Dylan Monaghan, Aqua runway (Single Shot 2021)

Australian Pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus) landing in wetlands adjacent the industrial hub of Greenfields, South Australia at Sunset. I have always wanted to get a shot of these magnificent birds landing, especially at golden hour when the warm light can be particularly flattering. However on this particular excursion the majority of the birds were far away preferring the inaccessible area behind construction gates. Nonetheless I persisted and patiently waited for any birds to come closer but alas few did and I was starting to think that I would come home empty handed. The sun had all but disappeared taking with it the golden hour which had driven my journey in the first place. Just as I was about to throw in the towel a spotted a few pelicans in the air looking for a tract of water to land. To my delight a few chose the stretch I was located, nestled in the reeds. I hoped the remaining light would be enough for the shutter speeds I needed and tracked a couple of birds from air to landing before the light was just too dim. Upon viewing the images, this particular image I feel captured something special. Showing off the relatively simple colours whilst also the vibrant yellow eye rings. The image can appear to be monotone at first glimpse, the splash frozen in time and the length truly demonstrates the bulk of these pelicans while also showing the gracefulness of this common landing option for this species. A wonderful experience and just one of the many reasons I love wildlife photography and enjoying the beauty of nature. I feel blessed and privileged to be able to share the planet with such amazing creatures of land, sea and sky. Shot at 460mm (690mm equivalent), 1/1600sec, f/5.6, ISO 500. Shot with nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm f5.6

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.