The front cover of the 2018 Wingspan calendar. Photo/Supplied
The front cover of the 2018 Wingspan calendar. Photo/Supplied
Those who love birds and nature can have amazing photos on their wall year round with the Wingspan 2018 calendar.
Rotorua-based wildlife and bird photographer Koshy Yohannan, whose work goes under the name of Black Stallion Photography, says this is the fourth year he has worked with Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre to produce the Wingspan Calendar.
Koshy also works at Wingspan doing administration work.
He says the calendar is produced to raise money for the organisation and the valuable work they do, with Wingspan being the country's national bird prey centre.
Profits from the sale of the calendars go directly to Wingspan. More than $15,000 has been raised for Wingspan through the sale of the calendars over the past three years.
Koshy says the images in this calendar were taken over the past two years at various times, such as some during the mating season.
"The whole idea of this particular calendar was to showcase the birds residing at Wingspan and their stories, because each have their own unique stories as to why they are here and still here."
He says if a bird cannot be released they stay and become ambassadors for their species or part of the breeding programme.
The back cover of the 2018 Wingspan calendar. Photo/Supplied
Koshy says the idea was that when people buy the calendar and read the stories, they get a clearer and deeper understanding of what Wingspan does.
"A lot of work happens in the background people might not be aware of."
He says by supporting healthy bird of prey populations, Wingspan promotes a healthy and sustainable New Zealand.
The 2018 Wingspan Calendar showcases four of New Zealand's most treasured birds of prey - the karearea (New Zealand falcon), the kahu (Australasian harrier) , the ruru (the New Zealand morepork owl) and New Zealand's newest native species - the barn owl.
Koshy says he enjoys the challenge of photogragphing wildlife and birds in their natural habitat, and being able to capture images the general public have not seen before.
The price of the calendars have been kept the same as in previous years, with the cost being $20 per calendar (including postage New Zealand-wide) if bought online through the Wingspan website - www.wingspan.co.nz.
It costs $15 per calendar if bought in person from the Wingspan National Bird of Prey Centre, 1164 Paradise Valley Rd, Ngongotaha.
