October 2025 Wildlife Photography Contest Beginner Category Winner

Migratory season seemed to start a little early this year in Southern Arizona, and with reports of white-faced ibis moving through the area, I headed out before sunrise to a local wildlife preserve. The air was cool, the horizon starting to glow, and I carried my Canon R5 and RF 100–500mm, hoping the soft morning light would bring some activity.

I spent the first part of the morning scanning the ponds and marshy edges where ibis often appear. Even without a sighting, the preserve was slowly coming alive—small birds rustling in the brush, the calm water shifting as the sun crept higher. I kept moving, watching for any photographic opportunity that might unfold.

Then I heard it—the unmistakable call of geese overhead. I looked up to see a flock flying straight into the golden pre-sunrise light, their shapes turning into clean silhouettes against the warming sky. Instinct took over as I lifted my camera, only to realize my shutter speed wasn’t set for birds in flight. Still, I fired off a burst, hoping luck would step in. To my surprise, the speed was just fast enough to freeze a few frames, capturing their wings fully extended as they pushed through the glowing morning air.
Moments like this remind me that wildlife photography isn’t always about finding the subject you set out to capture. Sometimes the real magic comes from the unexpected gifts nature offers when you’re simply out there, present and watching.