Garden for Wildlife™ Photo Contest
The 2022 Garden for Wildlife™ Photo Contest showcased the impact that habitat gardens can have on wildlife and people alike. Take a look at the top overall submissions, individual category winners, and category runner-up winners from this year's contest. For even more inspiring photographs, don't miss this year's collection of honorable mention and people's choice winners .
GRAND-PRIZE WINNER
Soo Baus
Seattle, Washington
Anna's Hummingbird
"This was photographed in a backyard. The flower pots were arranged to take advantage of the evening light. It is so cool to see this Anna's Hummingbird enjoying taking baths and drinking from the droplets."
RUNNER-UP WINNER
Sarah Koonce
Eagle River, Alaska
Black Bear and Dandelions
"I was enjoying the hiking in the mid-day sun in the summer and so was this black bear. He was munching his way through the dandelions on the edge of the woods."
RUNNER-UP WINNER
Kevin Shi
San Diego, California
Burrowing Owl
"A little burrowing owl chick was curious to my camera. So it walked a little towards me to check me out.."
YOUNG HABITAT PHOTOGRAPHERS
Dallas Agnew
Bronxville, New York
Sparrow feeding on the Ground
"In the summer I spend a lot of time lying in my yard photographing the birds that frequent it. On this particular day a sparrow was feeling extra friendly and I was able to capture some detailed closeups."
WILDLIFE OBSERVED WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, WORK, PLAY, LEARN AND WORSHIP
Lynn Mamros
Vandergrift, Pennsylvania
Cooper's Hawk
"Sometimes a sad consequence in feeding the birds is to witness the circle of life up close. I heard a commotion outside and stepped onto the porch to see this Cooper's hawk had gotten a meal at my feeder. Camera always in hand, I snapped a quick pic."
CERTIFIED WILDLIFE HABITAT LANDSCAPES
Marlon Co
West Harrison, New York
Fireflies Illuminate in the Meadow
"Fireflies illuminate the Native Plant Garden meadow at the New York Botanical Garden."
CLOSE-UP NATIVE PLANTS AND THEIR WILDLIFE VISITORS
James Collins
Arlington, Massachusetts
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
"A Ruby-throated hummingbird visits a blue salvia."
PEOPLE IN THE WILDLIFE GARDEN
Sivagama Valli Ramasundaram
Columbus, Indiana
Close with Nature
"Kid up close with nature."
Category Runners-Up
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Close-Up Native Plants and their Wildlife Visitors
Heather Orkis, Delaware
Gray Tree Frog with Goldflame Honeysuckle - Holding on for Hope
"I love photography, and our flower garden provides me many opportunities! This little gray frog was sheltering from the rain."
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Certified Wildlife Habitat Landscapes
Elaine Starr, Virginia
Raccoon Eating Persimmons
"Every year raccoons come out in the early evening to eat persimmons that have ripened in the wetlands."
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Wildlife Observations Where People Live, Work, Play, Learn, and Worship
Sandra Williams, Florida
Monarch in Chrysalis
"Milkweed has been a staple in my garden for a couple of years now, as I am hoping to help the monarch population grow. I didn't have as many monarchs visit as in past years, but those that did laid eggs that hatched into caterpillars and eventually formed chrysalis's. The entire life cycle never gets old and is quite miraculous to witness."
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Young Habitat Photographers
Jake Nitta, Arizona
A fly (Esenbeckia delta) on a San Pedro Daisy (Lasianthaea podocephala)
"During August this year (2022) me and my dad went out on a trip to the Chiricahua Mountains. When we stopped in a pullout for a lunch break I noticed a large fly resting on a flower, I grabbed my camera and tried slowly approaching it and thankfully (as well as luckily) it stayed put. I tried a few angles and was able to get this shot. After I was finished taking photos of it and backed away, it flew off. "
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People in the Wildlife Garden
Lynn O'Shaughnessy, Michigan
Looking for Caterpillars
"Found this monarch caterpillar on the underside of a common milkweed leaf (Asclepias syriaca) and it inspired this selfie shot."
