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.

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

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

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

"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

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

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

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 🧵

A puffin putting its #BestFootForward for Alan's #BirdOfTheDay theme today. Farne Islands #UKwildlife #birds

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

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.

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

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

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

#FlyDay sparrowhawk #UKwildlife #birds

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

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.

Looks like good news 🤞 youtube.com/shorts/HqZcj...

THIS IS HUGE!

YouTube video by Protect the Wild

youtube.com

Protect the Wild@protectthewild.bsky.social · 3mo ago

THIS. IS. HUGE. Nature Scot's own scientific advisors say they cannot conclude the hunt would avoid harming the internationally protected gannet colony. And they have recommended the board REFUSE the licence.

A sparrowhawk from back in May with an #EmeraldBackdrop, Alan's theme for #BirdOfTheDay #UKwildlife #birds

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

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

Cinnabar caterpillar traffic jam #UKwildlife #insects #Teammoth Cumbria, UK

⚠️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

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

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

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

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

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

Puffin Colony – LIVE from National Trust Farne Islands 2026

YouTube video by National Trust

m.youtube.com