Tony Gillie
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drtonygillie.bsky.social
Tony Gillie
@drtonygillie.bsky.social
1.1K followers 950 following 1.8K posts
Mostly photos of wildlife, otherwise an eclectic mix of this and that, from here and there...
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drtonygillie.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is (rather unkindly I thought) #AlansNemesis, Kingfishers. Sorry Alan, but here's a Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) from #Extremadura, SW Spain for you. 😀
#birds #WildlifePhotography #EastCoastKin @alan678.bsky.social
A close up of a small bird with a rufous chest and tummy, a long black beak, and blue back and head dotted with small white spots. It's facing the right, and is perched on a thin bent branch. The background is a diffuse light green with darker patches.
December 10, 2025 at 12:07 PM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Another one for today's #BirdOfTheDay theme of #SideViews, a Nene (Branta sandvicensis), aka Nēnē or the Hawaiian goose. Once threatened with extinction, Sir Peter Scott brought them back from the brink with a captive breeding programme at Slimbridge where I photographed this one.
#birds #UKWildlife
A large mostly brown and white bird with a black face and top of head. It's facing to the left and has a green ring on its left leg and a metal ring on its right. It's standing on grass.
December 9, 2025 at 11:00 AM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #SideViews, so here's a Little Ringed Plover (Charadrius dubius) photographed in the #Monfragüe National Park in #Extremadura, SW Spain.
#birds #EastCoastKin #WildlifePhotography
A medium sized bird with long legs, a white breast and neck, with buff coloured back. It has a distinct black ring round its neck, and a black stripe covering its eye which has a yellow rim. It's facing the right standing on sandy soil. In the background blue of water with darker patches.
December 9, 2025 at 10:49 AM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
#BirdsOnTwigs. I've got a few 😀
Was trying to photograph a Black Kite when this Iberian Grey Shrike (Lanius meridionalis) landed on a thin branch directly behind me and started singing! Closest I've ever been to one...
#birds #BirdOfTheDay #WildlifePhotography #EastCoastKin #Extremadura, SW Spain.
A long thin bird with a long tail dark tail. It's facing to the left, and has a light coloured breast with hints of pink. Its beak is black, and it has a black stripe running from its beak, over its eye and down the back of its head.
December 7, 2025 at 10:58 AM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BirdsOnTwigs, so here's a male Stonechat | Tarabilla común (Saxicola torquatus) in early morning light perched rather precariously on top of a thin twig.
#birds #EastCoastKin #WildlifePhotography
A small bird with red breast, black head and short tail perched at the very top of a thin twig. The background is light blue.
December 7, 2025 at 10:49 AM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #movement. I think this winter flock of Spanish sparrows (Passer hispaniolensis) in flight at Obando in #Extremadura, Spain fits the bill!
@alan678.bsky.social #birds #EastCoastKin #WildlifePhotography
A large group of small dark brown birds flying from right to left against a grey sky. At bottom right the tops of some leafless trees are just visible.
December 6, 2025 at 12:19 PM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
We recently stayed in a hotel he designed in La Rioja, Spain. An amazing creation!
Filling most of the picture a futuristic looking building with big curving purple and silver roof line. In he foreground green vegetation with a narrow road leading to the hotel. At the far left, an old stone built church with towers. The sky has moody billowing white clouds.
December 5, 2025 at 8:49 PM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
For today's #BirdOfTheDay theme of birds #LookingAtYou, here's a Griffon Vulture | Buitre leonado (Gyps fulvus) on the plains just outside #Trujillo in #Extremadura, SW Spain. Thankfully it had recently eaten... 🙂
#birds #WildlifePhotography
In the centre of the photo a large bird with brown plumage, a white neck and head is staring directly at the camera. Another vulture is behind and left. There is blurred green foliage either side of them, and a diffuse golden yellow background.
December 3, 2025 at 12:35 PM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #stripes. How about this Rock Sparrow | Gorrión chillón (Petronia petronia). An extremely rare visitor to the UK, they live at high altitudes in southern Europe. This one is from #Extremadura in SW Spain.
#birds #photography @alan678.bsky.social
A chunky sparrow sitting on a twig. It has a clear creamy stripe running over its eye, and its plumage is heavily streaked. It has a very strong looking beak.
December 2, 2025 at 9:50 AM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Reflections with the alternative of #LongTails. How about this Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea) that manages to combine both?
