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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I saw a few fieldfares today here in Cumbria near Keswick, first this year. I didn't get a very good view, but colour, flight characteristics, and calls were all good, plus they were going for rowan berries, always their first choice when they arrive here.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

#BestBeaks is Helen's theme for #BirdOfTheDay today. This puffin is a rather obvious choice - not only does its beak have striking colours, but it is also specially adapted to hold large numbers of sandeels with grooves, spines, and a flexible hinge. 📍 Isle of May, Scotland, June #UKwildlife #birds

A puffin standing on the edge of a rock against a blue-grey sky, one of its orange webbed feet curved over the edge, holding about 20 sandeels in its beak.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

A redstart from earlier this year for Helen's #BokehBirds theme for today's #BirdOfTheDay #UKwildlife #birds

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Backlit female Kestrel in the setting sun last week. Just #Airborne - the Alt theme for #BirdOfTheDay from Atlantic Birding today. My first time out with the camera for a while, apart from a few wanderings with the dogs with nothing to show photographically. #UKwildlife #birds

Female Kestrel flying low over long grass and rushes, backlit by the setting sun, its outer wing feathers translucent, showing the barred wing pattern.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Large skeins of geese flying south over Cumbria today (near Keswick), presumably pink-footed geese from Iceland. Flying very high, too high for a worthwhile photo, probably well over a hundred in total, and very vocal. #UKwildlife #birds #ukbirds

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

"Essence of Redstart". I revisited this as it's the best fit I have for #BirdsInAbstract, today's #BirdOfTheDay theme from @helenbennett.bsky.social #UKwildlife #birds

A motion blurred image of the underside of a redstart taking off. The bright orange-red tail is spread in a fan shape, the breast is whitish, and the brown wings are almost furled. The head is not visible. The effect is an impressionist, almost abstract, depiction of energy and motion.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

The Reed Bunting is the only bunting I have ever photographed, and only a couple of times at that, but this one at the top of a sapling against the photographer's dreaded bright grey sky back in February is a #twofer for Helen's #BirdOfTheDay themes of #ThinPerches & #BuntingBirds #UKwildlife #birds

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

There was an abundance of Painted Lady butterflies the other day, so instead of exclusively chasing "clean" portrait shots like yesterday's, a habit that's hard to kick, I sat in one place and tried for some different shots. Here's an environmental close up 🤔 #MacroMonday #UKwildlife #butterflies

Close up of a Painted Lady butterfly nectaring on creeping thistle, taken through rushes and thistle foliage framing the head and front of its body, but with the wind partly obscured.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

It's a Painted Lady summer for me, with patches of creeping thistle on our land - wilful neglect according to farmers, but it's their preferred caterpillar food plant. This new generation look spectacularly different to the faded and torn beauties which arrived in June. #UKwildlife #butterflies 🧵

Side view of a Painted Lady butterfly nectaring on creeping thistle with wings raised against a dark green, almost black background of blurred foliage. It has a mottled brown and white pattern on the underside of its hindwing with a row of small blue-centered eyespots along the margin, and bright orange-pink patches on the forewing underside.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

I had to go back 6 months to find some #FabulousWaders, today's #BirdOfTheDay theme chosen by @helenbennett.bsky.social. Here's a Ruff, photo bombed by a Black-tailed Godwit. #UKwildlife #birds

A Ruff walking amongst large stones on a lake shore, with part of a
blurred Black-tailed Godwit behind on the right.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

A Small Copper butterfly living up to its name a few days ago 📍Cumbria, UK #UKwildlife #butterflies #MacroMonday

A Small Copper butterfly nectaring on creeping thistle, its wings open and the sun catching the Copper speckles within the orange colouring

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

This fieldfare captured on a compact camera in 2018 is the first bird capture I kept. I then bought a used bridge camera, and eventually a "proper" camera a couple of years ago. Today's main #BirdOfTheDay theme from @atlanticbirding.bsky.social is: #Firsts some of your earliest bird captures.

