Stephen Dunbar's image entitled ‘Humpback Feeding’ was the overall 'Photo of the Year' winner in the Clean Coasts 2023 Love Your Coast photography competition. The image also won the ‘Wildlife and the Coast’ category. Stephen captured the image of the Humpback Whale at Broadhaven Bay, Co Mayo, where it was feeding in the bay along with a handful of Minke Whales and lots of common Dolphins. Many birds feed in the bay, including Kittiwakes, which are seen in the image, along with Puffins, Guillemots and Razorbills.

FIRST PLACE

WILDLIFE & THE COAST

Humpback Whale

Donegal Bay, Co Donegal.

While on an afternoon boat trip in Donegal Bay last November I experienced this magical moment when a Humpback Whale tail fluked as the setting sun lit up the cliffs at Sliabh Liag in the distance.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Tom Ormond

Karol Waszkiewicz came second in the ‘Wildlife and the Coast’ category of the Clean Coasts 2023 LYC photo competition with this image, entitled ‘Godwit Digging Skills’, captring the lnng-beaked Godwit eating a worm at Blackrock, Co Kerry.

SECOND PLACE

WILDLIFE & THE COAST

Death At Dusk

Dungarvan Harbour, Co Waterford

I watched this egret fishing in the shallows as the tide was rising.

Each minute he came closer to me as the water level rose.

I was sitting with camouflage with my back to a wall.

He caught several small fish before turning into the setting sun and plucking this scorpion fish from the water.

The egret thought better of swallowing it and left it for a hungry seagull to carry it away.

PHOTOGRAPHER: dan ryan

Donal Power came third in the ‘Wildlife and the Coast’ category of Clean Coasts 2023 LYC. Donal took this image, ‘Storm Chaser’, capturing a Razorbill resisting a storm off the Greater Saltee Island, Co Wexford.

THIRD PLACE

WILDLIFE & THE COAST

Sealed with a Kiss

Brides Head, Wicklow Town, Co Wicklow

This image took a lot of planning and time.
The weather wasn't the best but in a way it helped me so i wouldn't get a lot of highlights blown out with the seal pup.

I had set up early morning in behind a rock so i wouldn't be seen and i was at a good distance away so i wouldn't be disturbing them.

It took a long day but to capture this beautiful moment was well worth the time.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Christopher howes

Pat Somers captured this beautiful wildlife image, ‘Little Egret with Mullet’, at Ferrybank, Co Wexford. It was a finalist in the ‘Wildlife and the Coast’ category.

Shag

Saltee Island, CO WEXFORD

While out looking for migrant birds on the island I seen this shag in a great position.

It was a clear day and bright blue skies which I normally don't like to shoot in.

I thought this give me a chance to try something different and shoot a low key images against the deep black background.

The key was my position and ensuring the the bird was in correct spot for the background and then under expose in camera to capture the image I was after.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Stephen Dunbar

Graham Murphy was shortlisted in the LYC 2023 ‘Wildlife and the Coast’ category for this 2020 image of Fungie, the Dingle Dolphin. Entitled ‘Elegant and Beauty’, Graham took the image in Dingle, Co Kerry. "This is one of the very last pictures to be taken of him just before he was last sighted on October 15th, 2020. I would love the people to see this as I love it so much," said Graham.

Rock Pipit

Saltee Islands, Co Wexford

Great Saltee island is home to thousands of sea birds, but the little Rock pipit took my attention on this visit.

Walking back along the pathway down the steep hill in the centre of island which was covered in chest high green ferns when I spotted this little Rock pipet flying from fern to fern catching insects.

I positioned myself so that Rock Pipit was amongst the green ferns.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Des Glynn

Ailish Treviss captured this image of harbour seals, ‘Sunbathing Babes’, at Seal Island in Glengarriff, Co Cork; a finalist in the ‘Wildlife and the Coast’ category.

Sunbathing Lizard

Derrynane, Co kerry

While walking the Derrynane Mass Path that winds round the coast to Bealtra Pier spotted several lizards sunning themselves at the edge of the path so sat down to take some pictures and join them in some sunbathing, they had picked a good spot.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Anna Kellagher

Caoimhe Tyndall's image ‘Ringed Plover’ features a juvenile ringed plover that became curious and perched close watching the camera lens. The image was taken in Bundoran, Co Donegal; a finalist in the LYC 2023 ‘Wildlife and the Coast’ category.

Cormorant Twin

Ireland's Eye, Co Dublin

I took this image while on a day out on Ireland’s Eye. It was a lucky shot, captured just as both cormorants turned to look the same way and their heads aligned for a brief moment.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Fabienne Perrin

Liam McLaughlin's peaceful and colourful image, ‘Cormorant in Full Mating Colours’, was taken at Inch Island Wildlife Reserve in Co Donegal; a finalist in the LYC 2023 ‘Wildlife and the Coast’ category.

Scavenger

North Bull Island Nature Reserve, Co Dublin

I have always loved watching and photographing shore birds, and sanderlings are among my favourites.

The way they foraging, running from incoming waves... There is something funny about them.

The image was taken wintery sunrise at Bull Island with some high clouds that gave this purply tint to the light.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Piotr Rak

Declan Roche's image, ‘Homeward Bound’, captures a puffin in flight, seemingly aware of the camera, at the Saltee Islands, Co Wexford; a finalist in the LYC 2023 ‘Wildlife and the Coast’ category.

Grey Seal Meal

River Lee, Cork City

This grey seal was hunting fish in dramatic fashion, showing amazing speed underwater, on a sunny evening in view of the alfresco pubs on Union Quay on the River Lee in Cork City.

Ignored at first people began to take interest only when the seal began tearing into the unfortunate fish!

PHOTOGRAPHER: Christopher martin

Christopher Howes took this intimate image of seals mating, entitled ‘Time to Ourselves’, at Briedshead in Wicklow town, Co Wicklow; a finalist in the ‘Wildlife and the Coast’ category.

Star Fisher

Arklow Town South Beach, Co Wicklow

Star Fisher was taken during the storm Eowyn, as I was taking images of the waves crashing against the pier in Arklow I noticed the gulls started to appear on the beach as the waves rolled in the gulls were flying into the waves trying to catch the star fish.

I was told this happened in Arklow but I never seen it before myself so as this happened i gave up on the landscapes and concentrated on capturing the gulls which i was very happy to get this shot.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Christopher Howes