SNH announce Isle of May photo competition winners

A stunning picture, taken by Mario Suárez Porras of Spain, of one of the island’s most numerous birds, an Arctic tern, took first prize.

Lorne Gill, SNH’s photographer, led the judging panel. He said, “We chose Mario’s winning image, as it’s a beautiful photo that captures the essence of the seabirds on the Isle of May NNR. Arctic terns fly thousands of miles from the southern oceans to breed here in the Firth of Forth. They are the first birds that visitors encounter as they arrive on the island, usually mobbing them as they make their way towards the visitor centre, giving the impression that they are boisterous birds.

“So it was lovely to see Mario’s image of a serene-looking tern resting amongst the sea campion – a bird at one with its world. Mario’s carefully composed image, taken in lovely soft light, with a blurred foreground of white flowers and clean background, achieved through his choice of a ground’s eye view, created our winning image."

Runners-up were Neil Grant from Balerno with his atmospheric image of the island during a storm, and Jens Cullman of Germany who took a beautifully composed picture of a puffin coming into land.

David Steel, SNH’s manager on the island, said, “Last year, we marked 60 years since the island became a national nature reserve. The photography competition was a great way to celebrate the island’s landscape and wildlife – and encourage people to come and enjoy some of Scotland’s best-known wildlife close-up. We were thrilled to receive nearly 70 entries.”

The winner of the 8-to-11 age group was Luke Hollis from Glasgow who took a panoramic view of the island, with Keir Skilling from Dumfries winning the 12-to-15 age group with his beautifully simple image of the main lighthouse in silhouette.

Mario’s prize is a two-day stay on the island this summer. The runners-up and the younger winners each receive a VIP day trip to the island.

The winning photos and 10 other highly commended ones will be on display in the Main Lighthouse on the island this summer, with a further exhibition planned at SNH’s Battleby Conference Centre near Perth.

It’s free to visit the nature reserve, but you must take a boat trip to reach the island. The island is open to visitors from spring to early autumn. Sailings are on the privately-run May Princess or Osprey of Anstruther from the Anstruther Harbour or through the Scottish Seabird Centre in North Berwick.

• Anstruther - for tickets and details, see www.isleofmayferry.com (May Princess) or www.isleofmayboattrips.co.uk (RIB Osprey). 
• North Berwick - For tickets and details, book online on the Scottish Seabird Centre website at www.seabird.org or call 01620 890 202.
  
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  Contact SNH media officer, Vicki Mowat, on 0131 316 2659 or vicki.mowat@snh.gov.uk (Tuesday to Friday) or the SNH main press office on 01463 725 020 or 022 (Monday).

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The Isle of May is one of about 50 NNRs in Scotland. NNRs are special places that look after some of the best of Scotland’s nature on behalf of everyone who lives or visits Scotland, and they provide unique opportunities to visit, enjoy and learn more about Scotland’s nature. For more information, see www.nnr-scotland.org.uk .