Marie Read / Black skimmers (Rynchops niger), three in non-breeding plumage on beach, Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA. January. Digitally altered to remove distractions.

Markus Varesvuo / Long-tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis) in flight. Porvoo, Sderskr, Finland. Digitally altered - one bird removed. May

Alex Hyde / Various pollen grains from several species of UK plant. False coloured scanning electron micrograph. Digital composite.

Alex Mustard / Split level image of Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi) breaking surface at dusk. Grand Bahama, Bahamas. Digitally manipulated image.

Nick Garbutt / Flock of Kelp / Southern black backed Gulls (Larus dominicanus) flying over iceberg. Graham Passage, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica. February. (digitally altered image)

Nick Garbutt / Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans) flying over rugged coast near Stromness, South Georgia, South Atlantic. January (digitally altered image)

Neil Lucas / Dragons blood tree (Dracena cinnibaris) reflected, Socotra, Yemen, February 2007. Digitally created image

Mark Bowler / Red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) howling, captive, digitally modified

Markus Varesvuo / White-tailed eagle (Haliaetus albicilla) in flight. Vehmaa, Finland. March 2004 Digitally altered - one Raven removed.

Markus Varesvuo / White-tailed eagle (Haliaetus albicilla) standing in snow. Vehmaa, Finland. March 2004 Digitally altered - one raven removed

Markus Varesvuo / Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) in flight. Oman. Digitally altered - Sky modified. November

Claudio Contreras / Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), Royal Tern (Sterna maxima) and tourists canoeing in background, El Requeson, Gulf of California, Baja California Peninsula, Mexico, December. (Digital...