A STUNNING image of a rare short-eared owl won a wildlife photography competition organised by the Moorland Association.

The striking owl with its golden eyes and inscrutable expression was spotted by Peter Curran from Harrogate, who has a keen interest in photography, walking and bird watching in the region.

He took the winning snap on moorland above Scar House reservoir in Upper Nidderdale and it was a hit with the photography contest judges.

Mr Curran said: “I’ve been taking pictures of wildlife for about 15-years and every Christmas I select my favourite images from the year and make an album, along with family photos.

"It motivates me to try to get better shots each year than the last.

“The moor above Scar House is a great place to see birds. I saw this owl three times in about the same location and on the third attempt the late afternoon light was just right for a really good picture.

"There are ring ouzels resident there too and sometimes the odd hen harrier or merlin.

"I hope the hen harriers will nest and breed this year at Scar House as there seems to be a pair. I believe there are also four or five hen harriers living around Masham which is wonderful for this very rare species.”

Tracy Johnson of the Nidderdale Moorland Group said: “Nidderdale is home to many bird species and owls are particularly loved by the public."

She added: "The management activities carried out on sporting estates help to ensure that nest predation is kept to a minimum, benefitting a wide range of raptors and other moorland birds.”

The other photos which captured the judges’ imagination include a redshank taken on the Abbeystead Estate in the Bowland Fells; a woodcock, pictured in the North Yorkshire moors by James Cavana; rare grey partridges in Northumberland by James Little and a red grouse on Glaisdale Moor, North Yorkshire, by Mike Crocker.