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Audubon Announces 2019 Nature Photo Contest Winners and Exhibit

Two of the six winners in Audubon Community Nature Center’s 2019 Nature Photography Contest are pictured. Dave Shaffer of Springbrook, Wisc., was the Adult winner in the Field Guide Worthy category with his “Safe and Sound” grizzly bears. The Youth Field Guide Worthy winner was “Pyrrhuloxia” (Desert Cardinal) by Zachary Gray of Harlingen, Tex.

With the winners now chosen, Audubon Community Nature Center is announcing two “firsts” for their 2019 Nature Photography Contest: a month-long exhibit of the winners and finalists, and the opportunity to purchase prints of some of the contest entries.

The Audubon Community Nature Center used its hometown, Jamestown, N.Y., to choose the categories for this year’s competition. Jamestown is the birthplace of Lucille Ball and home to the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Museum and the National Comedy Center. In tribute to the First Lady of Comedy, one of the 2019 categories was Naturally Funny: Wildlife photos that make us smile or laugh.

Jamestown is also the birthplace of Roger Tory Peterson and home of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History. In honor of the premier naturalist of the 20th Century and the more than 50 Peterson Field Guides, the second contest category was Field Guide Worthy: Photos that could be used for identification in a field guide.

The third category was an opportunity to let the world see where the photographer thinks of as home by entering Naturally Beautiful: The beautiful landscapes where you live.

The adult and youth winners in each category as well as 12 finalists will be on exhibit in the 3rd on 3rd Gallery, 108 East Third Street, Jamestown, from July 30 through Aug. 31. Sales of the photographs will support Audubon’s nature education programs that reach thousands of children every year.

Exhibit hours are noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, noon to 6 p.m. Thursdays and Saturdays, and noon to 8 p.m. Fridays. The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is in Jamestown from Aug. 7-11.

More Naturally Funny, Field Guide Worthy, and Naturally Beautiful entries can be seen at the contest album link on the winners webpage, ACNCPhotoContest.com/2019-Winners. Prints purchased there also fund Audubon’s education programs.

Adult Photo Contest entries came from eight countries and 27 states. The 2019 Naturally Funny Adult Division Winner is “Bad Hair Day” by Cally Higgenbottom of Chesterfield, United Kingdom. Field Guide Worthy Adult Winner is “Safe and Sound” by Dave Shaffer of Springbrook, Wis., and the Naturally Beautiful winner is “Fireflies: Dancing with the Stars” by D. Arlene Bonnett of Jamestown.

Youth entries came from nine states and the United Kingdom. The 2019 Naturally Funny Youth Division Winner is “Nap Time” by Katy Read of Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. Field Guide Worthy Youth Winner is “Pyrrhuloxia” by Zachary Gray of Harlingen, Tex., and the Naturally Beautiful winner is “Vibrant Dahlia” by Lily Mullett of Gillett, Wisc.

Each winner received a $200 cash prize.

Photographers receiving Finalist recognition in the Adult Division are Leesa Beckmann, Highland Lakes, N.J.; Agnish Dey, Lakeland, Fla.; Devin Grady, Marina del Rey, Ca.; Henry Miller, Diamond Springs, Calif.; Markus van Hauten, Stolberg, Germany; and Kan Zhou, Palo Alto, Calif.

Finalists in the Youth Division are Zachary Gray of Harlingen, Tex., and Isabel Krautstrunk of Carmel, Calif.

Working photographer and high school and college educator Mark Kirsch of Jamestown judged the competition. Winning and finalist images as well as “Notes From the Judge” can be found at ACNCPhotoContest.com/2019-Winners.

With its exhibit of Liberty, the non-releasable Bald Eagle, Audubon Community Nature Center is located on a 600-acre wetland preserve at 1600 Riverside Road, Jamestown, N.Y., one-quarter mile east of Route 62 between Jamestown and Warren, Pa.

The Nature Center building is home to the Blue Heron Gift Shop and three floors of interactive exhibits, including live animals. Building hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Sundays 1 to 4:30 p.m. To learn more, visit auduboncnc.org.

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