By Alexia Austin
10 June 2026
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As morning dawns over the fields and olive groves of Jaén in the south of Spain, a flock of northern bald ibises (Geronticus eremita) are in flight. From the back of an ultralight aircraft, Helena Wehner, the birds’ foster parent, calls out a rhythmic, German tune to guide them on their way to their winter steadings.
This image, taken by student Gunnar Hartmann, is the overall winner of this year’s #ScientistAtWork photo competition. It captures the journey of the Waldrappteam, an Austrian conservation and research group supporting the reintroduction of the ibises, known locally as Waldrapp, into Europe. The birds once nested in the northern foothills of the Alps, but disappeared from the region around 400 years ago, amid increased poaching and changing climate conditions.
