Amanda Stuart, Crested Tern at Sorrento, Victoria (ANIMAL & NATURE 2025)

At sunrise most mornings, this Crested Tern (scientific name Thalasseus Bergii) can be seen at Sorrento beach, as it scours the water looking for small fish and prawns. It is invariably on its own. When it sees a fish, it dives headfirst into the water. These photos were all taken around sunrise, when the light is at its best.

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