Fifteen bird photos that will make your heart sing
Least bittern. Amateur category; Top 100. (Davey Walters/Audubon Photography Awards/2020/)Whether it’s a gray-feathered bird plunging face first into a stream at Yosemite National Park or a jewel-like hummingbird frolicking in the fountain at a local California farm, avian life is omnipresent—and their world is closely intertwined with our own. As much as the pandemic has forced many of us indoors, it’s also directed our eyes outward—and given us the chance to observe, document, and revel in the transient moments of beauty that birds afford us. Each year, the Audubon Photography Awards unveils intimate snapshots of these winged creatures. The 11th annual contest amassed over 6,000 submissions from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., seven Canadian provinces, and many other countries, such as Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Belize. Over a day-long Zoom call, judges, who ranged from wildlife photographers to bird experts, narrowed down the pool to ten winners and honorable mentions. Some...