This dramatic photo of a dipper feeding its hungry chicks, taken by Simon Roberts, has recently won our wildlife photography competition. 

In his winning photo, Simon captures the moment when an adult dipper presents its two eager chicks, beaks wide open and wings flapping, with a beak-full of insects. Dippers are chocolate-brown birds which you’ll see bobbing up and down on stones, in fast-flowing rivers. They feed on underwater insects by walking straight into, and under, the water.

Simon’s photo was judged overall winner of our annual photography competition and selected as the cover image for our 2027 calendar, which celebrates Cumbria’s wildlife and wild places.  

From several hundred entries, a panel shortlisted 12 images for inclusion in the 2027 calendar and Cumbria Wildlife Trust members then voted on the top three.  

Andy Currie received both second and third place, for two images of wildlife reflected in still water: a red squirrel and a water rail, which is a secretive wetland bird. Other Cumbrian species featuring in next year’s calendar include an inquisitive stoat on a tree stump by John Macfarlane, a charming duckling by Martin Garnett, and an elegant grey heron by Rosamund Macfarlane.

Matthew Poulton from Cumbria Wildlife Trust said: “Our annual photography competition is a great way to celebrate the wealth of wonderful wildlife we have here in Cumbria. As always, we were bowled over by the high quality of the images that were submitted and send our congratulations not just to the winners but to all the competition entrants. The 12 winning photos in our calendar are a reminder of how special Cumbria’s wildlife and wild places are and how important it is to protect them.” 

The 2027 Cumbrian wildlife calendar is now on sale and can now be ordered from Cumbria Wildlife Trust for £10.00.   

This year’s Cumbria Wildlife Trust Wildlife Photography Competition was supported by Wilkinson Cameras.