New Zealand Blue Duck Hymenolaimus malacorhynchos. New Zealand. Richard Sidey, New Zealand.

'My first encounter with New Zealand's rare and iconic freshwater duck, the Whio (Blue Duck). Whio live on fast-flowing clean rivers, and are an indicator of the river's health. Due to habit loss and introduced pests their numbers are under 3,000 and it is rare to see one. On this day I had spent several hours hiking the length of a remote valley on a hot summer's day with a heavy camera hoping to spot one. Nearing the end of my hike I took a swim in one of the beautiful deep river pools to cool off and dove deep to the bottom. When I surfaced moments later i almost collided with a Whio coming into land on the pool I was in, landing gear out and coming in at speed. We were both as surprised as each other, but the Whio quickly relaxed and climbed onto a rock just metres from me. Slowly I swam to the river's edge where my camera was resting, collected it and returned into the middle of the river, neck deep, where I was able to take this intimate, low-angle portrait of one of our most treasured species. The encounter lasted several minutes and has personally reinforced the urgency to protect our precious Whio.'

Great Northern Diver (Common Loon) Gavia immer. Canada. Shirley Donald, Canada.

'The Common Loon (Gavia immer), with its haunting repertoire of calls and dances, symbolizes the northern outdoors for many Canadians. On a still, summer night, there is nothing to compare to listening to the loons calling across the water. Early in the morning we are sometimes treated to a territorial display, where with great effort and splashing they rise and dance on the surface of the lake. So, this past summer I was so pleased to find a loon's nest and to be able to watch the mama during her four-week vigil incubating her two eggs. I arrived early one morning to find two empty egg shells, a wonderful occurrence, as often one of the two does not hatch. Peace and quiet joy filled my heart when I spotted the two tiny chicks, safely riding on mama's back. Nature at its best.'

Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis. Norfolk, United Kingdom. Vince Burton, United Kingdom.

'In the past I have spent a lot of time and driven many thousands of miles to photograph this beautiful bird. In the meantime, I have always been looking in my local areas for an opportunity to set up a hide and photograph a Kingfisher of my own. I have walked miles of ideal habitat, fallen in various rivers during adventurous crossing attempts. And when I've identified the perfect habitat and found resident Kingfishers, been turned down the opportunity to set up a hide by the landowners. After years of searching, I finally found a pair of Kingfishers on a local stretch of river less than a mile from my home. And even better, not only are the landowners happy for me to set up on their land, but were interested in what was going on and welcomed updates about the pair. This was an opportunity to study the pair, learn about the behaviour through the different seasons, and share with the landowners' children, educating them and encouraging them to enjoy and protect our wildlife. When setting up a hide, it has to be done carefully and over a period of time so as not to disturb your subject or scare it away. Being in the right place allows for perches to be slowly introduced and soon the pair were using these to fish from. Carefully a camera can be introduced and the birds became used to the sound of the shutter. To me there is nothing more rewarding than a subject choosing to be close to the hide and being so relaxed in your presence that it acts perfectly naturally. This was one of those first such images where the Kingfisher decided to land outside the hide and just sit and preen itself. It is an honour to be accepted by and to be in such close proximity to such a beautiful bird. These encounters I treasure and shall never forget.'