Celebrate nature close to home! This gallery showcases the 2019 Nature’s Best® Backyards photo contest finalists.
Grey Heron
Bois de Boulogne, Paris, France
By Nicolas Davy
Canon 5D Mark III; 400mm ƒ/2.8L IS USM lens; 1/512 sec at ƒ/2.8; ISO 200; hand-held.
burrowing owls
Ontario, California, USA
By Andrew J. Lee, PhD
Nikon D810; 500mm ƒ/4G ED lens; 1/2000 sec at ƒ/5.6; ISO 360; hand-held.
Morning Glory Buds
Wheeling, Illinois, USA
By Donald Bolak
Nikon D800E; 200mm ƒ/4D IF-ED Micro lens; 1.6 sec at ƒ/25; ISO 800; Gitzo tripod; Induro ball head.
Squash Vine Tendril
Glenview, Illinois, USA
By Donald Bolak
Nikon D800E; 200mm ƒ/4D IF-ED Micro lens; ProMaster 36mm extension tube; 0.8 sec at ƒ/40; ISO 640; Gitzo tripod; Induro ball head.
Broad-tailed Hummingbirds
Estes Park, Colorado, USA
By Don Van Horn
Nikon D850; 200-400mm ƒ/4G ED VR II lens at 350mm; 1/320 sec at ƒ/9; ISO 5000; RRS tripod and pano gimbal head.
great tits
Juan Carlos I Park, Madrid, Spain
By Javier Herranz Casellas
Nikon D800; 200-400mm ƒ/4G IF-ED II lens at 340mm; 1/250 sec at ƒ/5.6; ISO 400; Benro tripod and head.
opossums
Orange, California, USA
By Jeanne Shirley
Nikon D500; 70-200mm ƒ/2.8 lens at 200mm; 1/500 sec at ƒ/4.5; ISO 800; hand-held.
robber fly
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
By Jim Turner
Nikon D500; 105mm ƒ/2.8G IF-ED Micro lens; 1/250 sec at ƒ/11; ISO 200; Yongnuo 568EX off-camera flash; hand-held.
rose close-up
South Riding, Virginia, USA
By Kathleen Furey
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II; M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm ƒ/2.8 Macro lens; 1/125 sec at ƒ/2.8; ISO 200; hand-held.
tree swallow
Warwick, New York, USA
By Leesa Beckmann
Nikon D7200; Tamron 150-600mm ƒ/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 lens at 500mm; 1/2000 sec at ƒ/6.3; ISO 1000; hand-held.
Flowered Boots
Palo Alto, California, USA
By Livia Juniper, at age 16
Canon Rebel XSi; 18-55mm ƒ/3.5-5.6 IS lens at 50mm; 1/256 sec at ƒ/14; ISO 200; hand-held.
canada geese
Apalachin, New York, USA
By Melissa C. Rowell
Nikon D850; 600mm ƒ/4E FL ED VR lens; 1/500 sec at ƒ/8; ISO 800; bean bag.
RED SQUIRREL
Apalachin, New York, USA
By Melissa C. Rowell
Nikon D850; 600mm ƒ/4E FL ED VR lens; 1/1000 sec at ƒ/4.5; ISO 800; Induro tripod; Wimberley gimbal head.
Malabar Giant Squirrel
Mudumalai, Tamil Nadu, India
By Sameer Jain (Kittu)
Canon 1D Mark III; 500mm ƒ/4L IS USM lens; 1/320 sec at ƒ/5; ISO 800; hand-held.
house finch
Warren, Pennsylvania, USA
By Sandra Rothenberg, PhD
Canon 1D X Mark II; 200-400mm ƒ/4L IS USM lens at 400mm; 1/400 sec at ƒ/7.1; ISO 800; Gitzo tripod; Wimberley II head.
wood storks
Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Florida, USA
By Sandy Richards-Brown
Nikon D850; 300mm ƒ/2.8G IF-ED lens; 1/3200 sec at ƒ/13; ISO 1600; hand-held.
dove
Apurbapur, West Bengal, India
By Saptarshi Gayen, at age 16
Nikon D7100; 200-500mm ƒ/5.6E ED VR lens at 420mm; 1/1000 sec at ƒ/6.3; ISO 800; hand-held.
Wood Duck
The George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary, British Columbia, Canada
By Thomas Dethlefsen
Canon 1D X; 500mm ƒ/4L IS II USM lens with 1.4x III Extender at 700mm; 1/320 sec at ƒ/6.3; ISO 640; Jobu Design Algonquin tripod; Jobu Design head.
jewel bug
King Rama IX Park, Bangkok, Thailand
By Wei Fu
Canon 5DS R; 100mm ƒ/2.8L IS USM Macro lens; 1/197 sec at ƒ/8; ISO 400; hand-held.
