The Eccles Wildlife Education Center in Farmington houses three separate facilities, including an auditorium with huge wildlife photos. This month they are hosting their second annual wildlife photography contest and the winners will be displayed within that auditorium.
The Second Annual Wildlife Photography Contest will exhibit entries to the public Thursday, June 27 to June 29 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
“We started the wildlife photography contest last year," said Haley Pace, program specialist at The Eccles Wildlife Education Center and the founder of the photography contest. "It was the first time we've ever held it.”
“We have wildlife photographers come out here daily," she said. "And I just really wanted to showcase some of the local photographers in their work.”
Pace chooses the categories based upon the needs of the center.
“So last year, we had a great blue heron category, because I don't know if many people know this, but we have an artificial nesting rookery here at Farmington Bay," Pace said. "And so we have nesting Great Blue Herons that are here every year from February to June. And we didn't have a photo of a great blue heron. And I was like, that's like our star bird here. So I really wanted to get a photo. And we did. In fact, one of the winners was a great blue heron. It's a beautiful photo.”
That photo was taken by Linda Dalton Walker.
“Photography, to me, is both a hobby and a profession," Walker said. "I photograph three to four times a week. I am also a painter. So I use the work that I photograph and paint from those. So when I'm not out in the field photographing, I’m in my studio painting, it's a passion. I just love wildlife."
To see her photo and to learn more about the contest, or to submit your own photograph or view the entries in person yourself, check out the events page on wildlife.utah.gov, or read more on Eventbrite.
The deadline for submitting photography is June 22 at 4 p.m. The categories this year are waterfowl, owls, pollinators, and Utah wildlife.