A regular visitor to Oxford's Lye Valley, it seems to love the mud round the ponds.
@robcrank68.bsky.social #OX3 #birds #UKWildlife 📷
A smallish bird with a slate grey back, and black wing tips edged in white. Underneath it's mostly bright yellow with some cream in the middle. It has a long dark tail edges with white. There's a white streak on its head just above the eye. It's standing in shallow water with mud, small twigs and a couple of leaves, facing to the right, and has just lifted its left leg out of the water. Below it is a perfect reflection, even including the eye and white eye stripe.
December 1, 2025 at 2:21 PM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #BerriesandBeaks.
Here's a Blackbird (Turdus merula) caught in the act of eating a Cotoneaster berry at Rock Edge, and a Redwing (Turdus iliacus) amongst Hawthorne berries in the Lye Valley. Both sites in urban East Oxford.
#birds #UKWildlife #Photography #UKBirding
A medium sized black bird is perched on top of a twig covered in red berries. It's facing to the left, with a single berry between its open yellow beak. The background is blue sky. A small brown and white mottled bird is perched on a thin branch with small green leaves and red berries. It's facing to the left. The background is a mass of defocused twigs and red berries.
November 30, 2025 at 9:13 AM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
So today's #BirdOfTheDay theme is Gannets (Morus bassanus). Here's a couple of photos from the large colony at @rspbengland.bsky.social's Bempton Cliffs.
#Birds #Photography #UKBirding #UKWildlife
A bright white bird with a golden tint to its head is perched on the edge of a cliff. It has black webbed feet with thin stripes. It has a long bluish tinged beak and is holding a small piece of green vegetation. Its wings are folded, and have black tips. The background is defocussed and has other Gannets which appear as white blobs. Photo shows the heads and long necks of two white birds with a golden tinge to the plumage at the back of their heads. They have long bluish beaks with black lines around them. Their eyes are blue. The tips of the beaks are almost touching.
November 29, 2025 at 9:43 AM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Fabulous crop of large Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) at the @bbowt.bsky.social managed Snelsmore Common in Berkshire this Autumn.

#WildFungiHour #FungiFriends 🍄
Running diagonally from top left to bottom right a number of large red fungi with white spots on their tops and with white stalks are growing surrounded by yellow and golden leaves. On the left hand centre, roughly in the middle are fronds of bracken while near top right the base of a thin Birch tree trunk can be sen.
October 26, 2025 at 4:27 PM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Yes indeed. Not sure I told you we have a house in Trujillo, so we have spent countless days in Monfragüe. I've got a few good photos of the vultures over the years, but these days, I get more excited by Black Stork and Blue Rock Thrush there...
A large mostly brown bird with lighter upper chest, neck and head. It's sitting on a rock looking to the right. The background is dark. A small dark blue bird sitting on a light coloured rack covered with lichen on the left hand side. The background is a diffuse lightish colour.
October 12, 2025 at 7:45 PM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Delighted to spot this pristine Brown Hairstreak butterfly this morning in the Lye Valley, Oxford, the first adult I've ever seen there!
#Recorded #UKWildlife #WildlifePhotos #inverts #OX3
@friendlyevalley.bsky.social @tverc1.bsky.social @upperthames.bsky.social
A pale brown butterfly with white "streaks" through both its upper and hind wings. The edge of the hind wing is tinged orange and it has a small "tail" sticking out near the bottom. It's perched on a piece of dried brown grass, facing to the right of the photo. Its black eye is visible, as are its orange tipped black and white striped antennae. Its legs are also striped. The background is a messy mix of mostly green blades of grass.
August 15, 2025 at 10:23 AM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
I remember it well, though I think I prefer your photo!
August 9, 2025 at 7:32 PM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
My first post for #FlamingoFriday.
Here's a portrait of a Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) preening at Slimbridge Wetland Centre. 😊
#Birds #WildlifePhotos
A closeup photo of the neck, head and beak of a flamingo. The feathers are a mixture of a rich and paler pink, while the top of the large beak is white, its tip is black. It's facing to the right of the photo with only its right eye visible. The background is dark.
August 8, 2025 at 7:38 AM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
For #InternationalOwlAwarenessDay, here's my all time favourite photo of a Little Owl (Athene noctua) taken on the plains near Torresillas de la Tiessa, #Extremadura, SW #Spain. What's not to love about them?
