Michel Poinsignon / Black stork (Ciconia nigra) reflected in water, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Black headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) taking off, detail of legs and water droplets, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Song thrush (Turdus philomelos clarkei) collecting nesting material, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April. Small reproduction only.

Michel Poinsignon / Eurasian pygmy Owl (Glaucidium passerinum) perched on conifer branch, Vosges Mountains, France, June.

Michel Poinsignon / Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) catching fish in lake, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) catching fish in lake, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) catching fish in lake, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) landing on lake, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Great white egret (Egretta alba) preening feathers, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Great white egret (Egretta alba) detail of plumage and legs from the front, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Great white egret (Egretta alba) catching fish in lake, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Two tawny owl (Strix aluco) chicks emerging from nest in tree, Luxembourg. May.

Michel Poinsignon / Kingfisher(Alcedo atthis) male perched on branch over river with fish in beak, Lorraine, France. May.

Michel Poinsignon / European wild cat (Felis silvestris) kitten portrait, Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany, captive.

Michel Poinsignon,Michel Poinsignon / Merens horse (Equus caballus) mare with resting foal, Pyrenees mountains, France, August.

Michel Poinsignon / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) female, clinging between two twigs, Lorraine, France, October.

Michel Poinsignon / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) pair on plant facing each other, Lorraine, France, September.

Michel Poinsignon / Mute swan (Cygnus olor) two adults on water in courtship display, Lorraine, France, January.

Michel Poinsignon / Martagon lily (Lilium martagon) in flower, Vosges, Lorraine, France, July.

Michel Poinsignon / River view between Leon pond and Atlantic ocean, Courant D'Huchet Landes, France, August 2010.

Michel Poinsignon / Red helleborine (Cephalanthera rubra) in flower, Lorraine, France, June

Michel Poinsignon / Flock of Mute swans (Cygnus olor) in winter, snowing, Lorraine, France, February

Michel Poinsignon / Field scabious flower (Knautia arvensis) with green metallic flower beetle, Lorraine, France, May

Michel Poinsignon / Eagle owl (Bubo bubo) adult perched on branch close to cliff, Luxembourg, February

Michel Poinsignon / European hare (Lepus europaeus europaeus) running across field in winter, snowing, Lorraine, France, February

Michel Poinsignon / Six spot burnet moths {Zygaena filipendulae) Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / European praying mantis {Mantis religiosa} on hawthorn berries, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Little ringed plover {Charadrius dubius} nest with four eggs camouflaged on shingle, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Green woodpecker {Picus viridis} male in flight, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Green woodpecker {Picus viridis} male at nest hole, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Wind turbine with oil seed rape flowers in the foreground, Sarre, Germany

Michel Poinsignon / Electricity wires in front of cooling towers of Nuclear power station, Cattenom, France

Michel Poinsignon / Cooling towers of Nuclear power station with farmland and straw bales in the foreground, Cattenom, France

Michel Poinsignon / Cep fungi {Boletus edulis} growing through moss, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Group of Fly agaric fungi {Amanita muscaria} in woodland, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Looking down on a large group of Fly agaric fungi caps {Amanita muscaria} Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Black Woodpecker (Dryocopus martius) flying from nest-hole in tree, Vosges Mountains, France. Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2009: Nature in Black and White category: Runner-up...

Michel Poinsignon / Female Mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) on water, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) returning to eggs on nest with chicks on back, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Gannet (Morus bassana) adult stretching its wings, Bempton cliffs, Yorkshire, England, UK, July

Michel Poinsignon / Gannet (Morus bassana) nesting colony, Bempton cliffs, Yorkshire, England, UK, july

Michel Poinsignon / Buzzards (Buteo buteo) fighting for food in winter, Lorraine, France, February

Michel Poinsignon / Buzzard (Buteo buteo) flying low over grass before landing in winter, Lorraine, France, February

Michel Poinsignon / Buzzard (Buteo buteo) flying and calling in winter, Lorraine, France, January

Michel Poinsignon / Buzzard (Buteo buteo) perched on branch in the rain, Lorraine, France, January

Michel Poinsignon / Buzzard (Buteo buteo) perched on branch in the rain, Lorraine, France, January

Michel Poinsignon / Buzzard (Buteo buteo) perched on branch in the rain, Lorraine, France, January

Michel Poinsignon / Buzzard (Buteo buteo) landing on branch in winter, Lorraine, France, February