Tony Beales

@tonybeales

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:

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Tony Beales@tonybeales· 29d

⚠️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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· 29d

Another view of the Comma butterfly's mottled brown dead leaf camouflage pattern on the underwing. #UKwildlife #butterflies

Tony Beales@tonybeales· 29d

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

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jul 17

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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jul 15

Another shot of the Hummingbird Hawk-moth, this time with partially coiled proboscis #UKwildlife #insects #teammoth #Lepidoptera

A Hummingbird Hawk-moth in flight against a blurred background of lavender flowers and green foliage. Its long proboscis is partially coiled. The wings are blurred from the motion.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jul 14

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

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jul 4

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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jul 3

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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jul 3

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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jul 3

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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jul 1

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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 30

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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 29

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

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 28

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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 28

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

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 28

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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 26

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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 26

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

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 26

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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 26

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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 25

@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

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 25

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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 24

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

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 22

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

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 21

@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.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 20

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

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 16

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

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 14

Look at these eyes in the soft evening light - deep pools of ink that just draw you in! I get more satisfaction from photographing brown hares than any other wildlife because it is such a challenge in upland Cumbria. See the alt text for the story of this encounter. Cumbria, UK #UKwildlife #mammals

A close-up portrait of a brown hare against a soft, blurred background of green grass, illuminated by gentle, diffused overcast light. The hare is shown from the chest up, facing slightly to the left while looking directly toward the viewer with its large, dark eye giving the impression of a knowing look. Its prominent, upright ears are lined with dark fur and tipped with black, while its face is detailed with long, light-colored whiskers spreading outwards. Its thick coat shows a mix of sandy brown, tan, and gray tones, blending naturally into the softly lit grassy background.

I was photographing this hare from behind a dry stone wall as the evening light slowly faded, and fortunately it gradually moved closer until it came so close it disappeared from view under the wall. There was a gap in the wall a few metres away, so I twisted round hoping it would come through the gap. Sure enough it did, and it froze staring at me, while I froze, fortunately with the camera already at eye level on a monopod. After 5 minutes, which seemed like eternity, it relaxed, moved forward, and spent another 20 minutes in front of me, coming within 6 or 7 metres, grazing, grooming, and sometimes staring intently at me. But I couldn't afford to relax and spent the whole time straining every aching muscle to stay still in a very uncomfortable twisted posture. I was actually quite relieved when something eventually startled it, and sent it running away! It was by no means the closest encounter I have had, but it was certainly the longest I have been stood that close in full view of one.

Even with it being close, this shot is with a long lens and then cropped, but still with more than enough pixels for a print to go on my wall.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 12

Fox cub from last Sunday. #FoxOfTheDay #FoxFriday #UKwildlife #mammals

A fox cub standing in long grass, looking warily towards the camera, dwarfed by tall bracken around it.

Tony Beales@tonybeales· Jun 12

Another sparrowhawk shot for #FlyDay #UKwildlife #birds