
It's Back!
Our 2024 Calendar Photo Contest is now open for submissions!
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Calling all amateur photographers... For the second year in a row, we are excited to invite our talented Ottawa Valley community to submit their best photos to help us tell the story of the Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre in our 2024 calendar.
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With the success of our first Calendar Contest in 2023, we wanted to celebrate another year of incredible photos, stories and impact in collaboration with all of you.

Our volunteer judges, Nina Stavlund and Tony Beck are also back from Always an Adventure, and will be looking for a variety of unique captures that align with the following themes:
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Season Highlights (spring, summer, fall, winter)
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Aquatic Life
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Urban Birds
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Majestic Wonders
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Small but Mighty
Our judges will be giving careful consideration to each and every photo with a critical eye to species, behaviour, clarity, camera control, composition, aesthetic appeal and overall visual impact.
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Our judges will be giving careful consideration to each and every photo with a critical eye to species, behaviour, clarity, camera control, composition, aesthetic appeal and overall visual impact.
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If your photo is selected, you could win one of the incredible prizes from our generous partners at Wild Birds Unlimited and Always an Adventure. All ages are welcome to participate and there will be two categories just like last year:​
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Amateur (18 and over)
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Youth (under 18)
Please respect the Birding Code of Ethics when birding and taking photographs: Birds Canada Code of Birding Ethics.
Please note that we will not accept any photos of nesting wild birds or any bird that we believe was captured unethically.
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Rules & Regulations
General & Eligibility
These Rules and Regulations ("Rules") apply to all matters relating to the Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre's Calendar Photo Contest (the "Contest"). By submitting a photograph to this Contest, all entrants agree to be bound by these Rules.
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Photographs to be featured in the Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre's 2024 annual calendar will be selected by a panel of volunteer adjudicators. Submissions will be accepted between June 10, 2023 and August 1, 2023.
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This Contest is open to amateur photographers, who are not employees of, or relatives of any employees of Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre. Photographs must feature a wild bird species that can be found in Ontario and the Ottawa region.
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Entrants must confirm their photographs have been taken in accordance with the Birds Canada Code of Birding Ethics.
Digital Photograph Submission Specifications
Only digital versions of photographs will be accepted. Although cropping of photos, tonal and colour corrections are permitted, the content of the photograph may not be altered. Submission photographs should be no larger than 10 MB in size, in JPEG or PNG format, and landscape orientation. However, if a submission is selected for use in the calendar, entrants must be able to provide a high-resolution version of each photo submitted, maximum JPEG quality with a size of 4400 pixels wide, by 3400 pixels tall (11" X 8.5") at 300 dpi or higher. The high-resolution version of the photograph will be required within 7 days after the successful entrants are notified. Failure to submit a high-resolution photograph as specified will result in forfeiture, and another entrant's photograph will be chosen.
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​The maximum number of photos allowed per entrant is 5. Any photos submitted by an entrant after the maximum of 5 have been uploaded by an entrant will be disqualified from the contest.
Rights
Entrants hereby grant Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre the rights to use the photographs submitted to the contest. Entrants agree to provide the photographs free of charge and royalty-free, and Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre will have the rights to use, modify, publish and distribute the photographs submitted, for the purpose of reproducing them in the Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre's calendar, for advertising/promotional material whether in print or digital formats, including, but not limited to posters, brochures, other printed material, electronic media, web pages, and Social Media. Entrants are responsible for any waiver forms or releases and must be made available upon being selected.
The copyright of the photograph is retained by the owner. By submitting a photograph, you are granting Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre a royalty-free, irrevocable and non-exclusive right and license to adapt, use, copy, transmit, publicly display, distribute and create compilations and derivative works from the photographs submitted. If the copyright belongs to a minor (below the age of 18), the child's parent or guardian must agree to the Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre's license and use of the photographs as stated in these Rules and provide written permission for the minor to enter the photograph in the Contest. Proof of such permission must be provided upon request.
Prizes
All successful entrants will receive a complimentary 2024 calendar. In addition, the following prizes will be awarded:
Amateur (18 and over)
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1st Prize: Gift Card of $250 at Wild Birds Unlimited (Ottawa locations only)
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2nd Prize: Gift Card of $150 at Wild Birds Unlimited (Ottawa locations only)
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3rd Prize: Gift Card of $100 at Wild Birds Unlimited (Ottawa locations only)
Youth (under 18)
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1st Prize: Half-day Birding Excursion for Two from Always an Adventure (Value $150), and $100 Gift Card from Wild Birds Unlimited (Ottawa locations only)
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Honourable Mention: Half-day Birding Excursion for Two from Always an Adventure (Value $150), and $50 Gift Card from Wild Birds Unlimited (Ottawa locations only)
Personal Information
Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre collects the personal information from all entrants in order to administer the Contest. Such information will not be disclosed to any third parties, except as required by law.
Deadline for Submissions
All submissions must be received by 11:59PM on August 1, 2023.
Submit your photographs through this entry form (Gmail account required).
Submissions will no longer be accepted after August 1, 2023.