WILDLIFE...White-tailed deer, Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Edmonds had scouted the refuge for weeks in his search for deer and bears to photo graph. This young buck, with

Kaylyn J. Gruber, BelmontBrown-headed cowbird chick, Gastonia

Gruber had to take this photo quickly. The cowbird chick acted injured and did not seem able to fly, butGruber was between high school classes and had only a few minutes to get the shot. “I think that settingswere probably on something automatic,” she said. “I didn't have any time to make adjustments on thecamera. I just ran to get the camera, turned it on, and started snapping.” Gruber chose to convert theimage to black-and-white to convey a serious tone. “Instead of saying, ‘Oh, what a cute bird,’” she said,“someone might consider its pain and its story.”

GRAND PRIZE wildlife in north carolina 2009 photo competition

january 2010 winc 5

WILDLIFE i n n o r t h c a r o l i n a

2 O O 9 P H O T O C O M P E T I T I O N2 O O 9 P H O T O C O M P E T I T I O N

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Gruber captured her winning image at her Gastonia high school, Highland School of Technology, inMay 2009. Between classes, a friend spotted the tiny fledgling on a sidewalk and warned Gruber not tostep on it. When the chick appeared unable or unwilling to move, Gruber ran to get a camera and tookphotographs before shooing the bird into the bushes and out of harm’s way.

Gruber was not sure what species the chick was, so we sent her photo to John Gerwin, curator of birdsat the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. Gerwin identified the fledgling as a cowbird that was no morethan one or two days out of the nest. He said that chicks of this size can fly despite their lack of a tail, unlessthey are injured. Their tail feathers develop fully over the course of about three weeks.

Gerwin also explained that the “problem” of brown-headed cowbirds, a brood parasite that lays its eggsin other birds’ nests for them to raise, was created by humans. When we extirpated their precolonial host,the bison, and altered natural landscapes to include a multitude of agricultural lots and lawns, cowbirdsexpanded from the Great Plains to occupy the newly created grasslands at forest edges. So whether youlove or hate the brown-headed cowbird, Gruber ’s photo is a great image of a species that survivesexceptionally well.

The photo competition is intended to encourage high-quality nature photography and to identifytalented wildlife photographers working in North Carolina. This year ’s field totaled 8,802 photographs—our largest number of entries ever. In the competition’s fourth year, 1,889 photographers took part, includ-ing 216 junior shutterbugs in the two youth categories.

The most popular subject was Birds (1,532 entries), followed closely by the landscape category, Peaks,Valleys & Plains (1,472) and Invertebrates (1,305). Wild Plants received 1,172 entries and Reptiles &Amphibians 868, Animal Behavior 769, Outdoor Recreation 692, Mammals 572, Youth 13–17 227 andYouth 12 & Under 193.

We thank our corporate sponsor, Great Outdoor Provision Co., for its generous participation in this year ’scompetition. Valuable support was provided by our co-sponsors, the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, theN.C.Division of Parks and Recreation, and our new partner, UNC-TV and its broadcast of “Nature,” theiconic natural history public television program.

Our judges included Wildlife in North Carolina art director Vickie Cumbee; WINC graphic designersMarsha Tillett and Kristie Rhodes; Mike Dunn, coordinator of teacher education for the museum; andCharlie Peek, public information officer for Parks and Recreation and a former photojournalist.

All winning photographs may be seen on exhibit through March at the museum thanks to our exhibitionsponsor, JW Photo of Raleigh. Various North Carolina state parks will exhibit selected photos from the com-petition throughout the year. Details and rules for the 2010 competition will be posted on www.ncwildlife.orgin May, and entries will open on June 1. To see technical specs for many of the winning photos, visit thegallery on our web site.

– Greg Jenkins

CALL IT THE YEAR OF THE YOUNGSTER. For the first time in its five-year history, our photocompetition was won by a teenager. Kaylyn J. Gruber, a 16-year-old photographer fromBelmont, submitted her grand prize-winning black-and-white photo of a brown-headedcowbird chick in the Youth 13–17 category. In Wild Plants, 15-year-old Noah Boyd of WillowSpring was awarded honorable mention for his photo of dew on grass, while Youth 12 & Undersaw its youngest honorable mention winner ever, 4-year-old Olivia Jordan Leigh of Pasadena,Md., who entered a picture of Hickory Nut Falls.

BIRDS SECOND PLACE

Jared Lloyd, Kill Devil HillsBlack-crowned night heron, Outer Banks

On one of his many kayak expeditions to photograph birds,Lloyd, the 2008 Grand Prize winner, spotted this night heron.Perched in the sunlight in the midst of the shade of live oaklimbs, it was a perfect photo subject. He was able to approachclosely in his boat without disturbing the bird.

