‘Our Island’s Birds’ Competition

With the warmer days and longer evenings now upon us, many people are spending more time outdoors. Throughout all the lockdown periods over the last 12 months, many people of all ages have taken a greater interest in the birds and other wildlife in their gardens and on their doorsteps.

Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts, along with a host of other social media are filled with images of birds. Whether these are in back gardens and yards, or sitting on feeders and posing on fences, there are hundreds of beautiful images.

Now is the time for secondary students to showcase what they can do, by entering this new competition. Manx BirdLife and the Manx Ornithological Society are encouraging you to ‘get out there and find’ wild birds to photograph, paint or draw if this is what you enjoy and indulge our judges in a feast for the eyes.

This art and photography competition aims to inspire young people to think more about the wild birds they have seen around their homes or on their walks, cycle, horse rides and other adventures around the Island – and to pick up their favourite art medium, phone or camera and to get creative, capturing their personal favourites.

Entries may be submitted by post or email by the closing date of Sunday 4th July 2021. Full details of the competition are available at http://manxbirdlife.im/education-programme/our-islands-birds-2021-art-and-photography-competition/, where you can print out the Artboard and Entry Form.

Entries should be posted to Manx BirdLife and MOS Favourite Bird Competition, 35 New Road, LAXEY, Isle of Man IM4 7BG. Please be sure to include the entrant’s full name, school and form tutor’s name as well year group on the back of your entry or in your email.

There are three great prizes on offer. 1st Prize is an overnight trip to Calf of Man on 10th August this year; 2nd Prize is a day out with Manx BirdLife’s Reserve Manager for its new Point of Ayre National Reserve; and 3rd Prize is a pair of binoculars and a bird identification book. Find out the full details at http://manxbirdlife.im/education-programme/our-islands-birds-2021-art-and-photography-competition/ and let your creative juices flow!