Tony Beales
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tonybeales.bsky.social
Tony Beales
@tonybeales.bsky.social
1.9K followers 880 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
Red squirrel portrait
Not sure if this is an early #SundaySquirrel or late for #SquirrelSaturday. I guess it depends where and when you see this.
#UKwildlife #mammals
Head shot of a red squirrel leaning forwards in profile. The side of its face is lit by sunshine and the background is deep shadow.
November 29, 2025 at 11:05 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
#Gannets seems to have been my theme for the week, but it is also Rob's theme for today's #BirdOfTheDay, so here's another, this time an early morning gannet in flight at Bempton Cliffs
#UKwildlife #birds
Young gannet mostly in silhouette, viewed from above flying with wings outstretched over a sea of golden bokeh from the reflected dawn sun
November 29, 2025 at 2:15 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
I've gone for gannets again for Rob's #HeadShots theme for #BirdOfTheDay. The #Mr&Mrs theme the other day got me looking at my gannet shots again, and I thought I would try a lighter, softer edit for this one.
📍 Bempton Cliffs
#UKwildlife #birds
A light, soft head shot of two gannets billing against a pale background of reflected light from the sea with a little soft bokeh.
November 27, 2025 at 11:53 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Red squirrel wondering if he's just spotted his bossy brother or timid sister
📍Cumbria, UK
#UKwildlife #mammals
Red squirrel leaning forwards over a gnarly tree stump with an intent stare, one paw clutched to its chest. Its mouth gives the impression of a smile. The background is a blurred mix of green, purple, grey, and yellow.
November 27, 2025 at 8:50 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Happy #ThursJay to all
Remember all #corvids qualify, not just jays
📍Cumbria, UK
#UKwildlife #birds
Eurasian jay perched on a post, looking half back over its shoulder, one eye towards the camera. Its head and breast are lit by the sun.
November 27, 2025 at 8:28 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
A pair of gannets for Rob's #Mr&Mrs #BirdOfTheDay theme
A pair of gannets perched on a rock, the female looking down while leaning sudeways into the male's breast, and the male resting its beak on the female's head.
November 23, 2025 at 4:02 PM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Another #SundaySquirrel ready for action - or nuts
Cumbrian red squirrel
#UKwildlife #mammals
Eye level close up of a red squirrel facing the camera on mossy grass against a blurred yellow-green background, and with blurred sticks in the foreground.
November 23, 2025 at 8:47 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
#SundaySquirrel is here again
I have been back with the red squirrels ♥️ this week after a long break for various reasons.
This is one of three siblings that visit our feeder.
Pleased with this shot - it only posed for a moment!
📍Cumbria, UK
#UKwildlife #mammals
Red squirrel on a dead branch which has a little frozen snow on it. The squirrel is looking half right with one eye towards the camera. The background is blurred yellow autumn foliage.
November 23, 2025 at 8:16 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
It seems to be a very long time since I photographed a #birdonawire, Alan's #BirdOfTheDay theme for today, so here's a yellowhammer on our garden fence from a few years back.
📍Cumbria, UK
#UKwildlife #birds
A yellowhammer, streaked yellow and brown, in profile perched on a wire, against a background of brown-green tree trunks and yellow-green foliage.
November 22, 2025 at 9:44 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Here is a beautifully dainty kittiwake for Alan's #BirdOfTheDay #shadesofgrey theme with more complementary shades of grey in the surrounding rocks. This lovely gull is in trouble, red listed, with the UK breeding population nearly halved over the last 50 years or so.
#UKwildlife #birds
A kittiwake perched on a rock ledge, head turned half back over its shoulder. Its yellow beak and the thin ring of red around its eye stand out in a photo mainly consisting of shades of grey.
November 16, 2025 at 10:06 AM
tonybeales.bsky.social
Here's a moorhen for Rob's #BirdOfTheDay theme of #CootsAndMoorhens.
Strange looking birds!
#UKwildlife #birds
Close up of a moorhen facing the camera. Most prominent in the photo is its red and yellow beak which extends from between its eyes.
November 15, 2025 at 9:25 AM
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