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BIRDS THIRD PLACE

Ed Erkes, GoldsboroBelted kingfisher, Johnston County

This shot turned out to be a lot of work for Erkes, who spent partsof several days simply observing nesting belted kingfishers at asand and gravel pit at Howell Woods. After seeing how frequentlythe birds returned to their nest, Erkes set up a couple of percheswhich the birds took to using. He tried without much success tophotograph the birds for two mornings, but was successful onhis third attempt.

BIRDS wildlife in north carolina 2009 photo competition

BIRDS FIRST PLACE

Jonathan Page, RaleighTurkey vulture, Raleigh

Page credits his habits of having a camera handy and being ready for anything for allowing him to capturethis winning image from his Raleigh office building. When he was told that a turkey vulture was sittingout side a co-worker ’s window, Page swapped his primary lens for a macro. Page had his lens pressed againstthe window glass when the vulture turned to face him, resulting in this shot.

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MAMMALS wildlife in north carolina 2009 photo competition

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BIRDS HONORABLE MENTION

Dana Henderson, BeaufortJuvenile great horned owls, Newport

Henderson captured this image of a pair of juve nile great horned owls before thebirds were released in September from theOuter Banks Wildlife Shelter. Hendersonhad entered the birds’ enclosure to feed and clean them and took her camera alongfor a quick photo session.

BIRDS HONORABLE MENTION

Jesse Ivan, ZirconiaKilldeer in snow, Cataloochee Valley

Most people associate killdeer, a year-roundresident of our state, with spring and summergrasslands. Ivan found this bird in the moun-tains in early December of 2008. Using hiscar as a blind, Ivan spent several hours work -ing to capture this gelid image.

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MAMMALS FIRST PLACE

Andy Walker, AshevilleEastern chipmunk, McLeansville

Walker was attending a photo workshop led by Jividen’s Naturally Wild Photo Adventures,held in the back yard of 2007 Mammals category winner Gary Carter. This picture wastaken from Carter ’s permanent photo blind with Walker ’s camera mounted on a tripodand using a flash off the camera.

MAMMALS THIRD PLACE

Bill Edmonds, WilliamstonWhite-tailed deer, Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

Edmonds had scouted the refuge for weeks in his search for deer and bearsto photo graph. This young buck, with antlers still covered in velvet, graduallybecame familiar with the photographer and allowed him to approach andtake photos for 15 minutes just before sunset.

MAMMALS HONORABLE MENTION

Jay Wickens, Powells PointWild horse, Corolla

A frequent photographer of the horses ofthe northern Currituck banks, Wickens was a bit wary of taking pictures of a horse’srear end. But as the animal continued towalk away, he liked the composition withthe horse’s hoof prints trailing behind andcaptured this photo.

MAMMALS SECOND PLACE

Wes Gubitz, WilmingtonRed fox, Hertford County

Gubitz, a past winner in the Mammals category, captured this photoon one of his many photo outings near a friend’s farm. The fox hadbeen seen a number of times near the forest edge, but for this phototaken early in the morning, it paused in exactly the right place. Thefox’s thick coat echoes the autumn colors of the November woods.

MAMMALS HONORABLE MENTION

Jackie Orsulak, DuckBlack bear, Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

Orsulak has spent so much time photo -graphing animals at the refuge, she recog -nizes certain individuals. This bruin is one of many she has photographed multipletimes. “It is a wonderful, magical wildlifeworld,” Orsulak says of the refuge and itsresidents. “We must view them from adistance with respect.”

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REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS SECOND PLACE

Gene Furr, RaleighAmerican alligator, Southport

On a day trip to some wetlands near South -port, Furr spied this alligator sunning itself.“The autumn leaves were at their peak andreflecting in the water,” Furr said. “To get theangle I wanted, I had to lie on the ground tobe on the same level as the alligator. I waitedfor almost an hour for the alligator to floatinto the reflections of color leaves.”

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REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS THIRD PLACE

Guy Livesay, WilliamstonGreen treefrog, Martin County

Like many of the better shots he’s taken,said Livesay, this photograph came aboutunexpectedly. As he was working amongsome canna lilies, Livesay spied this littlegreen treefrog and retrieved his camera andtripod. Eventually he was able to stick thelens of the camera into the canna funnel tosnap this photograph.

REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS wildlife in north carolina 2009 photo competition


REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS FIRST PLACE

Jared Lloyd, Kill Devil HillsAmerican alligator, Merchants Millpond State Park

Lloyd visited Merchants Millpond last May when he saw this alligator, the only one hehad seen thus far. Lloyd followed the alligator about half a mile through the swamp untilthe animal crawled onto an old log. With the water temperature still fairly chilly and thealligator perhaps a bit slower because of it, Lloyd was able to move and take a shot from aposition lower than the animal.

INVERTEBRATES wildlife in north carolina 2009 photo competition


REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS HONORABLE MENTION

Guy Fortier, ApexSnapping turtle, New Hill

While hiking the trails of Harris LakeCounty Park, Fortier spotted what lookedlike a rock covered with moss at the top ofa steep pond bank. Realizing that it was asnapping turtle covered in duckweed, he laydown on the ground and inched closer until the turtle’s image filled the frame at 400mm.

REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS HONORABLE MENTION

LeeAnne Emrick, Bridgeport, W.Va.American alligator, Winnabow

On the last day of her vacation, Emrickvisited Orton Plantation before headingback home to West Virginia. After waitingout a thunderstorm in the chapel on theplantation grounds, Emrick came upon this alligator in a lagoon.


INVERTEBRATES FIRST PLACE

Nicholas D’Amato, DurhamWater strider, McDowell County

D’Amato took this shot while exploring around Andrews Geyser and Mill Creek on a fallweekend trip to Asheville. He noticed the bright highlights created by the sun reflecting inthe tiny indentations made by the water strider ’s legs on the surface of the water, and hadtime to fire off only two exposures before the insect moved on. The leaves at the bottom ofthe creek paired with the low warm sunlight give a great autumn feel to the picture.

INVERTEBRATES HONORABLE MENTION

Joshua Doby, ZebulonWhirligig beetles, Zebulon

Doby captured the interesting groupingbehavior of whirligig beetles in this photo.The shiny, metallic-looking aquatic beetleslive on the water ’s surface, where theyhuddle together to avoid predation.

INVERTEBRATES THIRD PLACE

Bradley Lewis, DurhamHoneybees, Raleigh

Lewis visits J.C. Raulston Arboretum on the N.C. State University campus frequently and had been working upthe nerve to get macro shots of single honeybees entering and exiting a hive. He got a little too close and wasstung, at which point he decided to take group shots with a zoom lens. He liked the way this photo represents the bees functioning as a colony rather than as individual workers.

INVERTEBRATES SECOND PLACE

Robert W. Stewart, ThomasvilleHousefly, Thomasville

Stewart captured this image while shooting butterflies in his back yard.The interloping fly landed in the field of view, and Stewart fired off thisrazor-sharp shot with his camera in one hand and his flash in the other.


INVERTEBRATES HONORABLE MENTION

Leann Greene, MorgantonSpider on web, Morganton

Greene, the 2008 Invertebrates categorywinner, lay in a wet horse pasture restingon her elbows to get this image. Because sheused extension tubes for shallow depth of field, she had to get very close to thespider. “It takes a few tries to find a spiderthat doesn’t jump out of the web when youget close to it,” Greene said.

WILD PLANTSSECOND PLACE

Leslie Bilbrey, SylvaWater droplets on poplar leaf, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

During a walk in the Great SmokyMountains National Park in October2008, Bilbrey’s eye was attracted by this poplar leaf lying on the ground and adorned with raindrops.

WILD PLANTS THIRD PLACE

Wendy Gem, Wake ForestMoss close-up, Wake Forest

Gem used a field scope with her camerafor magnification in natural light to cap -ture this unique photograph of moss. “Ienjoy photographing the plants that manypeople overlook, and I think that mosseshave such unique form,” Gem said. “Theyare in the division of bryophytes, or earlyterrestrial plants, which explains why theyprefer moist places.”

WILD PLANTS wildlife in north carolina 2009 photo competition

WILD PLANTS FIRST PLACE

L. Branson Phillips, DurhamDew on dandelion, Durham

Phillips was familiarizing himself with a new 100mm macro lens when he took thiswinning photograph of a common dandelion with dew on the seed head. “I was playingaround with depth of field during the time I took it,” Phillips said. “I was just seeingwhat the lens would do.”

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OUTDOOR RECREATION FIRST PLACE

Nicholas D’Amato, DurhamSurf fisherman, Southern Shores

D’Amato was vacationing on the same street as this angler and struck up a conversation withhim, after which D’Amato headed in for breakfast and the fisherman settled in for a pleasantmorning. “His pose, holding his pipe while staring at his fishing rod hopefully, yet notimpa tiently, reminds me of the slower pace of life and the calm I feel while on the OuterBanks,” D’Amato said.

