Photo's of the year

As an added bonus for Xmas, I thought I'd showcase a few of my favourite pictures taken by a few friends and which deserve to reach a bigger audience.

A Glaucous-winged Gull demonstrates the correct way to eat an Ochre Sea Star by Rich Hoyer

I'm still receiving regular butterfly photo's from the guides at Cristalino Lodge in the Brazilian Amazon for me to identify;

Emesis cerea by Sidnei Dantas

And finally, Simon Rix's excellent blog always features some truly magnificent photographs of some much sought-after species but I especially liked this artistically framed shot.

Northern Hawk-Owl by Simon Rix