Competition Voting Results

These articles present the results of member voting in previous competitions.  They include details of the competition theme and dates.

 

"Best of 2025" Competition - Member Voting Results

The "Best of 2025" competition was held in February-March 2026.  Members could submit up to two of their best images taken during 2025. 

The results of member voting for the top five images in each category are listed here.  This competition received good support from our members, with 179 images entered across the 3 competition levels by 96 photographers.  The Winner is the image which received the most votes; and we also show the next four highest placed images, rating them as Highly Commended if they received at least 90% of the votes for the winning image, and Commended for scores less than that.

Advanced Level – Best of 2025

This category attracted 62 entries, from 32 photographers.  58 members voted, with the following result:

  • Winner - Black-shouldered Kite, by Keith Lightbody  (Image ID 72743)
  • Commended - Australian Pied Oystercatcher, by Yolande Cozijn  (Image ID 73033)
  • Commended - Royal Spoonbill, by Con Duyvestyn  (Image ID 73007)
  • Commended - Major Mitchell's Cockatoo, by Keith Lightbody  (Image ID 72742)
  • Commended - Red-capped Plover, by Paul Jarvis  (Image ID 73081)

Intermediate Level – Best of 2025

This category attracted 102 entries, from 56 photographers.  60 members voted, with the following result:

Entry Level – Best of 2025

This category attracted 15 entries, from 8 photographers.  51 members voted, with the following result:

  • Winner - Major Mitchell's Cockatoo, by Catherine Kirby  (Image ID 73090)
  • Highly Commended - Royal Spoonbill, by Catherine Kirby  (Image ID 73089)
  • Highly Commended - Golden-headed Cisticola, by Mark Fleming  (Image ID 72750)
  • Commended - White-faced Heron, by Tracey Marsden  (Image ID 72973)
  • Commended - Eastern Reef Egret, by Geoffrey Stapley  (Image ID 73000)

"Aggression or Affection" Competition - Member Voting Results

The "Aggression or Affection" competition was held in October-November 2025.  This competition's theme was about showing birds displaying agression or affection. Birds are often seen displaying these behaviours.  It may be between different species as in aggression, or pairs of birds allopreening. 

The results of member voting for the top five images (more in the case of a tie) in each category are listed here.  This competition received good support from our members, with 134 images entered across the 3 competition levels by 77 photographers.  The Winner is the image which received the most votes; and we also show the next four (more in the case of a tie) highest placed images, rating them as Highly Commended if they received at least 90% of the votes for the winning image, and Commended for scores less than that.

Advanced Level – Aggression or Affection

This category attracted 53 entries, from 28 photographers.  49 members voted, with the following result:

  • Winner - Great Crested Grebe, by Nathan Watson  (Image ID 71442)
  • Highly Commended - Australian Pied Oystercatcher, by Yolande Cozijn  (Image ID 71426)
  • Commended - Great Crested Grebe, by Chinh Nguyen  (Image ID 71333)
  • Commended - Noisy Friarbird, by Geoffrey Dennis  (Image ID 71163)
  • Commended - Pied Stilt, by Nathan Watson  (Image ID 71440)

Intermediate Level – Aggression or Affection

This category attracted 61 entries, from 35 photographers.  51 members voted, with the following result:

  • Winner - Major Mitchell's Cockatoo, by Beverley Oliver  (Image ID 71459)
  • Commended - White-faced Heron, by Maggie Roberts Duffy  (Image ID 70962)
  • Commended - Cattle Egret, by Miranda McCristal  (Image ID 71301)
  • Commended - Red-rumped Parrot, by Sue O'Connor  (Image ID 71313)
  • Commended - White-faced Heron, by Maggie Roberts Duffy  (Image ID 70963)

Entry Level – Aggression or Affection

This category attracted 20 entries, from 14 photographers.  38 members voted, with the following result:

  • Winner - Osprey, Willie Wagtail, by Louie Owen  (Image ID 71106)
  • Highly Commended - Yellow-faced Honeyeater, by Lindsay Hansch  (Image ID 71015)
  • Commended - Brown Thornbill, by Lindsay Hansch  (Image ID 71014)
  • Commended - Australian Pelican, Caspian Tern, by Louie Owen  (Image ID 71105)
  • Commended - Australian Raven, Black-shouldered Kite, by Judy Willis  (Image ID 71204)

"Small in the frame" Competition - Member Voting Results

The "Small in the Frame" competition was held in July-August 2025.  This competition's theme was about showing birds within the context of their environment.  The bird(s) needs to be large enough to be identifiable.  The use of negative space allows for artistic creativity.

