Tony Beales
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tonybeales.bsky.social
Tony Beales
@tonybeales.bsky.social
1.9K followers 870 following 1.5K posts
Wildlife photography, ecology, outdoor stuff, hills. Inching my way back into Georgian naval history too.
Cumbria, UK 🇬🇧 📷 🦊
All photos © as normal.
UK Wildlife Photos feed: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:yeq6jei6vki27ex6qpixoutx/feed/aaacvnx2qihgg
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tonybeales.bsky.social
The reed bunting is one of the birds I have #least captures of, Alan's theme for #BirdOfTheDay. Although it is common, I have only one shot.
Photographed at Brockholes, Lancashire last year
#UKwildlife #birds
A sunlit reed bunting against a pale blue sky, perched on a slender hawthorn branch with young leaves.
November 10, 2025 at 11:50 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
I have a few #CloseUps of jays, so here's one I haven't posted before for Rob's #BirdOfTheDay
📍Cumbria, UK
#UKwildlife #birds
Head and shoulders close up of a jay in profile facing right, lit by strong sunlight from the right. Its eye is looking down and right, the black pupil surrounded by rings of brown and blue.
November 5, 2025 at 9:56 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
This particular #rock is top of every bird's wishlist, but the puffins prefer it in white
#BirdOfTheDay
Isle of May this summer
#UKwildlife #birds
Three puffins sitting in an ascending line from right to left on a rock streaked with white guano.
November 4, 2025 at 1:36 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
This is Meg, who we lost in June, much missed mum to Monty +3 more in our family. Not a typical Lab, mistrustful of people, very private, very independent. Often she climbed the garden wall, jumped a field gate, & wandered through the sheep down to the river, visible only by their gently parting.1/2
Head and shoulders portrait of a black Labrador sitting, brown eyes looking intently into the distance over the photographer's shoulder. The background is brown heather and a pale bright sky.
November 2, 2025 at 3:22 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
This great spotted woodpecker was #hiding but couldn't resist a sneak peek to see if the coast was clear.
#BirdOfTheDay
📍Cumbria, UK
#UKwildlife #birds
A great spotted woodpecker's head is just visible poking up from behind a broken post, its beak pointing up and left. The sun is coming from the right, illuminating the one eye visible.
October 31, 2025 at 2:01 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Quick! Today is the last day to sign the petition to protect brown hares from shooting during the breeding season & save their young from starvation. Please consider signing if you haven't already or pass on to friends & family if you have.
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
#UKwildlife #mammals
Four brown hares running towards the camera across bright green grass with a few buttercups in flower
October 29, 2025 at 2:36 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
This #heron kindly posed against a dark background of deep shadow,
but it wouldn't allow any closeups.
#BirdOfTheDay
Cumbria, UK
#UKwildlife #birds
A heron perched on a branch of a dead tree against a dark background of deeply shadowed foliage
October 27, 2025 at 3:59 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Here's a great white egret for Rob's #BirdOfTheDay
It's a large bird, but still dwarfed by the reeds in this shot.
Taken last February in late afternoon winter sun.
#UKwildlife #birds #egrets
A great white egret wading in the water in front of a tall reedbed, golden from the setting sun.
October 26, 2025 at 1:59 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Here's a Great Tit portrait for Rob's #BirdOfTheDay
📍Cumbria, UK
#UKwildlife #birds
A great tit perched on a post, head slightly cocked towards the camera
October 12, 2025 at 9:41 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
There's definitely a #beakful in there somewhere for Alan's #birdoftheday
Gannets collecting nesting material at Bempton Cliffs
#UKwildlife #birds
A jumble of half a dozen gannets collecting grass and other foliage for nesting material. The bird in the foreground has its wings raised.
October 11, 2025 at 7:19 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Apparently it's #UKFungusDay so here's a phone snap of a pink waxcap I found in a new spot in our fields a couple of weeks ago. I've found them in a couple of other places before, but it's good to find a new location.
Cumbria, UK
#Fungi #fungifriends
Close up of a pink waxcap in grass, showing the stem and gills
October 4, 2025 at 12:57 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Here's a nuthatch in the sleet for the very apt #BirdOfTheDay #allweathers theme. I think we might find some trees or branches down in the morning. Hope everybody is staying safe!
