From birds and beetles to wildflowers and wild landscapes, the competition celebrates the beauty and diversity of Worcestershire’s wildlife and wild places.

12 winning photographs will win a spot in the charity’s 2021 calendar with a public vote taking place to choose the overall winning image that will take pride of place on the front cover. 

A further 24 runner’s-up images will feature as smaller insets in the calendar.  All photos have the chance of being used to help the nature conservation charity to promote its work throughout the county.

Wendy Carter, organiser of the competition, explained “Over the last 10 years we’ve seen several thousand entries from around 500 local photographers, which is fantastic because it means that so many people are being inspired by Worcestershire’s wonderful natural world.

“Judging is always really difficult because we get such a range of stunning images of some of our most well-loved, and sometimes least-seen, wildlife.  We’re never disappointed by what Worcestershire photographers manage to capture.”

All Trust staff judge a long-list of images, which are then whittled down to a short-list judged by a smaller team that includes two experienced wildlife photographers and previous winners of the competition.

The small team of judges, which includes professional wildlife photographer Pete Walkden and semi-professional Jason Curtis, are looking for striking images that make people say ‘wow’.

Last year’s winning image by Great Witley’s Pete Cheshire was a great crested grebe with its young on its back, all floating serenely amongst lily pads on the lake at English Heritage’s Witley Court.

Entries must have been taken in Worcestershire and should be of wildlife or of the county’s many wildlife-friendly places.  Photographs of people encountering and engaging with wildlife are also welcome.

Wendy added “It’s great to see that so many people enter photographs that they’ve taken in their own gardens or local area, showing just how important it is that we’re close to nature where we live.

“It isn’t about having the best kit – previous winning images have been taken on compact and phone cameras – but it is about experiencing the magic of our natural world with a camera close at hand.

The popular calendar raises funds for the Trust’s work and images are also considered for use across the Trust’s range of greetings and Christmas cards. 

Photographers have until Monday 6^th April 2020 to enter.  Download the photo competition entry form.