A hawk pauses on a branch with a bright full moon in the background and photographer Mark D. Brett was ready for the moment.

Brett, who is a photographer/reporter for the Penticton Western News, captured the stunning photo in Nanoose Bay and received third place in the BC SPCA鈥檚 2017 Wildlife-In-Focus photo contest in the Wild Settings category.

鈥淚 entered the contest because I am an animal lover and really wanted to help support the SPCA and all the good work they do. I hadn鈥檛 expected to win anything,鈥� said Brett.

Participants competed in two categories: Backyard Habitats, in order to highlight our special relationship with wild animals in our backyards and Wild Settings, images that feature animals in their natural habitats.

鈥淲ith more than 580 photos submitted, it was a challenge for the contest judges to highlight only a few of the many amazing photos celebrating B.C.鈥檚 diverse wildlife,鈥� said BC SPCA chief scientific officer Dr. Sara Dubois. 鈥淲e want to thank all the participants for sharing their amazing photos and helping to raise more than $16,300 for wild animals in need.鈥�

First prize winners in both judged categories will be featured in the Spring 2018 AnimalSense magazine and the top three in each category will receive great prizes that may include gifts from Canadian Geographic, Canadian Art, Greystone Books, Lens & Shutter Vancouver, LUSH, the Lab Vancouver, NatureKids BC, Outdoor Photography Canada, SPUD.CA or a Wild ARC prize pack.

Check out the winners online at to view the incredible photos captured by amateur photographers across British Columbia.

Brett also had a photo chosen for the Conair Aerial Firefighting 2018 calendar. The photo he captured in July of a Convair CV580 air tanker dropping retardant on a wildfire in Kaleden is featured on the January calendar page.