wrestling &#8211; SCOTLAND: The Big Picture<\/h3>\n<p>For the last 15 years, I have been going to the Highlands of Scotland to photograph red deer during the rut. The younger bucks &#8211; still too small to challenge the adult stags &#8211; have to find other outlets for their aggression. They fight amongst themselves and pretend to run harems (which helps provide the experience they\u2019ll need later in life). I noticed this particular animal attacking a mud patch. Adult stags urinate in mud and then cover themselves in it to smell more attractive to the females. However, this rookie buck was still learning. He knew he had to do something with the mud, but instead of the prerequisite urination, he opted for fighting it instead. <em>(below left)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-7' class='gallery gallery-6558 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623278-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) covering itself in mud from a muddy puddle after urinating in it in order to smell strong and warn off rivals, Scotland, UK, October.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623278-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623278-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623278-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623278-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623278.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623278-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623278-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623278-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623278-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623278-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623278-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) covering itself in mud from a muddy puddle after urinating in it in order to smell strong and warn off rivals, Scotland, UK, October.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01631834-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) dog interacting with a vixen in an urban garden. North London, UK. July.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01631834-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01631834-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01631834-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01631834-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) dog interacting with a vixen in an urban garden. North London, UK. July.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>A Matter of Perception &#8211;\u00a0Matthew Maran<\/h3>\n<p>What do you see? Vermin, a nuisance, or two animals connecting? We all want to feel connected, and that goes for animals too. In this instance, a dog fox is interacting with a vixen in an urban garden. My aim is to show the sensitive side of the fox and attempt to dispel the myths that they are pests &#8211; cat killing creatures that will dig up your lawn and pooh on your doorstep out of spite. Urban foxes are like every animal, they need to find food, water and shelter. They rear young and patrol their territory and they\u2019ve done this against the odds &#8211; living in cities alongside millions of people. <em>(above right)<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Fish Pirates &#8211; David Pattyn<\/h3>\n<p>In Puerto Lopez, Ecuador, small fishing boats were landing on the beach. As the catches were carried onto land, they were being pillaged by frigate birds. The fish were plentiful enough that the fishermen appeared to accept the comparatively small loss. To me, it felt like payback time. Nature was stealing something back! <em>(below left)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-8' class='gallery gallery-6558 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01621064-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Magnificent Frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens) trying to steal fish from fishermen coming on land with a fresh catch, Puerto Lopez , Santa Elena Peninsula, Manabi Province, Ecuador, July\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01621064-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01621064-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01621064-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01621064-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01621064.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01621064-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01621064-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01621064-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01621064-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01621064-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01621064-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Magnificent Frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens) trying to steal fish from fishermen coming on land with a fresh catch, Puerto Lopez , Santa Elena Peninsula, Manabi Province, Ecuador, July\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01626158-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Scuba diver on the sandy bottom surrounded by shoal of Big-eye jacks (Caranx sexfasciatus), Cabo Pulmo Marine National Park, Baja California Sur, Mexico\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01626158-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01626158-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01626158-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01626158-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01626158.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01626158-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01626158-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01626158-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01626158-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01626158-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01626158-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Scuba diver on the sandy bottom surrounded by shoal of Big-eye jacks (Caranx sexfasciatus), Cabo Pulmo Marine National Park, Baja California Sur, Mexico\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Pulling Together &#8211; Franco Banfi<\/h3>\n<p>Cabo Pulmo National Park in Mexico is considered to be one of the most successful marine protected areas in the world. Fishing and other extractive activities have been banned, and within a decade of the reserve being created, the fish biomass increased more than 460 percent \u2013 to a level comparable with pristine coral reefs that have never been fished. When I first rolled into the water, and found myself literally immersed in a swirling school of bigeye jacks, I witnessed firsthand the park\u2019s success. I spent the whole dive photographing the school, trying to portray its fluidity and size. Every fish seemed to be following a leader, who was constantly changing direction. The school stretched and shrunk, at times large enough to block out the sun. To me, the success of Cabo Pulmo demonstrates that when people pull together as a community, great changes are possible. <em>(above right)<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Light Show &#8211;\u00a0Yashpal Rathore<\/h3>\n<p>One moonless night in Kanha Tiger Reserve, India, the forest canopy was glittering with the synchronised display of thousands of male fireflies. These insects are best seen in the weeks leading up to the monsoon, when they gather to find the perfect mate. In order to capture the display, I chose a tree which stood out from the rest of the forest, and took a series of long exposure images (each 25 sec). Since I was not expecting to photograph this phenomenon, I wasn\u2019t carrying an interval meter, which meant I had to trigger each exposure manually, one after the other. Any artificial light source would have adversely affected the image, so once I\u2019d composed and focused the frame, I switched off my head torch and worked in complete darkness. I was in the middle of tiger country, with a resident tigress and other predators like sloth bears and leopards in the vicinity. All alone, and with nothing to protect myself, I showed my presence by singing random songs. Luckily, I avoided any surprise encounters and was able to record this spectacular light show. The final image &#8211; a composite of around 30 frames &#8211; shows the combined efforts of the male fireflies hoping to attract a mate, complemented by the star trails in the sky above. <em>(below left)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-9' class='gallery gallery-6558 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01610140-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Composite image of Fireflies synchronize display just after first shower of monsoon, on moonless night. India.