The best reader photos of 2009

Goldfinches on catkins by gatehousestudio on March 4, 2009 Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Snowdrops by R. Myers on February 22, 2009 Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Salads by OrangeJuiceH on March 12, 2009 Photograph: guardian.co.uk

A common blue butterfly taken on June 6, 2009 Photograph: guardian.co.uk

A painted lady taken on May 29, 2009. Last month, millions of painted lady butterflies reached the UK's shores after an epic migration from the Atlas Mountains of North Africa Photograph: guardian.co.uk

This is one species we can't identify here at Guardian towers, taken on May 21, 2009 Answers on a postcard to our blog please Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Long-tailed tits by Laura Whitehead Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Winner: Greenfinches by Johnmullin. For more on the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch click here. Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Blue tit by stuartgeeves Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Katie Fuller's photo of the blue-tailed damselfly was voted by guardian.co.uk/environment readers to be the winner of our garden wildlife photo competition that ran alongside the RSPB's Make Your Nature Count event Photograph: guardian.co.uk

mrnelson
Baby snail, June 7, 2009 Photograph: guardian.co.uk

The Krankis
The metallic green thick-legged flower beetle (Oedemera nobilis) on a flower, June 13, 2009 Photograph: guardian.co.uk

alceda
Under the nettle leaf. It's bug eat bug out there. The ladybird larva has her lunch organised, but there seems to be another confrontation going on at the tip of the leaf too, June 15, 2009 Photograph: guardian.co.uk

From Louise Rouse Photograph: guardian.co.uk

Climate Action Day in Brussels. ACT NOW is the slogan of The Big Ask Photograph: guardian.co.uk

GreenFinger is a viral climate change change campaign Photograph: guardian.co.uk

From dwelldeep Photograph: guardian.co.uk

'Someone at the council got a little bit crazy with the cycle lane planning. It kind of makes sense. Whatever the logic behind all this, the upshot is that two lanes of traffic on what is supposed to be one of London's bike arteries have to cross over each other face to face. Great work council guy! The right conclusion to draw from this is that segregated cycle lanes of this kind are a bad idea. There are already plenty of serious studies showing just how bad an idea, for various reasons; this photo can be added lightly to the pile.' From Tom Anderson Photograph: Tom Anderson/guardian.co.uk

'Firstly, it should be safe. And secondly, it should be easy to use, therefore making the road easier to use.' From blackpuddinonnabike Photograph: blackpuddinonnabike/guardian.co.uk

'Day 21: Not the worst example of a so-called cycle path, but only by virtue of it providing a 10-mile shortcut. (National Cycle Route 1)' From moragcasey Photograph: moragcasey/guardian.co.uk

'This farcical cycle path measures a massive 32ft 5in long. This one must be unique in having a two-way system, small enough for a head on handlebar collision should two bikes pass. It leads straight onto the junction of a main road at one end, and a pedestrian pavement at the other.' From phill.d Photograph: phill.d/guardian.co.uk

'Luckily, this section of cycle lane is only about 300 yards long, as there is no indication that you are going to round a bend and come across a complete dead end.' From houseofrock Photograph: houseofrock/guardian.co.uk