Nature photo aces announced

Winners of the Nature Conservancy's annual Best Nature Photo contest for 2008 were named today by the organization. The Grand Prize was garnered by Howard B. Cheek of Kempner, Texas, for his arresting photo of a female cardinal about to make a landing (photo above). Runners up in the competition were David Moynahan, of Crawfordville, Florida, for his image of a yellow-crowned night heron in mating plumage and Patrick Smith, of Pleasant Hill, California, for his picture of Pinnacle Rock at Point Lobos State Park in the Golden State.