OUTDOOR RECREATION wildlife in north carolina 2009 photo competition


WILD PLANTSHONORABLE MENTION

Ronnie Hodge, West Union, S.C.Bloodroot, Pisgah National Forest

Hodge, his wife and some friends were hikingalong Avery Creek in Pisgah National Forestlooking for early wildflowers. They had seenfew until they reached Twin Falls, wherethey found a hillside covered in bloodroot.“There was one bloom that stood out to me,”Hodge said, “and I loved the way the lightwas hitting it.”

WILD PLANTSHONORABLE MENTION

Noah Boyd, Willow SpringDew on grass, Willow Spring

After photographing a sunrise, Boyd noticed this patch of dew-soaked grass. “I laidon the wet ground, turned on the macro and snapped the shot,” he said. The judgesagreed that the scene was eye-catching.


PEAKS, VALLEYS & PLAINS wildlife in north carolina 2009 photo competition


PEAKS, VALLEYS & PLAINS FIRST PLACE

Scott Hotaling, RaleighSunrise at Max Patch, Madison County

After watching many winter sunrises at Max Patch in Madison County, Hotaling had a shot in mindthat he wanted. “I know how the light falls on the surrounding peaks,” he said, “but clouds and foghadn’t cooperated until this particular day.” This is the third straight winning photo in Peaks, Valleys &Plains for Hotaling.

OUTDOOR RECREATION SECOND PLACE

Daniel Waters, Point HarborPier fisherman, Kitty Hawk

Waters initially went out on Kitty Hawk Pierto take photos, but the angler kept getting in his way. Discouraged, he set up his tripodon the beach and realized that the samefisherman was now the subject of the photo.Early morning light and choppy seas com -pleted the pleasing composition.

OUTDOOR RECREATIONTHIRD PLACE

Robert Daniel Swords, RaleighSkimboarder, Cape Lookout

Swords was vacationing with family lastJune on the ocean side of Cape Lookoutwhen he took this photo of his youngerbrother preparing to skimboard in the surf.The unique perspective illustrates what isabout to happen in a simple, graphicallypleasing way.


OUTDOOR RECREATIONHONORABLE MENTION

Martha Bennett Metzler, Winston-SalemPointer, Clemmons

Metzler, a quail hunter, was enjoying a day ather father ’s house on the Yadkin River whenher pointer, Roy, locked on point. Because itwas March and quail season was over, Metzlercaptured Roy in action. Her photographbrims with late-winter sunlight and thecolors of the season.

PEAKS, VALLEYS & PLAINS THIRD PLACE

Steven Gold, HickorySunrise, Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather Mountain is a frequent desti -nation for photographers. Although Golddidn’t catch the sunrise in this puddle as hehad hoped, his photograph at sunrise after a rainy night turned out extremely well.

PEAKS, VALLEYS & PLAINS HONORABLE MENTION

Chris Ogden, DurhamSunrise, Pocosin Lakes National Refuge

While waiting in a drainage ditch to photo -graph thousands of snow geese descendingon fields at Pocosin Lakes, Ogden was treatedto this frigid sunrise on a winter morn ingand preserved the image with his camera.“It can be pretty cold squatting in the ditchin the darkness,” Ogden said, explainingthat one has to be in the ditch at least anhour before sunrise to be sure not to spookthe wildlife, “but it was more than worth itto see the sky catch fire in the predawn.”

PEAKS, VALLEYS & PLAINS HONORABLE MENTION

Julian De La Rosa III, ApexSunrise at Hatteras Island Fishing Pier, Rodanthe

A pier at sunrise strikes something elementalin most anglers, with its promise of good fishand good times. De La Rosa captured thebeauty and moodiness of piers with this shotat Rodanthe on the Outer Banks.

PEAKS, VALLEYS & PLAINS SECOND PLACE

Dale King, Sugar MountainHebron Colony Falls, Boone

King went to Hebron Colony Falls early toavoid the crowds that visit this waterfall. “I also took advantage of the soft light thatwas available before the sun rose above thetrees,” King said. “I was lucky on this day tohave the place to myself for about an hour.”


ANIMAL BEHAVIORSECOND PLACE

Ed Ziegler, RaleighOrb spider with prey, Raleigh

While visiting the office of Durant NaturePark in August, Ziegler learned that a num -ber of orb weaver spiders had constructedwebs in the park’s bog area. After severalvisits, he was able to capture this spider inthe act of envel oping a prey insect in silk fora later meal.

