'Take-Off, A black skimmer breaks from the crowd on Middle Core Banks"
Grand-prize-winning photo taken at Cape Lookout National Seashore by Brittney Brown
May 21, 2015 - More than 700 entries to the 2014 Share the Experience employee photo contest have been received. Eleven winners were selected, including the grand-prize-winning photo taken at Cape Lookout National Seashore, entered by Brittney Brown.
All 11 winners received a pair of Celestron binoculars and an interagency annual pass to enjoy and take more great photos of the federal recreational lands managed by the National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Reclamation. Click on this link to see all the winners.
As the grand prize winner, Brittney also received a framed print of the winning image, presented to her by Cape Lookout National Seashore Superintendent Patrick Kenney. Another framed print was presented to Director Jonathan Jarvis, who will display the photo at the Main Interior Building.
This is what Brittney had to say about her winning photo:
“I’m a seasonal biological science technician at Cape Lookout National Seashore. I received my first internship here in 2010, and fell in love with the park, so my goal was always to come back. Now I’m in my third season; my second as an employee. The birds pictured are my favorite birds of all time, black skimmers (Rynchops niger). They are a species of special concern here in North Carolina, so we monitor their nesting throughout the summer. The way they hunt is unique among North American birds: they fly just over the water, slicing their lower mandible through the surface. When it hits a fish, their jaw snaps shut. It’s fascinating to see, so even when I’m not working, I spend time just watching them with my camera. Their calm demeanor, distinctive buoyant flight, communal nature, and gentle ‘barking’ call led the naturalist R. C. Murphy to describe them as ‘aerial beagles, hot in pursuit of aerial rabbits,’ and ‘unworldly.’ I absolutely agree. Cape Lookout introduced me to these beautiful birds, and now I’m proud to introduce them to Federal employees across the country.”
The 2015 contest is now open. This year photographers can submit up to ten photos per person. Entries can be received through December 31st.
For the 2015 contest, ten winners will be selected to receive an America the Beautiful–National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass and a pair of Celestron binoculars. The Grand Prize winner will receive an America the Beautiful–National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass, Celestron spotting scope, tripod, phone adapter and a framed version of his or her photo with a copy presented to the appropriate agency leadership.
Employees and volunteers of the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, National Archives, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are eligible for the contest. Photos must be taken at lands managed by these agencies. Click here to enter the contest.
Thank you to the National Park Foundation and Active Network, LLC for making the Share the Experience Employee Photo Contest possible.