A fieldfare perched on a twiggy branch of a rowan tree amongst bunches of berries that have mostly been eaten, leaving bare stalks with a few berries left intact.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Wildlife photography often takes you to other worlds. This one was much calmer than the one we live in. It might be the most calming photograph I've taken. Stop a moment and see if it works for you! Brown hare photographed through a sea of green(!) grass Thurs evening. 📍Cumbria #UKwildlife #mammals

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Eye to eye with a Painted Lady butterfly. Who wouldn't want to ruffle the orange fur on its head, and stroke the long white silky fur on its neck? 📍Cumbria, UK #UKwildlife #butterflies

A close-up photograph of a Painted Lady butterfly resting on dry earth. The butterfly features a large, textured compound eye, delicate white and orange hairs covering its face and body, and long, slender legs supporting its body on the dry ground. One of its clubbed antennae extends upward into the blurry background, while its folded wing rises vertically on the right, displaying intricate patterns of cream, brown, and a splash of pinkish-red near the upper edge.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

As hoped, after finding caterpillars recently, here's a beautiful fresh Painted Lady nectaring on creeping thistle, its preferred caterpillar food plant. This is a early one and there are plenty more caterpillars on the thistles yet to pupate. 📍Cumbria, UK #UKwildlife #butterflies

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Bill Sharp and his wife didn't usually have much time for spice-master Spike's clickbait, but today's tale about the guillemots did sound rather disturbing... #YourChoice #BirdOfTheDay Razorbills on the Isle of May last month #UKwildlife #birds

Three razorbills perched on a rock ledge. The one on the right is on the edge of the ledge and is facing the other two with its head raised and beak open. The two on the left have their back to the camera and one is resting its wing on the other's shoulder while leaning forward and looking at the third.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

I was followed today by @animales.pro, which has 40k followers & mostly posts other people's Instagram photos with a credit. I don't know whether they get permission. If not that's copyright theft with or without a credit. Their last post was of Nat Geo photos, AFAIK never permitted. Now blocked.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Celebrating #FlyDay and the ability to include 10 images in a post with this puffin feast from last month's visit to Inner Farne. Only an hour ashore, and less than half that spent on flight shots, but I have plenty more! 🤣 #UKwildlife #birds Farne Islands #Puffins

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Painted Lady caterpillar amongst some half eaten leaves on creeping thistle. 🤞for seeing some fresh and bright butterflies in due course. Cumbria, UK #UKwildlife #butterflies #insects

A Painted Lady butterfly caterpillar resting on a green creeping thistle stem, featuring a mottled yellowish-brown body covered in prominent, spiky branching spines and fine pale hairs.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

⚠️SPIDER killing it's prey - look away now if that's a problem!⚠️ I was about to photograph this Small Skipper butterfly nectaring on Ragged Robin but ended up photographing the Cross spider's lethal venous bite. More in Alt text. #UKwildlife #butterflies #spiders #insects Cumbria, UK

I was about to photograph this Small Skipper butterfly nectaring on Ragged Robin when it got caught in the Cross or Garden spider's web attached to the plant. The spider was on it in an instant and a desperate struggle ensued with the spider eventually subduing the butterfly and delivering the lethal venomous bite shown in this photo, before wrapping it in silk thread and hauling it away.
In the photo the spider has its legs around the butterfly's body and the top of its wings.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

A Small Skipper butterfly nectaring on marsh thistle #ButterflyWeek #UKwildlife #Butterflies Cumbria, UK

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

A Comma butterfly photographed nectaring on creeping thistle yesterday for #ButterflyWeek. The small white comma mark can be seen on the underwing. #UKwildlife #butterflies #insects 📍 Cumbria, UK

Front view of a Comma butterfly nectaring on creeping thistle, its wings half open, showing the bright orange top of one wing and the mottled brown underwing of the other. The small white comma mark is visible on the underwing.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

I've only seen a Hummingbird Hawk-moth in our garden a couple of times, once last year, and once this. This year I managed to grab the camera and press my custom panic button, recently upped to 1/3200, but still not quite enough to freeze these wings. #UKwildlife #insects #Teammoth #Lepidoptera

A Hummingbird Hawk-moth hovering over lavender flowers, its wings extended upwards and its proboscis extended forwards and down into the flowers

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Here's a bridled guillemot having a splash around for Alan's #BirdOfTheDay theme of #WildMotion 📍 Farne Islands a couple of weeks ago #UKwildlife #birds

A bridled guillemot splashing in the water with its wings. The bird is half hidden behind splashing water and a spray of droplets.

