In pictures: Scottish Seabird Centre Nature Photography Competition

Published on Wednesday 10 February 2010 10:41

Here we present a selection of the shortlisted entries in this year's Scottish Seabird Centre Nature Photography Competition.

Roy Plenderleith: Alpine Marmot, Saas - Fee, Switzerland

"A Marmot living in burrows high in the Alpine regions of Switzerland."

Anita Nutter: Morning Light, On the road to Ullapool

"Driving up to Ullapool with the mist along the waters edge a little shaft of sunlight hit the bank. I just had time to jump out of the van and snap it."

Alex Haggarty: Common Blue Butterfly, Fife

"A Common Blue Butterfly resting on tall grass."

Valerie Johnston: Otter and Cub, Mull

"Otter and cub take a break from fishing."

William Backhouse: Ptarmigan, Churchill, Canada

"There had been a blizzard for the previous twenty four hours and I found this ptarmigan among a large sheltering behind some birch scrub on the tundra near Churchill."

Ronald McCombe: Waxwings Feeding, Musselburgh

"The waxwings were taken in Musselburgh, Midlothian and were feeding on the Red Berries. I particularly liked the composition of the three birds."

Karen McCoy: Tradescantia, Our garden, Sonning

"Photography is at its best when it allows you to see things you otherwise miss, such as the anthers and stigma of this Tradescantia."

Robert Galloway: Atlantic Breakers, Machir Bay, Islay

"The powerful white breakers with spindrift in the air caught my attention while walking along the beach at Machir Bay on an April evening."

Bob Humphreys: Seabirds

Richard Wells: Barnacle Back-Rub, Mull

"The Otter paraded up and down the shore line, occasionally stopping for a really good scratch as (he did here) or brief nap."

William Backhouse: Portrait of a Curious Polar Bear, Churchill, Canada

"The tundra buggies (buses mounted on huge all-terrain tyres) seem to attract rather than frighten the polar bears and this polar bear used the buggy for support as it investigated the photographer (me) at the back of the vehicle."

Russell Childs: Gotcha!, Aviemore

"Osprey shot taken at Rothiemorchus Trust Farm. The bird can be seen lining up the fish like a torpedo for carrying off to its perch to be eaten"

• The Scottish Seabird Centre Nature Photography Competition attracts almost 400 entries in five categories - Scottish Wildlife, World Wildlife, Landscape, Creative Visions of Nature and Environmental Impact, plus a special junior category.

You can view the top 100 entries in this online gallery.

The judging panel is led by renowned wildlife photographer Laurie Campbell with an overall winner chosen by the public visiting the exhibition. The event is organised by the award-winning Scottish Seabird Centre at North Berwick, where the exhibition is on show each year between November and February.

This year's competition will also be launched this Thursday (11th Feb) and entry details can be found here