Competitions

Competition

Free to enter. No purchase, no subscription. One active competition running now - closes 31st October 2026.

All ages

Open now

Best garden photo - closing 31st October 2026

A wildlife camera trap is a small weatherproof camera you strap to a tree, fence post or wall. A motion sensor triggers it whenever something walks, flies or hops past, day or night. It takes photos and short videos without you being there.

That matters because no one can sit in the garden 24 hours a day. A camera trap captures the things you miss - a sparrowhawk dropping in at dawn, a fox cub crossing the lawn at midnight, a hedgehog snuffling under the hedge. The photo below was taken by a camera trap at 6:37am. No human was there. The 1st prize in this competition is the same setup - a trail camera with solar panel, so you never miss a moment like this in your own garden.

1st Prize - Trail camera & solar panel bundle (worth approx. £335). A complete wildlife camera trap setup, identical to the one Rob uses on the North York Moors - including a solar panel so the battery never runs flat. It's the same kit that captured the Sparrowhawk in the photo above at 6:37am. Motion-triggered, weatherproof, records photos and video day and night - with no wi-fi or subscription required. Specific model to be confirmed - details to follow.

The 1st prize kit

The trail camera plus a solar panel with an integrated rechargeable battery unit, so the camera keeps running without battery changes.

Browning trail camera, front view with camouflage casing, lens and infrared LEDs — Trail camera - front

Browning trail camera opened showing the control screen, buttons and on/off switch — Controls and screen

Rear of the Browning trail camera showing the mounting bracket — Rear mounting bracket

Spypoint solar panel with integrated rechargeable battery unit — Solar panel with integrated battery

Back of the solar panel showing the adjustable mounting plate — Solar panel - rear mount

Full solar panel kit including cables, mains adapter, strap and tree mount — Everything in the kit

2nd Prize - Two vouchers for Richard Baines' wildlife identification tour.

Yorkshire Coast Nature gift certificate for a free place on a Bird Sound Safari 2027, signed by Richard Baines — The 2nd prize voucher - a free place on a Yorkshire Coast Nature Bird Sound Safari.

3rd Prize - A hand-built nest box, made by Rob.

Hand-built wooden nest box with a metal hole protector, mounted on a stone wall — A finished nest box, hand-built by Rob.

A tree sparrow looking out of the entrance hole of the nest box — A tree sparrow moving in - one of Rob's boxes in use.

A sparrowhawk caught in mid-flight by a wildlife camera trap at 6:37am - the kind of moment a person would never be there to photograph. — Sparrowhawk, 6:37am - captured by a trail camera on the North York Moors.

How entries are judged

Judges will assess entries on the following, in order of weighting:

Subject matter and story - What is happening in the photo? Is the species, behaviour or moment unusual, rare or hard-won?
Composition and action - Does the frame draw the eye? Is there energy, stillness or tension in the shot?
Context - Does the description (if provided) add meaning or reveal something the image alone cannot?
Technical quality - Sharpness, exposure, focus. This carries the least weight.

A phone photo of a Sparrowhawk dropping into a garden at dawn, caught at the right moment, will always beat a technically perfect shot of a pigeon. You do not need an expensive camera to win.

How to enter: One photo of wildlife in your own garden, balcony or window box. No long lenses needed.

Closes: 31st October 2026

Enter the competition →

The rules, briefly

Free to enter. One entry per person.
Under 16s need a parent or guardian to enter on their behalf.
By entering you give us permission to publish your entry on the site (first name and county only).
Winners chosen by the ARFL team. No cash alternative.
We will never sell or share your contact details.