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Reposted by Tony Beales

LRG721 @lrg721.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Recently watching this live feed from a Farne Island Puffin colony. These birds have so much character. m.youtube.com/watch?v=zt3M...

m.youtube.com

Puffin Colony – LIVE from National Trust Farne Islands 2026

YouTube video by National Trust

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

A green woodpecker to complete a trio of flight shots for #flyday. Pity about the sawn off branch behind, but I'm not resorting to AI to remove it. Scotland #UKwildlife #birds

A green woodpecker in flight, its wings fully raised, showing the barred grey and white patterning on the underwing. It is flying in front of a somewhat distracting background of conifer branches, a tree trunk, and a vertical branch sawn off at the top behind the woodpecker's head.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Another barn swallow flight shot for #flyday. Technically this is not quite as good as last week's, as the focus is a bit too far back on the bird, but I think the wing position makes up for it. You can almost feel the thrust from the wings. 📍Cumbria, UK #UKwildlife #birds

A barn swallow flying towards the camera, heading just left and above, photographed against a black background. The wings are almost parallel with each other at the bottom of the downstroke, pointing diagonally down and right.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

It's #flyday and I haven't posted enough #puffin flight shots yet! This one is on a mission! Photographed on Inner Farne and I think it's heading for the next island. 📍 Farne Islands #UKwildlife #birds

A puffin flying from left to right with its beak full of sandeels. Its wings are at the bottom of the downstroke, and its beak, head, body, and tail form a streamlined curve, adding to the sense of speed. The blurred background is a pale blue sky and slightly darker blue sea.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

An Arctic Tern on Inner Farne for @robcrank68.bsky.social's #BirdOfTheDay theme of #RedBeakFeetEyes 📍Farne Islands #UKwildlife #birds

An Arctic Tern perched on a dry stone wall against a blurred green background, its head half turned away from the camera towards the left of the photo.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

This shag has mastered the #TheArtOfSurvival, Alan's #BirdOfTheDay theme, avoiding predators by raising these 3 fluffy chicks on an inaccessible rocky ledge of a vertical cliff. And shags are so wonderfully photogenic with that plumage! Isle of May #UKwildlife #birds

A shag standing on a guano bleached rocky ledge in front of a makeshift nest with three fluffy chicks, one mostly hidden behind the parent, and another with head and long beak raised towards the parent. The adult's plumage has an intricate pattern of subtle shades of dark green, it's head and neck being a smooth very dark green.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

This green woodpecker is a late entry for @robcrank68.bsky.social's #BirdOfTheDay theme of #BestOfJune26. Not sure if it's the best as there are others with different qualities, but in this the dappled sunlight and soft background are ideal to show off the woodpecker's plumage. #UKwildlife #birds

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Squeezing this very frayed Painted Lady into the end of #PollinatorWeek. I hope this thistle was worth the long hard journey! Very few pollinators up here, despite abundant wildflowers - because of cold dry spring followed by cold wet June, punctuated by heat waves. Cumbria #UKwildlife #Butterflies

Painted Lady butterfly nectaring on a thistle, viewed from below. Its wings are very frayed and tattered, with large parts missing.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Grey seal, photographed from the top of the cliff. I had to wait a while for it to briefly raise its head and have a stretch before going back to sleep. 🦭😴 📍Isle of May #UKwildlife #mammals

A grey seal, photographed from above, lying on its side on dark rock, its head raised and half turned towards the camera

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

This puffin is not looking where it's going... #LifelnTheBalance, Alan's theme for #BirdOfTheDay 📍 Farne Islands #UKwildlife #birds

