The reflective amphibian won first prize in the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) 2025 Photography Competition. A winter lake scene and a bee caked in pollen are among the other winners.

The contest launched in May with eight categories including nature on your doorstep and mobile phone photography, and nature lovers of all ages were challenged to take pictures at one of BBOWT's nature reserves or in their community.

The winning photo was taken by Peter Smith at BBOWT’s Letcombe Valley Nature Reserve.

Peter said:
“I knew that common frogs congregate every year to breed in a small pond at Letcombe, but no one knows exactly when they will do so, only that it is usually in February. So I kept an eye on the local nature reports for any hint of it starting, as well as visiting Letcombe several times until I finally got the right day. I managed to capture this individual in the late afternoon sun with the reflections from the background foliage making the water appear golden.”

As overall winner, Peter received a smart bird-feeder camera and bird-feeding goodies from our friends at Vine House Farm. Along with all other category winners, he also won a wildlife photography masterclass with Steve Gozdz of GG Wildlife Experiences as well as the honour of having his photo appear in BBOWT's 2026 calendar.

The vote was also thrown open to the public with a ‘People’s Choice Award’ introduced for the first-ever time last year. After nearly two thousand votes were cast across eight shortlisted images, Thomas Roberts was crowned the public favourite with his capture of great-crested grebe chicks riding on their parent’s back, and won a pair of Tasco Essentials binoculars.

Thomas said:
“This was a really special moment for me and I'm so pleased to win this award. My love of wildlife started when I was young, going out birdwatching with my uncle, and recently I've re-found that love through wildlife photography. Capturing the image, I had to lay down on the ground and wait patiently. My patience capturing this beautiful moment finally paid off when the great crested grebe family swam past me allowing a window into their world.”
 

Over 250 photographs were submitted for this year's competition, and the winners were painstakingly chosen by our panel of judges: BBOWT’s Wild Magazine editor Ben Vanheems, BBOWT’s membership assistant Beth Milner, 2024 People’s Choice Award finalist Jo Brown, and wildlife photographer Steve Gozdz of GG Wildlife Experiences.

Ben Vanheems said:
“What I look for in a photo is something with a story to tell. Have we caught the subject in the midst of something? Is there something going on that we want to see more of? It’s also great when you get to see something from a fresh perspective or an unexpected angle. I feel like this is said year after year, but it is so true: the quality this time has stepped up even further and it becomes even more difficult to judge. Is it the equipment? Or the fact that the competition is becoming more and more popular? Whatever it is, you don’t make it easy for us!”

Jo Brown said:
“When I’m looking at photos, I’m looking for a real spark of personality. I want to see some part of the animal’s behaviour that really jumps out from the shot. It’s been wonderful to see the massive range of photos we receive of all types of subjects, and to talk it through with other photographers and wildlife experts. There are so many photos we would have loved to include, but we were overwhelmed with the number of incredible shots.”

The winners

• Mammals and other animals (and overall winner): Peter Smith (common frog). Runner-up: Gladys Perrier (bank vole).
• Birds: Tom Eastwood (great crested grebes). Runner-up: Tom Eastwood (little egret).
• Butterflies and other insects: Paul Jaskulski (‘Aurelia’ bee covered in pollen). Runner-up: Denis Kennedy (brimstone butterfly at Hitchcopse Pit Nature Reserve)
• Children and teenagers: Ben Gray (ladybird). Runner-up: Everly Admans (shield bug)
• Flowers and fungi: John Cawkwell (dancing dogwood flower buds). Runner-up: Gladys Perrier (green-winged orchid)
• Landscapes and people: Paul Jaskulski (‘Autumn Drops’). Runner-up: Christian Kyriacou (College Lake Nature Reserve)
• Mobile phone photography: Craig Allen (Thatcham Reedbeds Nature Reserve). Runner-up: Rebecca Cyriac (bee on heather)
• Nature on your doorstep: Grace Miller (drying duckling). Runner-up: Jeremy Denton (raindrop on bluebottle) 

• People’s Choice Award: Thomas Roberts (great crested grebe family).

  The Trust is extremely grateful to GG Wildlife Experiences for sponsoring this year's competition.

  See all shortlisted photographs