Pasco Audubon Society
and
Pasco Fine Arts Council

2026 Photography Contest Entries

2026 Entries

Copyrights belong to the original photographers

Pine Warbler #01
by N. Buckles

Great Blue Heron at Sunrise #03
by S. Cline

Flower Study #05
by M. Dormont

Eye Spy a Dragonfly #08
by R. Katz
Honorable Mention in Nature

Please Do Not Leave #10
by R. Lockwood
Spider

A Jewel Amongst The Lilies #11
by A. Madrid
Bluebird

Cute Siblings #14
by P. Misajet

Bluebird Supper #16
by G. Norwood

Bald Eagle Landing #17
by R. Pesce
Skimmer

Cormorant Pedal Takeoff #20
by K. Stolte

Chilly Loggerhead #21
by D. Walz

Pastel Morning #22
by N. Buckles
2nd Place Birds
Pastel

A Little Disheveled #23
by R. Buening
Starkey Park Award
Vireo

Preening In The Morning Fog #24
by S. Cline
3rd Place Birds

Hot Foot Hot Foot #25
by D. Damm
BBWD

Hawk Tree #26
by M. Dormont
Great Blue

Thistle Attraction #27
by P. Duncan
People's Choice Award
Thistle

Hummingbird Fuel #028
by P. Ely
Flowers

Presence in The Pines #29
by R. Katz
Honorable Mention in Birds
Pines

Mama and Baby Deer #30
by M. Leer
3rd Place Nature
Fawn

Standoff #31
by R. Lockwood
Best in Show

Snowbirds Welcome #32
by A. Madrid
Duck

Redish Egret Selfie #33
by A. Marella
Great Blue

Beautiful Monarch #34
by J. Martin
Honorable Mention in Nature
Monarch

Just Daydreaming #35
by P. Misajet
First Place Nature
Owls

Fluff and Stuff #36
by A. Moir-Swinton
Owl

Hiding in Plain Sight #37
by G. Norwood
Gator

Solitude #38
by M. Schenk
Shrike

You Looking At Me #39
by G. Sharum
Cardinal

Flower Bud Water Drops #40
by K. Stolte
Flower

Luminescent Hummer #41
by D. Walz
Hummer

Perched #42
by N. Buckles
Eagle

Moments Before Disaster #43
by R. Buening
First Place Birds
Attack

Wood Duck in Stream #44
by S. Cline

Pretty as a Peacock #45
by D. Damm
Peacock

Just Hangin #46
by M. Dormont
Butterfly

What Big Eyes You Have #47
by P. Duncan
Eyes

One Handsome Man ! #48
by P. Ely
CYW

River Pal #49
by R. Katz
Great Blue

Reddish Egrets Hug #50
by M. Leer

Wing Tip Skimming #51
by R. Lockwood
Pelican

Splendor #52
by A. Marella
Mocking Bird

I m Watching #53
by J. Martin
Cardinal

In the Quiet Hollow #55
by A. Moir-Swinton
Owlette

Spider in Web #56
by G. Norwood
2nd Place Nature
Spider

Sunlit Display #57
by M. Schenk
Sunlit

Great Blue Heron #58
by K. Stolte

Pelican of the Hour #61
by R. Buening
Pelican

Raccoon No Fish Today #62
by D. Damm
Honorable Mention in Nature
Raccoon

Yellow Camouflage #64
by P. Duncan
Butter Butt

Reddish Egret Head Bop #66
by M. Leer
Trapped

Tropical King Bird Taking Flight #68
by A. Marella
Kingbird

Whitetail Doe and Fawn #69
by J.. Martin
Deer

Wonder When I Can Fly Up There #70
by P. Misajet
Honorable Mention in Birds
Owl

Watchful Wings #71
by A. Moir-Swinton
Owl

Sunny Crow #72
by M. Schenk
ID correction: Boat Tailed Grackle
Grackle

Red-Shouldered Hawk #74
by D. Walz
Honorable Mention in Birds
Hawk

End of competition photographs

Conservation Award Entries

Mother's calling #60
by N. Buckles
Honorable Mention in Conservation

Cat — I heard it first. The frantic yowl of a mother feline calling her young. Then I saw her amongst piled-up pine trees that had been cut down to clear the land. Her one eye gleamed gold, the other sightless. She saw me, but did not stop; she kept on calling and looking for her young. But with no safe place to hide, I am afraid that they will become some animals' meals.

