Poinsignon and Hackel / Common kingfisher {Alcedo atthis} coming up out of water with fish, Lorraine, France. Nominated in the Story of a Species category of the Melvita Nature Images Awards competition 2013.

Poinsignon and Hackel / Common kingfisher {Alcedo atthis} perched with fish in beak, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) male, on left, offering female, on right, a fish in courtship display, Lorraine, France, April

Michel Poinsignon / Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) female with prey perched on a wooden panel saying 'peche interdite' (no fishing). Moselle, Lorraine, France.

Michel Poinsignon / Great crested grebe pair (Podiceps cristatus) displaying, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) pair feeding chicks on nest, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) carrying chick on back, fish in beak, Remerschen, Luxembourg, May.

Michel Poinsignon / Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) on water, feeding chick with a feather, Remerschen, Luxembourg, May.

Michel Poinsignon / Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) with chick, flapping its wings, Remerschen, Luxembourg, May.

Michel Poinsignon / Dipper (Cinclus cinclus) perched on waterfall with insect prey in beak, Moselle, France, April.

Poinsignon and Hackel / Sillhouette of Black woodpecker {Dryocopus martius} flying from nest hole in tree trunk in mist / rain, ancient forest, Vosges mountains, Lorraine, France. Overall winner and winner of the Birds categ...

Michel Poinsignon / Greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) hopping, Lorraine, France, February.

Poinsignon and Hackel / Wryneck {Jynx torquilla} flying to nest hole with prey, Lorraine, France

Poinsignon and Hackel / Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) male flying to nest with prey, France

Michel Poinsignon / Great tit (Parus major) flying to nest with caterpillar prey, Lorraine, France, March.

Michel Poinsignon / Great Tit (Parus major) flying to the nest hole with caterpillar prey, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Blue tit (Parus caeruleus) perched on Dog rose branch (Rosa canina) in winter. Lorraine, France. December.

Michel Poinsignon / Song thrush (Turdus philomelos clarkei) collecting nesting material, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April. Small reproduction only.

Michel Poinsignon / Coots (Fulica atra) fighting in a territorial dispute, in agressive posture on water, Lorraine, France, March

Michel Poinsignon / Coots (Fulica atra) fighting in a territorial dispute, in agressive posture on water, Lorraine, France, March

Michel Poinsignon / Eagle owl (Bubo bubo) silhouette of adult male calling at night, Luxembourg, January

Michel Poinsignon / Two tawny owl (Strix aluco) chicks emerging from nest in tree, Luxembourg. May.

Michel Poinsignon / Pasque flowers (Pulsatilla vulgaris) in rain, Lorraine, France, April

Michel Poinsignon / Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), adults perched on branch in winter feeding on apple. Lorraine France. 3rd Prize in the Melvita Nature Images Awards competition 2013.

Michel Poinsignon / Blackbird (Turdus merula) perched on branch in winter feeding on apple, snowing, Lorraine, France, December

Michel Poinsignon / European wild cat (Felis silvestris) kitten portrait, Bavarian Forest National Park, Germany, captive.

Michel Poinsignon / Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) walking in grass in late evening light, Lorraine, France. September.

Michel Poinsignon / Female Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) in forest, France. August.

Michel Poinsignon / Pottok/pottoka ponies (Equus ferus caballus) grazing in the Basque mountain, Pyrenees, France. August.

Michel Poinsignon / Small heath butterfly (Coenonympha pamphilus) and snail, Ottange, Lorraine, France. August.

Michel Poinsignon / Hoopoe (Upupa epops) male feeding female in courtship display, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Cep fungi {Boletus edulis} growing through moss, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Looking down on a large group of Fly agaric fungi caps {Amanita muscaria} Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / Puffball (Lycoperdon) discharging spores, Lorraine, France

Michel Poinsignon / European hare (Lepus capensis europaeus) running across field in winter, snowing, Lorraine, France, February

Michel Poinsignon / Flock of Mute swans (Cygnus olor) in winter, snowing, Lorraine, France, February

Michel Poinsignon / Labyrinth Spider (Agelena labyrinthica) waiting for prey in its funnel web, Luxembourg, July.

Michel Poinsignon / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) pair on plant facing each other, Lorraine, France, September.

Michel Poinsignon / Praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) female, clinging between two twigs, Lorraine, France, October.

Michel Poinsignon / Great white egret (Egretta alba) catching fish in lake, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) catching fish in lake, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Black headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) taking off, detail of legs and water droplets, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) catching fish in lake, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) foraging in lake, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) with beak open, Pusztaszer, Hungary, April

Michel Poinsignon / Puffin (Fratercula arctica) in flight, landing, carrying sandeels in beak, Farne Islands, Northumberland, England, UK, July