Jenny Younger, Daintree Ardea sumatrana (B&W 2022)

The impressive Great Billed Heron, (Ardea sumatrana) inhabits the tidal mangrove lined section of the Daintree River in Far North Queensland. The rise and fall of the waterline leaves residue on the plants that grow on the edges of the bank. As soon as our boat pulled in for a closer look, I could see that the contrasting tones, held potential for an interesting monochrome image. Once I converted from colour to black and white, my first impression was an "other worldly" look. It really highlights the multi layered botanical eco system, which is incredibly important to all inhabitants of this ancient forest and river. The Great Billed Heron was quite active and the flight sequences show off the beautiful feather design and structure of its wings. Even though It's not the most attractive looking bird, you can appreciate the way it has evolved and adapted to this very specific, tropical life on and around the water. We must protect our forests, waterways and wildlife for our future generations to explore!

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