Dave Watts’ tranquil capture of Ray Island at last light wins the public vote and is crowned the overall winner of Essex Wildlife Trust’s Photography Competition 2018.

With no two days the same at this dynamic wetland, Essex Wildlife Trust's Ray Island nature resevre has an “other worldly feel,” and is one of Dave's favourite places to take photographs. The fading light on a dramatic sky, the softness of the water at high tide and the intriguing rickety bridge not only won Dave the ‘EWT to a Tee’ category by impressing the judges, but also won over the public, receiving the highest number of votes.

Dave will receive his £200 prize at a presentation event alongside the category winners, runners-up and highly commended. This will be held at Essex Wildlife Trust’s Abberton Reservoir Visitor Centre in the summer. The winning images will also be on display at the visitor centre for the first week of June. The 2018 photography competition was kindly sponsored by ACL (Adult Community Learning), part of Essex County Council, the largest providers of adult learning courses in Essex.

The whole judging panel were very impressed with the standard of the submissions to the 2018 competition, improving every year, now appearing to be at a level of a national competition! It is great to see so many people getting out in Essex, enjoying wildlife with their cameras and then sharing it with us all!

The full list of category winners, are as follows:

• ‘A wildlife Motion Picture’ won by Darren Lindsey’s majestic image of a Barn Owl mid-flight. 
• ‘EWT to a Tee’ won by Dave Watts’ cinematic image of Ray Island nature reserve.
• ‘Gardener’s World’ won by Andrew Smith’s skilful image of a Leafcutter Bee mid-flight.
• ‘Nature’s Funny Side’ won by James Ball’s comical image of a leaning Little Owl.
• ‘Smart Work’ won by Stephen Rampling’s vivid image of a Common Blue Butterfly basking in the sun.
• ‘Young Blood’ won by Max Martin’s striking image of an Adder in plain sight.

The runners-up for the categories: ‘A Wildlife Motion Picture,’ Glen Moore for his image of a hovering Hummingbird Hawkmoth; ‘EWT to a Tee,’ Robin Lowry of a Great Crested Grebe; ‘Gardener’s World,’ Robin Lowry for his impressive capture of two Starlings having a squabble; ‘Nature’s Funny Side,’ Peter Clayton of an inquisitive Grey Squirrel; ‘Smart Work,’ Mikaili Cornock of two crabs locking claws in Rowhedge; ‘Young Blood,’ Ben Rumsby of a Common Lizard basking in the sunshine.

The highly commended: ‘A wildlife Motion Picture,’ Alan Leeks, Jan Smith, Kelvin Read, Rosemary McKerrell; ‘EWT to a Tee,’ Andrew Neal, Gail Ashton, Mark Caldon, Peter Clayton; ‘Gardener’s World,’ Denise Bishop, Ruth Hart, Sue Chillingworth, Tony Coombs; ‘Nature’s Funny Side,’ Colin Banks, Darren Lindsey, David Lawrence, Robin Lowry; ‘Smart Work,’ Catriona Leslie, Chris Wallis, Linda Gillott, Rachel Brooks; ‘Young Blood,’ Amelie Shipton, Ben Rumsby, Ezri Marsh and Thomas Rumsby.