#WildlifePhotos
A small owl with mostly brown and white feathers has its back to the camera, but its head is turned facing the camera. It's eyes are an intense yellow, with black pupils. It's standing on a rounded, white and green lichen covered rock, which steps down on the right of the photo. The background is a mixture of diffuse greens and lighter colours.
August 4, 2025 at 7:17 PM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) resting on a water lily in our back garden this morning.

Caballito del diablo rojo descansando sobre una flor de nenúfar en nuestro jardín trasero esta mañana.

#inverts #odonata #UKWildlife #WildlifePhotos
@britishdragonflies.bsky.social
In the centre of the photo facing right is a red damselfly. It has black markings on its thorax and at the end of its abdomen. It has red eyes and black legs. It's resting on a white petal and behind it to the left are bright yellow anthers, looking a little like flames.
July 13, 2025 at 1:59 PM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Some female Crab spiders have the ability to change colour to match their background, making them a formidable ambush predator of pollinators visiting flowers. This one, waiting on a Marsh Thistle in the @friendlyevalley.bsky.social not so much... 🤣
#inverts #UKWildlife
@britishspiders.bsky.social
A closeup photo of the head of a Marsh Thistle, with multiple deep purple flower buds in varying stages of opening. Under the topmost fully open flower sits a small bright yellow spider with a globular body and legs held above it. The background is a diffuse light green.
June 25, 2025 at 1:23 PM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Delighted to spot this juvenile Ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) in #Monfragüe National Park, #Extremadura, SW #Spain. A protected species here, the adults can grow up to 90cm, and is Europe's largest lizard. Sadly, I haven't seen an adult for over fifteen years now...
#herps #reptiles 🐍
A light green lizard is facing top left, with tail disappearing off the right hand side. It's covered with tiny blue and green "eyes", ringed with angular dark markings. It's on bare earth, and surrounded by dead, light brown grass stems.
June 10, 2025 at 1:59 PM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Waste not, want not!
Something I've never seen before, a Mullein moth (Cucullia verbasci) larva eating its own shed skin!
#inverts #30DaysWild #UKWildlife #TeamMoth #UKButterflies
#BackGardenSafari @upperthames.bsky.social @savebutterflies.bsky.social
A white caterpillar with bright yellow and black markings with black spiky hairs is resting on a light green "furry" leaf. In front of it is the remains of the skin it has just shed. The black markings and hairs are clearly visible.
June 9, 2025 at 9:54 AM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Small Heath | Níspola (Coenonympha pamphilus). A common enough if inconspicuous butterfly, but one I have very photos of. I spotted this one sheltering from the midday heat in #Cornalvo Natural Park, #Extremadura, SW #Spain.
#inverts @europebutterfly.bsky.social #butterfly #WildlifePhotography 📷
A predominantly brown small butterfly is resting on a single green grass stem with its wings closed. A richer brown and an "eye spot" are visible on the forewing, while the bottom of the underwing is a paler grey with a few dark markings. The background is diffuse shades of brown.
June 8, 2025 at 10:51 AM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Just spotted my first Scarlet Tiger moth (Callimorpha dominula) of the year, happily flying along a street in East Oxford. It was the flash of red I noticed, that I couldn't quite make into a butterfly...
#MothsMatter #UKWildlife 📷
@upperthames.bsky.social #Recorded
A triangular shaped moth with black upper wings punctuated with cream spots. I's resting on a dead flower head with browned petals. At the centre bottom of the moth you can just make out a hint of scarlet.
June 6, 2025 at 2:31 PM
drtonygillie.bsky.social
Saint Mathieu lighthouse. It was built in 1835 among the ruins of the ancient Abbaye Saint-Mathieu de Fine-Terre in Finistère. Now an historic monument, and open to the public.

[📷 taken from @brittanyferries.bsky.social Santoña]
#PharosFriday #Lighthouse #France #Brittany
Near the right of the photo is a mostly white cylindrical lighthouse with a red top. To its left is a white rectangular tower, and both are in front of the remains of a ruined abbey. There are some low-rise modern buildings to the left of centre, as well as a red and white striped crane with its jib pointing to the left. There is blue sea in the foreground with a low rocky cliff running the width of the photo. The sky has lots of white clouds.
June 6, 2025 at 10:21 AM