A Case of Mistaken Identity #02
by R. Buening
Honorable Mention in Conservation

Osprey — An Osprey snatches what it mistakes for a fish but is instead a discarded bag of dog waste floating at the surface. It's a striking illustration of how domestic animal ownership extends its footprint well beyond the household: polluting waterways, misdirecting wildlife into wasted effort, degrading protected natural areas, and generating carbon emissions through the production of food and commercial pet products.

Gnomeo the Gnome #04
by D. Damm

Gnome — Gnomeo is located at Holly Farms in Safety Harbor and is watching over the Butterfly Garden. Trolls and Gnomes are found in parks all over the world. They feature repurposed and recycled local materials, reclaimed wood, branches and moss to name a few. They encourage those to connect with nature, each having a unique message of conservation.

Plant for Monarchs #63
by M. Dormont

Butterfly — Plant for Monarchs

Coexisting #06
by P. Duncan

Eagle — Learning and adapting how birds and humans can coexist. This eagle, like many others, has learned how to use an electric tower as a nesting site to raise the next generation.

Bringing Home The Bug #07
by P. Ely

Nuthatcher — I got to observe Brown-headed Nuthatches nesting in a snag (pictured) at Heartwood Preserve. The adults were active, flying in and out of the nest with food for their young. They are a special bird to have in Pasco.

Trapped In Nature #65
by R. Katz

Trapped — While kayaking, something caught my eye in the mangrove tree. At first, I thought it was a bird, so I grabbed my camera to capture a photo. Zooming in for the photo, I realized what I thought was a bird was, in fact, a black trash bag. As I reached up to remove the bag, I quickly saw just how tangled it was. My first thought while trying to remove the pollution was “How would an animal be able to remove this?” Well, to put it simply, they would not. They do not have the ability to keep our environment free of pollution. We do.

Deer Portrait #09
by L. Leer

Deer — Deer hiding in the brush at John Chestnut State Park.

Recreational Boating Collateral Damage #67
by R. Lockwood

Turtle — This Sea Turtle had a deep slash along its shell, probably as a result of a boat prop strike. The turtle carcass was found adjacent to a boat channel leading out to the Gulf, with no speed restrictions. I hope gruesome photos like this will encourage “no wake” zones i.e., slower speed restrictions to give turtles a better chance of surviving close encounters.

Imagine fishing line in your food #12
by A. Marello

Fishing line — Imagine, fishing line in your food

Banded Royal Tern #13
by J. Martin

Royal Tern — Royal Terns (as well as other shorebirds) rely on coastal habitats that are increasingly being threatened by ongoing expansions of building development along our Gulf coast. - It is important for everyone to report these banded birds to help with continued efforts of ongoing migratory patterns and the effects of environmental changes on our seabird population.

Stop Poisoning our Birds of Prey #54
by P. Misajet

Owl — The methods we use to control rodents can have a devastating impact on our birds of prey. When birds of prey eat poisoned rodents, they become poisoned themselves. I always worry when I see an owl bring back a rodent to its young, that the rodent has been poisoned.

A Familiar Path, Forever Changed #15
by A. Moir-Swinton

Sandhills — Where wetlands thrived with wild grass and bird songs. Now, the Sandhill Crane and colt, navigate nesting grounds filled with roof tops and concrete paths. They are a powerful reminder, that conservation, is about ensuring the land is for everyone and everything to carry on.

Nature at Work #18
by M. Schenk

twoheads — A reminder of the fragile food chains along our shores.

Love Birds #19
by G. Sharum

Yellow Crown — You could consider the images to be in the conservation category as they represent the good maintenance of wild habitats for our resident and migratory wildlife and the environments they need to thrive.

Monarch Milkweed Banquet #73
by K. Stolte

Bluebirds — Milkweed plant being devoured by monarch butterfly caterpillars.

Man Helping Nature #59
by D. Walz
Conservation Award

Bluebirds — With ever-expanding development, the Blue Birds in this area are especially threatened. I believe it is incumbent that humans step up and help these beautiful creatures. I purchased, built, and installed two nesting boxes. Within 24 hours I had birds checking out and moving into both boxes. The enclosed picture is a testimony to what humans can do. I cannot tell you how good it feels to see my tiny efforts helping out.

Thanks to our 2026 Sponsors:

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Carry Street

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Pasco Camera

J Mike and Laurie Kell

With sincere thanks for your participation,

Christine Rowland
President Pasco Audubon
president@pascoaudubon.com

Pasco Audubon Society
P.O. Box 1456
Elfers, Florida 34680

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