Gallery Oldham’s foyer is hosting a display that showcases some of the very best photographs of moorland wildlife.
All the shots are part of a photographic competition, which is part of the Heritage Lottery Funded Community Science project run by Moors for the Future Partnership.
Since 2003 the partnership has been working to protect the most degraded moorland landscape in Europe, and raising awareness of how vital it is to conserve the internationally important Blanket Bog habitat of the South Pennine Moors Special Area of Conservation.
The winning entry is a portrait of a short-eared owl. With piercing yellow eyes, the bird alights for the briefest of moments on a fencepost as golden evening sunlight bathes the moorland.
Malcolm Mee’s winning photograph was pitted against a high volume of entries showing ‘moorland and wildlife’ scenes, and impressed the judges enough to take first prize.
He said:: “I have been visiting the same location for four years trying to get shots of this daytime hunter – I stay in my car as it makes a perfect hide.
“Finally the owl landed briefly on a post on the other side of the road giving me just enough time to get the portrait that I was looking for.”
The winning image was chosen by wildlife photographer Paul Hobson and BBC Springwatch regular contributor Kate MacRae.
The image and other shortlisted photos will be on display until Friday, May 27.
