The Approach, 2nd Place, Action.
An EF2 tornado bears down on a home in Wray, Colorado, on May 7, 2016. As soon as we were safe, as the tornado roared off into the distance through a field before roping out, we scrambled up the hill to check on the residents. Thankfully, everyone was all right, and we were grateful for that. As I was checking in with a young woman coming out of the basement, we became very aware of a strong new circulation right above our heads. We needed to run for cover and did so before saying a proper goodbye. # © Tori O'Shea / 2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year
Winners of the 2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year Contest - The Atlantic
Two more if you...
Sardine Run, Grand Prize Winner, and First Place Action Winner.
During the sardine migration along the Wild Coast of South Africa, millions of sardines are preyed upon by marine predators such as dolphins, marine birds, sharks, whales, penguins, sailfishes, and sea lions. The hunt begins with common dolphins that have developed special hunting techniques to create and drive bait balls to the surface. In recent years, probably due to overfishing and climate change, the annual sardine run has become more and more unpredictable. It took me two weeks to have the opportunity to witness and capture this marine predation. G. Lecoeur / 2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year
Crow chasing Puffy Owl, Honorable Mention, Animal Portraits. This shot was taken on an early September afternoon along the riverbank at Pasir Ris Park in east Singapore.
I was hoping to capture wildlife in action when some movement in the bushes nearby caught my attention. Instinctively, I prepared my equipment to capture any action that might ensue. I was fortunate enough to witness this adult crow chasing an adult puffy fish owl right in front of me, proving at once that the crow was the more aggressive species of the two. The entire spectacle between these day and night creatures lasted less than two seconds and exemplified nature in its uninhibited form. # Kawrence Chia Boon Oo / 2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the YearPosted by gerardvanderleun at December 12, 2016 11:44 AM
"So lovely. And so very very "correct" at the same time."
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I noticed the *correctness* too.
Posted by: ghostsniper at December 12, 2016 1:26 PMI lived near Xenia OH as a kid in 1972 when that area got clobbered by tornadoes.I still remember the devastation. I recall someone's entire front lawn had been sucked up and bunched up like a rug by the sidewalk.
Here in Tornado Alley, I have only seen one tornado in my life and it was the one that wiped out a trailer park in Andover KS, killing a pile of folks. I believe it was a half mile wide and with its rotation, it was difficult to tell what direction it was traveling but at its outside I could see things being ejected out of it. Cars, roofs, entire trees. Missed us by a mile, but for some time after debris kept falling into my lawn. Most of it seemed to be bits of pink insulation from someone's house. Spooky for sure.
"proving at once that the crow was the more aggressive species of the two". No. If he decided to, the owl would turn and devastate the crow. No, he just tired of the annoyance and is leaving the area. What he really wants is some nice, juicy, mammal flesh. Not a stringy old crow.
But if he got hungry enough and turned those talons back on the crow, the crow would learn very quickly what true aggressiveness is.
Posted by: Larry Geiger at December 13, 2016 7:05 AMTrue, Larry, but at Nat Geo we don't say one animal is meaner than another. Most predatory animals are not mean; no hate crime when they kill you. Crows, however, have the intelligence to be mean. Owls are quite stupid.
Posted by: james wilson at December 13, 2016 10:30 AMMore from the site:
Commercial salt pond--
"This high-salinity salt pond is located right next to Facebook headquarters, where about 4,000 people work every day." (Egads!)
Dead Polar Bear--
"They say nowadays that such remains are found very often, as global warming and the ice situation influence the polar bear population." They say. Or, maybe they find more dead polar bears because there are more polar bears.
Unquestionably forlorn, lonely, and visibly upset but hugely fat Polar Bear--
"No Snow, No Ice? A solitary bear sits on the edge of Barter Island, Alaska. There is no snow when, at this time of year, there should be." Is there an animal more solitary than the polar bear? If conditions get any worse, this bear will be the first to die of obesity.
This is exactly why I dropped Nat Geo so many years ago. It all became too much for me to stomach.
Posted by: D S Craft at December 13, 2016 1:47 PMThere is no such thing as one crow.
They operate in flocks and tell the rest who the bad guy was that hurt them.
Owls are fairly singular and nocturnal. This owl is out of it's element.
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