ANIMAL BEHAVIORTHIRD PLACE

Emmett Westbrook, Morehead CitySnapping turtle attacking cattle egret, Harkers Island

Westbrook was visiting the Core SoundWaterfowl Museum when he saw a cattleegret thrashing around in the pond behindthe museum. Thinking initially that the birdwas tangled in discarded fishing line, he soonrealized that something below the surfacewas moving with the egret. Westbrook took200 photos over the course of a two-hourbattle, after which the egret finally brokefree but proved to be fatally wounded.


ANIMAL BEHAVIOR wildlife in north carolina 2009 photo competition


ANIMAL BEHAVIOR FIRST PLACE

Chuck Carmack, WilmingtonBathing robin, Wilmington

Carmack has bird feeders, a birdbath and a butterfly garden in his back yard to attract allkinds of avian photo subjects. While taking pictures in the butterfly garden last August, henoticed the bathing robin and was able to snap this image, freezing the bird in the midst ofits grooming ritual.

YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHER 13–17

HONORABLE MENTION

Landon Carter, CaryRing-billed gull, Corolla

Landon, 13, was taking photos while walk -ing on the beach with family last April. Hewas attempting to get a close-up of this gullwhen he captured it taking flight.


HONORABLE MENTION

Nathanael Gass, DurhamCarolina anole, Asheboro

Perennial competition winner Nathanael, 16, was visiting the N.C. Zoo in February2008 when he captured this photo of ananole feasting on a cricket.


HONORABLE MENTION

Mark Tiffany, CaryBass angler, Lake Mattamuskeet

Mark, 16, was traveling to the Outer Bankswith his father when they stopped to takephotos of the sunset. An angler soonentered the area and caught a nice bass.


THIRD PLACE

Jake Orr, Topsail BeachPeregrine falcon, Topsail Beach

Jake was observing terns and sea gulls on thebeach on an April morning, and was surprisedwhen he turned around to see this peregrineperched 10 feet behind him. He immediatelylay down and began taking photos in thegolden light. “I assume it was taking a restafter hunting terns that morning,” he said.


SECOND PLACE

Lindsay Brooke Myers, AlexanderLightning, Alexander

Lindsay, 17, has been fascinated with thun -derstorms since she was small. She capturedthis June storm by setting up her tripod in acar parked at the end of a road overlookingthe French Broad River and shooting out ofan open window. This was her first attemptat photographing lightning.


YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHER 13–17 wildlife in north carolina 2009 photo competition


FIRST PLACE

Jake Orr, Topsail BeachJolly Roger Pier, Topsail Beach

Jake, 15, was looking for a new twist on the typical pier photo whenhe took this picture. He set up his camera on a tripod under the pierand used a 30-second exposure to capture the effect of the pier lightsdancing on the water and illumi nating the structure.


YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHER 12 & UNDER

HONORABLE MENTION

Rachel Layko, ApexSunrise, Nags Head

She was unable to see any hatching turtlesas she had hoped, but Rachel, 12, didmanage to shoot this lovely photographof a sunrise at Nags Head last August.


HONORABLE MENTION

Olivia Jordan Leigh, Pasadena, Md.Hickory Nut Falls, Rutherford County

Precocious photographer Olivia, only 4,earned an honorable mention with thisscenic photograph taken on a familycamping trip near Saluda.


HONORABLE MENTION

Nicole Howren, CarySunset, Craggy Cove

On the same day as she took the photo ofcoreopsis (top left), Nicole captured this viewof Craggy Cove from an overlook along theBlue Ridge Parkway.


THIRD PLACE

Nancy Samantha Halstead, WalkertownTreefrog, Walkertown

Nancy, 11, didn’t have to travel far to earn third place—she shot this image of a treefrog on a chain in her yard last summer.


SECOND PLACE

Nicole Howren, CaryBee on coreopsis, Blue Ridge Parkway

Nicole, 10, used a 55–200 mm lens to take this photographof coreopsis along the Blue Ridge Parkway. “The zoom keptme safe from the bees and the cliff,” she said.


YOUTH PHOTOGRAPHER 12 & UNDER wildlife in north carolina 2009 photo competition


FIRST PLACE

Hannah Ziegler, RaleighHummingbird moth, Raleigh

Photographic skills apparently run in the Ziegler family. Hannah, 8,is the granddaughter of Ed Ziegler, the Grand Prize winner in 2007and runner-up in the Invertebrates category this year. Ed took Hannahwith him to Durant Nature Park where she borrowed his camera totake this winning image of a hummingbird moth.


Documents

WILDLIFE...White-tailed deer, Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Edmonds had scouted the refuge for weeks in his search for deer and bears to photo graph. This young buck, with