#UKwildlife #birds
Nuthatch perched on a post in semi profile, facing up and left, against a blurred background of brown and dark green, with falling sleet showing as white streaks in the photo
October 3, 2025 at 7:53 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
It's a race to the end! Thanks for recent reposts, quote posts and reposts of quote posts! And for signatures! The petition to protect hares from shooting in the breeding season is up to 42k, and has 5 weeks left. Let's get to 50k! petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
#UKwildlife #mammals
Close up of brown hare running towards the camera
September 21, 2025 at 8:51 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Common Red Soldier Beetle looking for a mate. Having climbed to the top of this rush stem, it's about to fly to another in its search.
#UKwildlife #insects
A common red soldier beetle (which is orange) clinging to the pointed tip of a brown rush stem. Its black sectional antennae and one black eye are clearly seen, as well as its legs and body underparts. The background is a smooth blur of green.
July 20, 2025 at 9:32 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
It's #FlyDay so here's a shot of the busy approach path to Runway 1 at Bempton International Airport
#UKwildlife #birds
Close up of three gannets gliding towards the camera, wings outstretched, one above another. Only the one in the centre (farthest away) is in sharp focus. There is a blurred background of sea and distant coast.
July 18, 2025 at 8:13 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Another shot of the dark green fritillary butterfly
📍Cumbria, UK
#UKwildlife #butterflies #ukbutterflies
A close-up of a dark green fritillary butterfly perched on the small, reddish flower buds of a rush. The butterfly's wings are patterned with orange, black, and white spots, and are lit warmly by sunlight. Its large, dark eyes and long, thin antennae with black and orange tips are clearly visible. The background is a soft blur of patterned green.
July 15, 2025 at 8:15 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
A backlit dark green fritillary butterfly for #macromonday
This butterfly proved elusive for several days, giving me fleeting glimpses and then disappearing. Finally yesterday it stayed around long enough for me to get some shots.
📍Cumbria, UK
#UKwildlife #butterflies #ukbutterflies
Dark green fritillary butterfly seen from in front and below, backlit by the sun, its wings a translucent orange with black markings.
July 14, 2025 at 4:51 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Male linnet
📍 Bempton Cliffs last month
#UKwildlife #birds
Front view of a male linnet perched in brambles. It has mottled pink patches on either side of its breast, and its head is turned to the left of the photo.
July 13, 2025 at 7:37 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Here's a Razorbill for #flyday
📍 Bempton Cliffs last month
#UKwildlife #birds
A Razorbill flying from left to right against a background of dark blue sea. Its wings are extended above its body and its head is half turned towards the camera.
July 11, 2025 at 1:38 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Another tactic is to go for the tail
#UKwildlife #birds
Two gannets are trying to land on the edge of a cliff, with dark blue sea beyond. A gannet on the cliff edge has hold of a few feathers in the tail of the nearest flying gannet.
June 28, 2025 at 8:08 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Oy, let go of my foot, it's #flyday!
#UKwildlife #birds
The photo shows a flying gannet, wings outstretched, attempting to land while another perched below has reached up and grabbed hold of its foot with its beak.
June 27, 2025 at 4:50 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Small skipper butterfly in the process of coiling its proboscis
#UKwildlife #UKbutterflies #butterflies
Close up of a small skipper butterfly on a thistle flower with its proboscis extended up and in front of it in a long spiral loop
June 24, 2025 at 7:21 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Captions please!
I don't know what the Razorbill said to the Guillemot on #SuperSeabirdSunday, but the Guillemot is all ears!
📍 Bempton Cliffs
#UKwildlife #birds
A Razorbill and Guillemot are perched face to face on the end of a ledge on chalk cliffs with the blue sea in the background. The Razorbill is facing into the cliffs as if it has just landed, and has it's beak slightly open. The Guillemot has its head very slightly cocked sideways as if listening.
June 22, 2025 at 8:12 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Another view of the small skipper butterfly.
#UKwildlife #UKbutterflies #butterflies
A close-up photo of a small skipper butterfly in semi-profile from slightly below, feeding on a purple thistle flower. The butterfly has thick orange-brown body hair, large dark eyes, and clubbed antennae banded orange and black. It is using its long, thin proboscis to reach into the flower for nectar.
June 22, 2025 at 8:38 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
This head on foreshortened perspective looks a bit odd, but it was great to meet this small skipper butterfly in the fields here yesterday. I hope it heralds their comeback this year after they disappeared altogether in last year's cold wet summer.
Cumbria
#UKwildlife #UKbutterflies
Head on close up of a small skipper butterfly nectaring on a purple thistle flower. The butterfly has thick orange-brown body hair, large dark eyes, and clubbed antennae banded orange and black. It is using its long, thin proboscis to reach into the flower for nectar. The background is a soft, out-of-focus green.
June 22, 2025 at 8:08 AM