DAVID SANDERSON, The Watchers (ANIMALS 2026)

Web:

www.davesando.com

In the heat of the day, when much of the Cooper Basin falls still, two wedge-tailed eagles pause together above the landscape. For apex predators, survival is as much about patience as power; long hours are spent watching, reading the wind and waiting for the smallest sign of movement below. This quiet moment was captured not in the drama of the hunt, but in the stillness between. Perched side by side, they seem less like hunters and more like ancient custodians, silent witnesses to one of Australia's most remote and enduring landscapes.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.