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 & OVERALL COMPETITION WINNER

WILDLIFE & THE COAST

Humpback Feeding

broadhaven Bay, Co mayo

This image of a Humpback Whale was captured in Broadhaven Bay. I watched the whale feeding the day before from land. The next day, I was lucky enough to get out on a rib with Brendan and Marcus from IWDG. We first encountered two huge Basking Sharks when they came over to our boat. After that, we found the Humpback Whale feeding in the bay 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.

PHOTOGRAPHER: STHEPHEN DUNBAR

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

Godwit Digging Skills

Black Rock, Co Kerry

I took this photograph at the beach in place called Blackrock which is located between Banna Beach and Ballyheigue. Tidal currents have created a sandy isthmus which extends outwards to the 'black rock' at this site, creating an extensive strand. Large quantities of rotting kelp, washed ashore at the isthmus, attract excellent numbers of waders (particularly Sanderling and Dunlin) in late summer and autumn, with gulls also present throughout the winter as well as Oystercatchers, Curlews and flocks of Godwits. The last birds from the list have very long bills which help them dig out Lugworms hidden in the sandy burrows. You can see in this picture the moment when the bird managed to dig out the worm before it was finally eaten.

PHOTOGRAPHER: KAROL WASZKIEWICZ

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

Storm Chaser

Outcrop off Greater Saltee island

"Strong winds, stormy seas, wild seabirds are all part of our natural coastline heritage.
Even during the summer months, there's never any real guarantee of flat calm seas,
Such was the case on one particular July trip to the greater Saltee Island this year.
However, after a rough enough journey and feeling very queasy, we eventually managed to land on the island. On the south end of the island, it was at its most spectacular and one could feel the kinetic energy sweeping across the ocean. Here, the Gannets, Guillemots and Razorbills became as playthings to the wind and waves. In this photo, one can see a storm chaser Razorbill battling against the fury of the tempest!"

PHOTOGRAPHER: DONAL POWER

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.

Time to Ourselfs

Briedshead Wicklow Town

I have done a lot of seal photography since I picked up a camera a few years ago,and they never disappoint me. I usually do a lot of pup photos, but this year I wanted to concentrate on capturing the seals during the mating time. It took me a lot of time and planning but in the end it was worth the time I put in. It was taken on a very cold morning and i was nearly giving up on it, but luckly I stayed that bit longer to get this lovely moment I captured.

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.

Little Egret with Mullet

Ferrybank, Wexford

I'm lucky to live near Ferrybank in Wexford town and enjoy visiting at low tide to see the birds come in to feed.This afternoon in particular there were a good number of these Little Egrets in the area so I picked a spot to watch them.Like most days they were feeding away on little sprat and shrimp but while watching 3 of them fish I heard a loud splash and looked over to the left where another had come to search for food.I couldn't believe it when I saw the mullet it had caught and lucky for me it lifted from the water and flew past allowing me to catch this shot.

PHOTOGRAPHER: PAT SOMERS

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 Babes

Seal Island, Glengarriff, Co Cork

One beautiful, sunny morning this summer, when on a boat trip over to Garnish Island in Glengarriff, Co Cork, we sailed past Seal Island and I was blessed to get this shot of these two Harbour Seals. They were quite content catching some sun-rays along with the rest of their pod whilst watching the boat go by.

PHOTOGRAPHER: AILISH TREVISS

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.

Homeward Bound

Saltee Islands

This photograph was taken on The Saltee Islands, Co Wexford, during the summer of 2023. I have been visiting the island almost every year now since around 2010. I've taken many images over the years of puffins in flight but none that really stood out to me as they all looked similar. This one though, with the lovely clean background, which is actually the crystal clear water around the islands, stood out at me straight away. The wings open, the eye contact, the mouthful of sandeels also. I was happy to take this image.

PHOTOGRAPHER: DECLAN ROCHE

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.

Elegant and Beauty

DINGLE, Co KERRY

Ireland's most famous dolphin, Fungie, was last sighted on October 15th, 2020. This is one of the very last pictures to be taken of him just before said date. I would love the people to see this as I love it so much.

PHOTOGRAPHER: GRAHAM MURPHY

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.

Ringed Plover

Bundoran, Co Donegal

September 21st 2022, I went for a break away to Bundoran with my partner and brought my camera with me. The equipment I used was my Canon EOS 850D with an EF-S 55-250 mm telephoto lens. As the tide was moving back in, so were the shorebirds. I lay quietly on the rocks and waited to see would the birds move in closer. After about half an hour my patience and persistence paid off when a juvenile ringed plover became curious and perched close watching the lens. Settings used were Shutter 1/250, Aperture f/5.6 and ISO 100. I am an amateur nature photographer spreading a positive message around conservation.

PHOTOGRAPHER: CAOIMHE TYNDALL

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.

Cormorant in Full Mating Colours

Inch Island Wildlife Reserve, Co Donegal

I took up wildlife Photography about 10 years ago i like spending time around Inch island wildfowl reserve in Donegal the image in question was taken there.

PHOTOGRAPHER: LIAM MC LAUGHLIN