Yolande Cozijn, Under a mother's watch (ANIMALS 2025)

Australian Pied Oystercatchers are an endangered species in NSW. This beach nesting bird faces many threats. The parents work very hard to feed and protect their chicks. I have followed one family of this species and have been privileged to witness caring moments such as this image which captures the bond between the one day old chick and its parent.

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