A 25-year-old Vancouver native named Leron Gertsman has been named Bird Photographer of the Year in a global competition. He won the award for capturing a stunning image of a large bird flying directly in front of an eclipsed sun — a photo taken off the coast of Mazatlan, Mexico, in April 2024. 🌑🕊️💎

👦🏼 Gertsman began photographing birds at the age of five with a simple camera. Years of experience, a love of nature, and an interest in astronomy led to a unique idea: combining birds in flight with a rare and cosmic phenomenon. To capture this dreamlike image, he spent months practicing and planning near seabird colonies in Mexico to capture the moment.

🌍 It’s interesting to note that a total solar eclipse occurs at a given point on Earth on average once every 375 years. Just as the sky darkened and hundreds of birds took flight, Gertsman captured one of the most spectacular images of the year: a bird in flight, against a bright ring of sunlight.

🏆 In addition to winning a cash prize of more than $6,500 CAD, he also brought the world's attention to the importance of protecting nature and birds.

"Photography has the power to remind us of the true value of nature — and how much it deserves to be protected," says Gertsman.

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