MARIA LLOYD, THE SILENT LAUGH (LANDSCAPE & ENVIRONMENT 2026)

An intimate wildlife and environmental study captured on my rural property in Central Queensland. Perched silently atop a weathered timber fence post, a native blue-winged kookaburra overlooks a sunlit paddock and flooded watercourse. The composition highlights the striking contrast of its vibrant, electric-blue wing plumage against the rugged textures of the regional bushland, documenting the quiet presence of northern Australia's iconic avian guardians.

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