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

Peeping Tom

Whitestrand Beach, Miltown Malbay, Co, Clare

I run a water sports company on the beach and enjoy taking shots of our local dolphin who visits everyday.
One day when sitting out I spotted my little friend peeping out, she became very curious and came closer so I sat and watch her jump and bounce and play with the flowers.
It was lovely to see her as I haven't seen one before.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Lisa Farrell

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

Cormorants, Saltee Islands

Saltee Islands, CO Wexford

The photograph was taken on the Saltee Islands in Wexford. The Saltee Islands is such an exciting place to visit for to view and photograph the amazing range of sea birds on the island.

PHOTOGRAPHER: John Edgeworth

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

Ocean's Dance

Courtmacsherry, CO Cork

On a sunny day, during a boat trip off the coast of Cork, I wanted to immortalise the moment when dolphins came to play with us and dance around the boat. It took several shots to get this composition of the dolphin’s leap, full of life, playfulness and curiosity, along with the calmness and depth of the ocean. The fast shutter speed froze the droplets and movement, leaving this moment of wonder shared with the wildlife suspended in time forever.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Nicolas Malterre

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.

Lift off

Balisodare bay, Co Sligo

I was photographing the various birds in the bay on a fine bright Autumnal morning, I had focused on the Godwit just as it took flight and managed to capture its wingbeats as I had a fast shutter speed on my canon camera.

PHOTOGRAPHER: John Docherty

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.

Trash to Treasure

Saltee Islands, Co Wexford

Watching burrowing Puffins on the Saltee Islands, a flash of unnatural bright green caught my eye. Looking through the lens, I realized it was a piece of waste rope or fishing line the Puffin was using as nest insulation. While editing I nearly deleted the image for being overexposed, but kept being drawn back to it due to the mixed emotions it invoked. Both sadness at the impact of human waste on our ecosystems. But also amazement at the resourcefulness of these hardy little seabirds that will make treasure out of trash.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Sean Paterson

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.

Humpback Whale

Mullaghmore, CO Sligo

Humpback Whale in Donegal Bay , im seeing more Humpback Whales in Donegal Bay in the last few years. I spend many many days at sea in all types of weather to try and identify, catalogue and understand the behaviour of the Whales that visit the Bay. To capture a Humpback Whale breach is a very Unique Moment .

PHOTOGRAPHER: Michal Czubala

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.

The Corncrake

Tory island, CO Donegal

On a two day trip over to Tory Island.
Spent the morning and afternoon listening to multiple corncrakes calling.
Finally in the evening, one jumped on to the wall and began to call. It spent around 30 minutes in the evening sun steching its wings and calling and even seemed to sleep for a while.
Always wanted to capture a image, with the light and showing the environment of the long grass and nettles that make Tory the perfect location for the conrcrakes.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Stephen Dunbar

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.

Grey Seal Pup

KIlmore Quay Coast, CO Wexford

While visiting Great Saltee Island to photograph sea birds I spotted this Grey Seal pup in amongst the rocks and seaweed. It appeared to be quite content, totally relaxed and oblivious to all around it. This appealed to me as a nature shot.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Tom Ormond

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.

Glorious Gannet

Saltee Islands, CO Wexford

This was my second visit to the Saltee Islands, but my first time to see the gannets. It is quite a hike up the hill to see the gannets, but worth the effort. I like this photo of the gannet on his own, the shape of his wings and the bokeh of the sea behind.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Samantha O'Connor

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.

Puffin Calling

Saltee Islands, Co Wexford

I have spent countless days on the Saltee Islands trying to capture the popular species the Puffin in a new way. The Saltee Islands is one of our few remaining wild places that we must protect and treasure, every time I visit this island I feel reset and a deeper connection with nature. For this shot, the skies were mostly clear with only a few clouds overhead, as evening approached the light became golden with warm hues. I got as low as possible with my long lens and waited for the moment one of the puffins would call out opening its beak wide, its head slightly back. That was the moment, have a lower perspective and long lens allowed me to show the subject in a powerful way, the small bird appearing large and giving it more presence.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Isabel Doody