A puffin on a rock, photographed from below, one foot raised as if to step over the edge. Its head is turned away towards the left of the photo, its beak full of sandeels.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

It's #flyday so I had another go at photographing a barn swallow in flight, exiting a dark shed into sunlight. This is much better than my earlier post - closer for smaller crop, slower shutter & wider aperture for lower ISO, sacrificing depth of field for more detail 📍Cumbria, UK #UKwildlife #birds

A barn swallow in flight, wings fully outstretched and curving upwards, tail streamers out behind, photographed from slightly below against a completely black background.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

A barn swallow in flight for #flyday, emerging into the sunlight from a dark barn, or more accurately a dark sheep shed. This is work in progress - a big crop and high ISO leave room for improvement. 📍Cumbria, UK #UKwildlife #birds

A barn swallow in flight, wings fully outstretched, photographed from slightly below against a completely black background

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

An Arctic tern returning to its nest on the Farne Islands for #flyday, and for #GreyDay, Alan's theme for #BirdOfTheDay. It does look like it's #ShowingOff a bit too, the alt theme, but maybe I'm being unfair. They do peck you on the head quite hard - wear a hat! #UKwildlife #birds

An Arctic Tern about to land on its nest hidden in the long grass. Its translucent white and grey wings are raised in a crooked V shape, its black head and feet are down, and its tail is spread wide with long streamers.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

It's #FlyDay and this puffin is experiencing a bit of crosswind on its landing approach. Farne Islands #UKwildlife #birds

A puffin in flight, its wings outstretched at an angle with the tips curved up. Its tail is spread and it is starting to lower its feet. Its beak is full of sandeels. The background is blurred blue sea and a paler sky.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

@robcrank68.bsky.social's alt theme of #Food for #BirdOfTheDay presents an opportunity to post another puffin! I love the way the orange from its feet is reflected in its feathers! #puffin Farne Islands last week #UKwildlife #birds

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

A juvenile rock pipit on the Isle of May last week, already ringed. #LittleBrownBirds is @robcrank68.bsky.social's theme for #BirdOfTheDay today #UKwildlife #birds

A juvenile rock pipit perched on a lichen covered rock against a blurred background of long grass. Its head is turned towards the right of the photo, its beak open with just the tip of its tongue visible. It looks slightly dishevelled with its mottled brown feathers fluffed up.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Three guillemots for Alan's alt theme of #Birds&Bokeh for #BirdOfTheDay 📍Farne Islands #UKwildlife #birds

A group of three guillemots standing on rocks with their heads close together all looking right, against the Bokeh of a shimmering sea

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Alan's first #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BirdsInTheirElement, focusing on birds thriving within their habitat. In the nesting season, the Kittiwake's natural habitat is a small ledge on a steep rocky cliff, but evidently that doesn't preclude tending a small garden! 🏡 Isle of May #UKwildlife #birds

A Kittiwake perched on a very small ledge on a vertical rock face, facing inwards towards a sea campion plant growing in a crack at the corner of the ledge

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

@robcrank68.bsky.social has said today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #RedBeaks, so I'll have to post another puffin. I do have plenty! This one was particularly beautiful. 📍 Isle of May, Scotland #UKwildlife #birds

A puffin standing side on with its head half turned towards the camera, its beak full of sand eels. It is standing on grass with a few longer brown stems and seed heads around it. The background is blurred green-brown.

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

This is all about negative space: triangles, diagonals. It's about textures: rough volcanic rock, lichens, guano, wet feathers, slithery fish. Or sad-eyed clowns, wide-eyed fish, death & rebirth. Or stillness, watchfulness, the nurturing of young. Or it's two puffins - you choose! #UKwildlife #birds

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Tony Beales @tonybeales.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Fast food delivery I'm getting a puffin fix. This was the Farne Islands yesterday, Isle of May today but grey skies and maybe rain. #InFlight #BirdOfTheDay #UKwildlife #birds

Puffin in flight, its wings raised and beak full of sand eels. The background is blurred blue sea and sky with breaking waves and spray

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