Photographer
Shu Qing/
A PAIR of flying whooper swans glide above the water in seamless harmony in the city of Sanmenxia in Henan province, China.
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The image is titled Fairy Landing on Earth, and it won Shu Qing the bronze prize in the of the 2020 Bird Photographer of the Year competition.
Qing followed the swans – which get their name from their characteristic “whooping” call – with a handheld camera, and used a slow shutter speed to blur their movements. This approach adds an artistic touch to the photo as the swans appear to blend into their surroundings in smooth, effortless strokes.
Each winter, whooper swans migrate from their breeding grounds in the higher latitudes of the northern hemisphere to parts of eastern Asia and Europe, including the UK. During their non-stop journey, which can span thousands of kilometres, they can reach altitudes as high as 8000 metres.
The species is a common sight in China, where tens of thousands of whooper swans winter across the country’s wetlands.
