Bence Mate / Lightning across lake, with mixed flock of birds, Lake Csaj, Kiskunsagi National Park, Hungary, July 2006

Tom Vezo / Green heron {Butorides virescens} Mexico

David Tipling / Hobby (Falco subbuteo) hunting over reedbed at Lakenheath Fen RSPB Reserve, Norfolk / Suffolk border, May

Konrad Wothe / Grey necked Wood rail (Aramides cajanea cajanea) Braulio Carrillo National Park, Costa Rica

Konrad Wothe / Greater flamingoes (Phoenicopterus ruber) in wetlands, Camargue, France, April

Roland Seitre / Conservation officer, Hernan Vargas Ayala and his assistant riding horses through wetlands on survey of the Critically endangered, Blue throated macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Trinidad, Beni, Bolivia, Janu...

Roland Seitre / Conservation officer, Hernan Vargas Ayala, riding through wetland habitat looking out for the Critically endangered Blue throated / Wagler's macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Beni, Trinidad, Bolivia, January...

Roland Seitre / Two conservation officers riding through wetland habitat looking out for the Critically endangered Blue throated / Wagler's macaw (Ara glaucogularis) Beni, Trinidad, Bolivia, January 2007

David Woodfall / Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) moulting birds at high tide roost, Bridgewater Bay NNR, Severn estuary This is a nationally significant site for this species, Somerset, England, August 2009

David Tipling / Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) walking through shallow water, in breeding plumage, California, USA, April

Richard Du Toit / Slaty egret {Egretta vinaceigula} Moremi Wildlife Reserve, Okavango, Botswana

Shattil & Rozinski / White faced ibis (Plegadis chihi) in long grass, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah, USA

Shattil & Rozinski / Wilson's phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) flock flying, Blanca Wetlands, San Luis Valley, Colorado, USA

John Cancalosi / Pied billed Grebe {Podilymbus podiceps} calling on nest, NY, USA

Tom Vezo / Drake (male) and duck (female) swimming on surface (Anas platyrhynchos) New York, USA

Shattil & Rozinski / Virginia rail {Rallus limicola} USA

Shattil & Rozinski / Virginia rail {Rallus limicola} USA

Shattil & Rozinski / Sandhill crane {Grus canadensis} feeding, USA

Shattil & Rozinski / White faced ibis {Plegadis chihi} Zapata ranch, Colorado, USA

Richard Du Toit / Blacksmith plovers (Vanellus armatus) feeding in shallow water of Khwai river, Moremi WR, Botswana

Bernard Castelein / Portrait of Lava heron (Butorides sundevalli), Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Bernard Castelein / Green sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) standing in water, Zeeland, Netherlands

John Cancalosi / Little blue heron (Egretta caerulea) calling in tree, Louisiana, USA

John Cancalosi / Portrait of Goosander / Common merganser (Mergus merganser), Colorado, USA

Tom Vezo / Sandhill carnes {Grus canadensis} feeding in wetlands, Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico, USA

Mike Read / Sandhill cranes {Grus canadensis} in wetlands at dusk, Bosque del Apache, New Mexico, USA

DAVID TIPLING / White ibis feeding in swamp (Eudocimus albus) Corkscrew Swamp NWR, Florida, USA

Tom Vezo / Reddish egret (Egretta rufescens) walking through water, Florida, USA

Tom Vezo / Black crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) perching in reed bed, Colorado, USA

Tom Vezo / Tricoloured heron (Egretta tricolor) perched on mangrove branches, hunting for fish, Florida, USA

Tom Vezo / Snowy egret (Egretta thula) standing in water, Long Island, New York, USA

DAVID TIPLING / Group of Coot {Fulica atra} taking-off from reedbed.

Richard Du Toit / Saddlebill storks {Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis} wading in river, Moremi Wildlife Reserve, Botswana.

Bernard Castelein / Little blue heron {Egretta caerulea} Sanibel Is, Florida

Bernard Castelein / Oystercatcher {Haematopus ostralegus} Zeeland, The Netherlands

Bernard Castelein / Purple swamphen {Porphyrio porphyrio} India

Bernard Castelein / Yellow-crowned night heron collecting nesting material {Nyctanassa violacea} Sanibel Is, Florida

Richard Du Toit / Comb / Knobbilled duck {Sarkidiornis melanotos} in flight, Savuti-Chobe NP, Botswana

Tom Vezo / Snow geese {Chen caerulescens) mass flock flying, Bosque del Apache Reserve, New Mexico, USA

Tom Vezo / Great blue heron at nest with chicks {Ardea herodias} Florida, USA

Tom Vezo / Great blue heron with chick at nest in tree {Ardea cinerea} Florida, USA

Tom Vezo / American bittern in reeds {Botaurus lentiginosus} Long Is, New York, USA

Mike Read / Greater flamingoes feeding {Phoenicopterus ruber} Camargue, France

Richard Du Toit / Saddlebill stork (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis) feeding in water, Moremi WR, Okavango delta, Botswana

Mike Read / Northern bald / Hermit ibis {Geronticus eremita} ringed individual, Pera Marsh, Algarve, Portugal, Critically endangered species, re-introduced to Portugal, February

Mike Read / Northern bald / Hermit ibis {Geronticus eremita} ringed individual, Pera Marsh, Algarve, Portugal, Critically endangered species, re-introduced to Portugal, February

Richard Du Toit / Wattled cranes feeding in water {Bugeranus carunculatus} Moremi WR, Botswana

Jose Luis GOMEZ de FRANCISCO / Purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio) in water, Spain

Jose Luis GOMEZ de FRANCISCO / Whiskered tern (Chlidonias hybrida) sitting on nest, Spain

Jose Luis GOMEZ de FRANCISCO / Silhouette of Black winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus) standing in water at sunset, Spain

Jose Luis Gomez de Francisco / Purple heron at nest {Ardea purpurea} Navarra, Spain

Jose Luis Gomez de Francisco / Black crowned night heron juvenile. Spain {Nycticorax nycticorax}

Jose Luis GOMEZ de FRANCISCO / Black crowned night heron eggs in nest. Spain {Nycticorax nycticorax}