British Wildlife Photography Awards: Collection 5 is published in hardback by AA Publishing, priced £25. Available now 

THIS fine collection of images celebrating British flora and fauna is a reminder that it’s often all too easy to overlook what’s on your doorstep.

From domestic back gardens to windswept, isolated cliff faces, these award-winning shots were taken at a variety of locations close to home. Now in its fifth year, the annual BWP competition encourages entries from both professional and amateur photographers. According to naturalist Chris Packham, who presented the awards in London, this is the strongest collection yet, and I’d have to agree.

In many cases, patterns and details provide the focus; Peter Whitehead’s shot of a flock of starlings appearing to form the shape of a giant bird above Shapwick Heath in Somerset is almost unbelievable, while Steven Fairbrother’s close-up of a shag on the Farne Islands depicts a flash of yellow beak swathed by black silky feathers. And you don’t necessarily need to live in the countryside to appreciate Britain’s wild world, as demonstrated by overall winner Lee Acaster. His moody, underexposed shot of a greylag goose on the bank of the Thames, set against the Shard, is proof that the beauty of nature can be captured anywhere.

Sarah Marshall