May 2026 Competition - Nature & Wildlife

[Tim Mayo]

Our May monthly competition is open for voting.

Please Include Metadata with Images Submitted.

Theme
For this month our theme will be "Nature & Wildlife".

Competition Dates
Entries start: The date that this post is published.
Entries end: May 21st
Voting starts: May 21st
Voting ends: May 28th

Shot Taken Date
Images can be taken anytime, there is no restriction like we had in 2024 for images to be taken in the current or previous two months.

What Do I Get if I Win?
I'm afraid now it's just the joy of taking part, but I will look into adding a special profile banner to winners profiles. In the past there have been vouchers for 1st and 2nd places, but we want to try and encourage people to enter without dangling a voucher code in front of them.

How to Enter + Rules

1. Post your entries in this thread by scrolling down to the reply box then hitting the 'upload images' button. Insert image as full not thumbnail.
2. Sony cameras only.
3. Camera metadata must be included in the images to verify.
4. Only one photo entry per member.
5. Keep the photos clean and family friendly.
6. Please don't use sky replacements or AI image generation.
7. You are free to change you image during the entry period.
8. Not essential but it would be nice if you added a little background information on your entry.

How to Vote (when voting opens)

1. Use the vote button (up arrow) to the right of the post (below post on mobile) to vote up images that you like
2. You can vote on as many images as you like apart from your own

Themes for 2026
Our themes for the year have already been decided to give you a heads-up on what's coming next.

• Jan: Travel & Places
• Feb: Black & White
• Mar: Life & People
• Apr: Light & Shadow
• May: Nature & Wildlife
• Jun: Motion
• Jul: Close-Up & Macro
• August: Urban & Street
• Sep: After Dark
• Oct: Abstract
• Nov: Long Exposure
• Dec: Your Favourite Shot of 2026

Feedback
I'd really appreciate feedback about how the competition is running but please don't post it in this thread. Instead please post any feedback in this thread in the Feedback Forum.

Thank you for participating and good luck!

Tim

 

[Krashman3]

This is the first Quail to visit my backyard since my dog, Kodi, passed away 5 years ago. She used to chase them out of the yard and the Quail wouldn't even come into my front yard.

• ILCE-1
• FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II
• 192.0 mm
• ƒ/4
• 1/200 sec
• ISO 500

 

[MikeWPM]

Spent a few hours following a community of chimpanzees through the Kibale National Park jungle in Uganda. When we arrived they were high up in the trees eyeing the new arrivals but soon ventured down to check us out and to see if we had any banana sandwiches.

• ILCE-7RM5
• Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II (SEL70200GM2)
• 200.0 mm
• ƒ/5
• 1/640 sec
• ISO 5000

 

[reneegw]

• ILCE-7RM5
• 60-600mm F4.5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports 023
• 286.6 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/3200 sec
• ISO 1000

 

[Lynzie Flynn]

• ILCE-1M2
• FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/2500 sec
• ISO 12800

 

[Unframed Dave]

Male Black Redstart, La Mata, Valencia, December 2025.

Cropped only.

• ILCE-1
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/4
• 1/4000 sec
• ISO 250

 

[iamdlewis]

A young White-Fronted Capuchin

• ILCE-7RM4
• Sony FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS (SEL100400GM)
• 400.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/400 sec
• ISO 1250

 

[Pelleg]

Sunny but cold day

• ILCE-6600
• E 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 OSS
• 18.0 mm
• ƒ/4.5
• 1/1000 sec
• ISO 100

 

[CrankinSteve]

One FAT Catbird. Such a fine example of this common bird. The bird did not receive compensation for modeling for this photo.

• ILCE-7CM2
• FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS
• 800.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/2000 sec
• ISO 1250

 

[Richard A]

Platypus.

• ILCE-7RM5
• 400.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 1250

 

[etiennescamera]

Goniobranchus gleniei nudibranch, photographed off Pemba Island, Tanzania

• ILCE-6400
• E 50mm F2.8
• 50.0 mm
• ƒ/19
• 1/160 sec
• ISO 100

 

[Trout Fisher]

I positioned to shoot the cormorant on the rock but spooked a flock of gulls on an island to the right.
Sunrise on Togus Pond in Maine.

• ILCE-7RM4A
• 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Sports 021
• 284.1 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/1000 sec
• ISO 100

 

[Doug Herr]

• ILCE-1
• FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/2500 sec
• ISO 1250

 

[twamers68]

Vole at a local nature reserve

• FE 600mm F4 GM OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/4
• 1/250 sec
• ISO 1600

 

[Paul stuart]

nudge and a wink

• ILCE-1
• FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS
• 800.0 mm
• ƒ/9
• 1/3200 sec
• ISO 1250

 

[THXGEEK]

Fight for the Bird Bath!

• ILCE-7CR
• TAMRON 25-200mm F2.8-5.6 A075 E
• 200.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/1600 sec
• ISO 12800

 

[GeffBourke]

Spider monkey, Costa Rica.

• ILCE-9M3
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 489.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/125 sec
• ISO 1000

 

[dragonsdreams]

Meerkat, Northern Cape, South Africa

• ILCE-1
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/1250 sec
• ISO 1250

 

[Tinopener]

• ILCE-9M2
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/6.3
• 1/500 sec
• ISO 3200

 

[jroussellhuntsphoto]

Sony α7CR, 300mm GM, ISO 250, 1/800 sec. ƒ/2.8

• ILCE-7CR
• FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS
• 300.0 mm
• ƒ/2.8
• 1/800 sec
• ISO 250

 

[Phil Vetra]

• ILCE-1
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS + 1.4X Teleconverter
• 602.0 mm
• ƒ/9
• 1/2000 sec
• ISO 5000

 

[Alan Clark]

• FE 90mm F2.8 Macro G OSS
• 90.0 mm
• ƒ/5.5999999046326
• 1/250 sec
• ISO 2500

Shield Bug on Sedum.

 

[Vossroad]

• ILCE-1M2
• FE 400-800mm F6.3-8 G OSS
• 604.0 mm
• ƒ/22
• 1/15 sec
• ISO 100

Alligator in Texas
1/15, ISO100, f22
A1ii, 400-800mm
Handheld

 

[Jabo]

Bee-eater lunchtime ...

• ILCE-7M5
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/7.1
• 1/4000 sec
• ISO 1000

 

[NatureBoyOhio]

• ILCE-9
• FE 200-600mm F5.6-6.3 G OSS
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/800 sec
• ISO 800

 

[spudhead]

Avery wet day for this kestrel and myself

• ILCE-1
• FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/1000 sec
• ISO 2000

 

[Mike Renny]

Kingfisher with successful catch! Lincolnshire, UK

• ILCE-1
• FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS
• 300.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/3200 sec
• ISO 3200

 

[-ST-]

Great Blue Heron Rookery

• ILCE-1M2
• FE 300mm F2.8 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter
• 600.0 mm
• ƒ/5.6
• 1/2000 sec
• ISO 5000

 

[Tim Mayo]

A big thanks to all who have entered our competition this month. As expected, one of the most popular themes here! Voting is now enabled. Please remember that you can vote on as many images as you like, just not your own