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01610140-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01610140-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01610140-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01610140-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Composite image of Fireflies synchronize display just after first shower of monsoon, on moonless night. India.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623532-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Sunlight splintering through misty pine forest at sunset, Glencharnoch Wood, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, UK. November\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623532-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623532-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623532-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623532-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623532.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623532-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623532-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623532-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623532-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623532-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/01623532-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Sunlight splintering through misty pine forest at sunset, Glencharnoch Wood, Cairngorms National Park, Scotland, UK. November\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Path through Glencharnoch Wood &#8211; SCOTLAND: The Big Picture<\/h3>\n<p>There are times when it is a privilege just to be outdoors, alone and immersed in nature. This small fragment of woodland is just a few hundred metres from habitation but on this particular afternoon it felt like I was in total isolation, surrounded by an endless sea of ancient pines. The woodland was eerily quiet; no people, no birdsong, no wind to rustle the branches. As the sun began to set, a veil of mist rose from the damp forest floor and the millions of tiny water droplets captured the brilliant orange glow of warm light, creating an otherworldly landscape. Such moments are rare, and I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to capture such transient conditions. <em>(above right)<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>The following are only available to clients in the UK,<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Royal Crown &#8211; Ingo Arndt<\/h3>\n<p>While researching a story about weird-looking animals, I came across a painting of a royal flycatcher. I couldn\u2019t believe that this bizarre bird really existed, but it does! I found researchers in Costa Rica who were working with it in the rainforest, and flew all the way\u00a0there especially for this portrait. It wasn\u2019t long before the researchers caught this bird in one of their mist nets. As they were fitting\u00a0it with an identification ring, I set up my field studio and took this\u00a0portrait against a white background, helping to accentuate the\u00a0bird\u2019s opulent head plumage.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-10' class='gallery gallery-6558 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00589313-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Royal Flycatcher (Onychorhynchus coronatus) in defensive posture, Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00589313-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00589313-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00589313-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00589313-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00589313.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00589313-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00589313-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00589313-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00589313-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00589313-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00589313-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Royal Flycatcher (Onychorhynchus coronatus) in defensive posture, Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00594046-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Domestic Chicken (Gallus domesticus) mother with chicks dyed pink to protect them from raptors, Anja Park, Madagascar\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00594046-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00594046-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00594046-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00594046-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00594046.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00594046-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00594046-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00594046-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00594046-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00594046-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/00594046-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Domestic Chicken (Gallus domesticus) mother with chicks dyed pink to protect them from raptors, Anja Park, Madagascar\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Dye or Die? &#8211;\u00a0Cyril Ruoso<\/h3>\n<p>When I came across this unusual scene in Anja Reserve, Madagascar, it made me stop in my tracks! In an effort to protect her domestic chickens from predation by raptors, one enterprising villager had dyed them pink! I don\u2019t know if there is any scientific evidence to support her theory, but the woman told me that the yellow-billed kites flying over the village all day would leave her chicks alone if they were dyed. Perhaps the raptors associate the chicks with the colour yellow, and therefore don\u2019t recognise the pink ones as food. Curiously, no other villagers had adopted this practice. Whatever the case may be, I was happy to record this anecdotal scene. <em>(above right)<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span>For more Eyecatchers collections, we invite you to visit our galleries\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/-stories\/single-images-eyecatchers.html\">here<\/a><span>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eyecatchers\u00a0are show-stopping and surprising standalone images from the natural world, accompanied by the photographers\u2019 stories from behind the lens. Below is a sample from our latest selection. The full series can be viewed\u00a0here. Wingspan &#8211; Guy Edwardes Lake Kerkini, near the Bulgarian border, is one of the most important wintering sites in Europe for Dalmatian&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/2020\/03\/24\/eyecatchers-march-2020\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"button\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[3,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6558","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6558"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6558"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6558\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6586,"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6558\/revisions\/6586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}