The results of member voting for the top five images (more in the case of a tie) in each category are listed here.  This competition received good support from our members, with 178 images entered across the 3 competition levels by 108 photographers.  The Winner is the image which received the most votes; and we also show the next four (more in the case of a tie) highest placed images, rating them as Highly Commended if they received at least 90% of the votes for the winning image, and Commended for scores less than that.

Advanced Level – Small in the Frame

This category attracted 69 entries, from 36 photographers.  49 members voted, with the following result:

Intermediate Level – Small in the Frame

This category attracted 80 entries, from 44 photographers.  56 members voted, with the following result:

Entry Level – Small in the Frame

This category attracted 29 entries, from 18 photographers.  46 members voted, with the following result:

  • Winner - Flame Robin, by Reeni Martinez  (Image ID 69698)
  • Commended - Regent Bowerbird, by William John Owen  (Image ID 70124)
  • Commended - Bar-tailed Godwit, by Judy Willis  (Image ID 69786)
  • Commended - Brown Booby, Lesser Frigatebird, by Jonathan Rihan  (Image ID 70096)
  • Commended - White-bellied Sea-Eagle, by White-bellied Sea-Eagle  (Image ID 69988)

 

"Going Cuckoo" Competition - Member Voting Results

The "Going Cuckoo" competition was held in May-June 2025.  This competition required members to submit their best images of birds with "cuckoo" in their name, plus koels and coucals.

The results of member voting for the top five images (more in the case of a tie) in each category are listed here. This competition received good support from our members, with 104 images entered across the 3 competition levels by 60 photographers. The Winner is the image which received the most votes; and we also show the next four (more in the case of a tie) highest placed images, rating them as Highly Commended if they received at least 90% of the votes for the winning image, and Commended for scores less than that.

Advanced Level – Going Cuckoo

This category attracted 43 entries, from 24 photographers. 43 members voted, with the following result:

  • Winner - Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, by Ben Harvey (Image ID 68948)
  • Commended - Channel-billed Cuckoo, Pied Currawong, by Colin Driscoll (Image ID 68732)
  • Commended - Channel-billed Cuckoo, Little Raven, by Stephen Garth (Image ID 68612)
  • Commended - Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo, by Stephen Garth (Image ID 68613)
  • Commended - Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo, Superb Fairy-wren, by Diana Womersley (Image ID 68670)
  • Commended - Pallid Cuckoo, by Cheryl Ponter (Image ID 68853)

Intermediate Level – Going Cuckoo

This category attracted 48 entries, from 29 photographers. 49 members voted, with the following result:

Entry Level – Going Cuckoo

This category attracted 13 entries, from 7 photographers. 39 members voted, with the following result:

"Best of 2024" Competition - Member Voting Results

The "Best of 2024" competition was held in February-March 2025.  This competition required members to submit their two best images taken in 2024.

The results of member voting for the top five images (more in the case of a tie) in each category are listed here. This competition received good support from our members, with 194 images entered across the 3 competition levels by 103 photographers. The Winner is the image which received the most votes; and we also show the next four (more in the case of a tie) highest placed images, rating them as Highly Commended if they received at least 90% of the votes for the winning image, and Commended for scores less than that.

Advanced Level – Best of 2024

This category attracted 83 entries, from 43 photographers. 52 members voted, with the following result:

Intermediate Level – Best of 2024

This category attracted 86 entries, from 45 photographers. 55 members voted, with the following result:

Entry Level – Best of 2024

This category attracted 25 entries, from 15 photographers. 41 members voted, with the following result:

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