Garden for Wildlife® Photo Contest
The 2019 Garden for Wildlife® Photo Contest showcased the impact that habitat gardens can have on wildlife and people alike. Take a look at the top overall submissions, individual category winners, and category runner-up winners from this year's contest. For even more inspiring photographs, don't miss this year's collection of honorable mentions.
GRAND-PRIZE WINNER
Randy Streufert
Lorton, Virginia
Male Prothonotary Warbler in Shower
"We have a water mister with an overhanging branch in our backyard. In the hot summer months a wide variety of bird species take advantage of the water and shower. This male prothonotary seemed to especially enjoy it - he was there for about 15 minutes."
RUNNER-UP WINNER
Dennis Quinn
Strand, Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Dwarf Chameleon Drinking Water from Backyard Garden Birdbath
"This chameleon was photographed in my mother-in-law's beautiful garden full of native wildflowers, shrubs and trees. Countless Cape Dwarf Chameleons of all age classes make this suburban neighborhood garden their home. Due to the excessive drought over the past few years in the Cape, these backyard residents have become very accustomed to drinking from the bird bath. You can see how my mother-in-law has strategically stages branches making the water easily accessible to the chameleons."
YOUNG HABITAT PHOTOGRAPHERS
Rahpaelle Thomet, 15
Newburg, Maryland
Lady Beetle Chosing a Longer Path
"I walked in some wheat growing on our farm, when I noticed a bright red lady beetle climbing up a blade of grass. I quickly turned on my camera, which was around my neck, and focused on the fast moving object. I only could capture one photo before the lady beetle reached the top of the grass and flew away."
PEOPLE IN THE WILDLIFE GARDEN
Sherry Schellenger Parker
Fairfax, Virginia
Child in Garden
"Playing in Grammy's Garden"
CERTIFIED WILDLIFE HABITAT LANDSCAPES
Denise Maples
Virginia Beach, Virginia
American Goldfinch, I Love You, I Love You Not
"This American Goldfinch was dining on the black-eye Susans in my garden. He started pulling the pedals off the flowers as if to say, "I love you, I love you not." I guess he was trying to get to more seed. I liked that in the background you can see my Certified Wildlife Habitat sign. This made the photo that much more special."
WILDLIFE OBSERVED WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WORK, PLAY, LEARN AND WORSHIP
Charles Bergman
Steilacoom, Washington
Chickadee Lands on Garden Tool
"Few things are more delightful in a summer garden than being visited by chickadees. A Bback-capped chickadee descends to the handle of a garden fork. It will rest hear for a moment. The handle provides a good staging spot for a visit to the sunflower seed feeder."
CLOSE-UP NATIVE PLANTS AND THEIR WILDLIFE VISITORS
Arthur Hass
Reston, Virginia
Eastern Tailed-Blue
"I'm a local wildlife photo hobbyist. The photo of the was taken in a natural area adjacent to a local golf course fairway."
Category Runners-Up
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CLOSE UP NATIVE PLANTS AND THEIR WILDLIFE VISITORS
Brent Barnes
Edmond, Oklahoma
Great Horned Owlet Peeking from Behind a Tree
“We have had the pleasure of watching a pair of great horned owls nest and raise young owlets in our neighborhood for the past several years. I photographed this young owlet as it was peeking from behind a tree when it was about 8 - 10 weeks old.”
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CERTIFIED WILDLIFE HABITAT LANDSCAPES
Crysstal Shoults
Linn, Missouri
Tree Frog in a Hole in a Fence Post
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PEOPLE IN THE WILDLIFE GARDEN
Geoffery Baker
Ellicott City, Maryland
Howard County Library System's Tween Sprouts Gardening Club
"The Enchanted Garden is a sustainable, community-based teaching garden for all ages located adjacent to HCLS Miller Branch and Historical Center. A quarter-acre parcel adjacent to the Children’s area, the Enchanted Garden’s primary focus is a teaching garden. The demonstration gardening area features a variety of vegetables, herbs, and flowers planted in raised beds.”
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WILDLIFE OBSERVED WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WORK, PLAY, LEARN AND WORSHIP
Leigh Scott
Lowell, Massachusetts
Love Thy Neighbor - Blue Jay and Chipmunk
“This chipmunk and blue jay seemed to come to an understanding at the peanut feeder early one morning. The chipmunk is usually the boss of this feeder, but on this particular day the blue jay decided to try and test out his superiority. It was a standoff for a few seconds before the chipmunk finally gave up. Luckily, they took heed to the garden sign behind them, and no fur or feathers were ruffled in this altercation.”
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YOUNG HABITAT PHOTOGRAPHERS
Raphaelle Thomet
Newburg, Maryland
Monarch Caterpillar Munching on Milkweed Leaf
“It was a windy day, not at all ideal for macro photography. But I was in the mood, and that's what counts. I went outside with my camera and made my way to my garden, where many monarch caterpillars were munching away at the milkweed leaves. I came across this one particularly large caterpillar that was peacefully eating. I took a few photos of it before moving on.”
