Wildlife/Animals nominee

Only one day old and only as big as an average sized cotton ball, this endangered Piping Plover baby seems utterly content and at peace having just woken from a tiny midday sand-nap. Piping Plovers are endangered in part because of their trusting natures -- they lay they. eggs directly into the sand with no nests and in plain sight of humans and other potential dangers. Almost wiped out a few decades ago, conservation efforts have been very successful and each year, more and more babies like this one grow safely into adulthood, proving that humans and wildlife can co-exist peacefully and productively ... a wonderful story.

Gillian Overholser is a former television journalist now creating Fine Art Nature Photography on Plum Island, MA. Her primary interest is Bird Portraiture -- that is, treating wild birds as unique souls, just as worthy of Fine Art portraiture as any other creature. Given a chance to see each wild bird's unique personality, we are invited to share this world more gently with all creatures, and all souls.