When Gail Bisson retired as a doctor, bird photography was at the top of her list. Since then, she has traveled the world photographing birds, building an impressive collection of international awards. Now Bisson has added another prestigious honor to that list. Her striking shot of a female Common Merganser flying over the water with a flatfish in her beak has won the Female Bird Prize in the 2026 Audubon Photography Awards.
The photograph was captured at East Bay Sandbar, Nova Scotia, Canada, on a bitterly cold winter day. Bisson almost missed the shot entirely. She explains, "The ducks were not very active, and after 30 minutes I decided to go warm up in the car. Normally I leave my camera on the ice during breaks, but this time I took it with me.
"Thank goodness I did, because just as I reached the car, I spotted a female Common Merganser with a flatfish take to the air to protect her catch from other mergansers. I was thrilled to snap this frame, but I worried it wouldn’t be tack sharp. It was!"
Female Bird Prize Winner
Contest: United States and Canada
Species: Common Merganser
Location: East Bay Sandbar, Nova Scotia, Canada
Gear: Canon EOS R5 Mark II + Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM
Accessories: Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R
Exposure: 1/2500sec, f/6.3, ISO 640
Bird Lore
Mergansers, or Goosanders as they are known in Europe, are among the few ducks that regularly eat fish, diving and swimming gracefully underwater to capture them in their long, slim bills.
Ordinarily, the bird will eat its prey promptly after catching it, pausing only long enough to maneuver the fish into position for swallowing it headfirst. But if other members of the flock try to steal the catch, the bird may have to maneuver to keep hold of its meal.
Judge’s Take (Jess Gorzo)
"This felt like a portrait fit for a field guide illustration, while at the same time an extraordinary action shot brought to life by bright lighting and reflective ice and snow.
"The judges appreciated both the luck and skill involved in capturing this perfectly framed moment in flight, fish in beak. In addition to its excellent composition and subject, this joyful image captures a day in the life of a female Common Merganser."
The 2026 Audubon Photography Awards is a competition celebrating photographers who use their skills to highlight the beauty, challenges and threats facing birds across Chile, Colombia, Canada and the United States. You can explore all 2026 winning images here.
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