Shropshire snapper captures amazing photographs of flycatcher bird eating butterfly mid‑air

A spotted flycatcher bird has been caught on camera by a Shropshire photographer, snatching a painted lady butterfly in mid-air.

The remarkable moment was captured in Cefn Einion, near the Shropshire–Wales border, by wildlife photographer Andrew Fusek‑Peters, who described the scene as “a tiny bird with a big butterfly”.

The flycatcher, weighing just 15 grams, seized the brightly coloured butterfly while darting across a garden, carrying it back to its nest to feed its young.

The species is the last to breed in the British summer, arriving from Europe in late May before departing for tropical and southern Africa in early autumn.

Andrew, 61, said the birds often choose unusual nesting spots, including door hinges and even his electric meter.

As fledging approaches, adults bring larger prey to their chicks - making the protein‑rich painted lady a prized catch.

Painted lady butterflies themselves undertake an extraordinary multi‑generational migration between Britain and Africa.

“They breed here and head south again. They do it over six generations and it always amazes me how they do it,” Andrew said.

“The desire to breed to make a new life is quite positive. But the poor things travel all that way to get eaten by a spotted flycatcher.”