David Element

Female Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens returning to her perch in a small London park this morning. Often, these predatory damselflies will fly up and return with a tiny insect in their jaws.

Male Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens returning to his perch after a brief display flight in a small London park this morning.

Male Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens displaying in a small London park on 8th August. These insects are simply exquisite.

A male Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens about to alight after a typically brief display flight in a small London park on 8th August. Another stunning insect, and a personal favourite.

One of my favourite insects, a gorgeous Red Admiral Butterfly Vanessa atalanta from this morning. Perfection!

The 2025D juvenile Red Fox Vulpes vulpes vixen, enjoying the warm sunshine yesterday afternoon.

Correction: Now known as Roeseliana roeselii.

Correction: Now known as Roeseliana roeselii.

Correction: Now known as Roeseliana roeselii.

Thank you!

"Well, can't we at least discuss the targets that we failed to meet since our last meeting, and all of the targets that we are about to set, and fail to meet, by the next meeting please?!"

Uncertain if this silent Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti, seen in a small London park on 5th August is one of this year's youngsters #birds, but if it is, this vindicates the decision to put an unofficial voluntary 'exclusion zone' around a nest that had been built close to a well-used public path.

Another photograph of the 2025A Red Fox Vulpes vulpes juvenile vixen keeping herself cool yesterday.

The comparatively rare sight (in my experience) of seeing a Red Fox Vulpes vulpes panting in hot weather. The 2025A juvenile vixen was feeling the heat yesterday afternoon! Foxes are unable to cool themselves down by sweating, so panting aids thermoregulation.

Another portrait from the sequence of the 2025D Red Fox Vulpes vulpes juvenile vixen, taken on the afternoon of 5th August.

More photographs of the 2025D Red Fox Vulpes vulpes juvenile vixen enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sunshine on 5th August.

The 2025D Red Fox Vulpes vulpes juvenile vixen enjoying the afternoon sunshine on 5th August.

Roesel's Bush Crickets Metrioptera roeselii can produce longer-winged migratory generations during hot weather - enabling them to spread their range quickly if climatic conditions are favourable. Despite the recent heat, this male's wings are of conventional length.

Roesel's Bush Crickets Metrioptera roeselli rarely display themselves as clearly as this male, found basking in early morning sunshine. This was one of the earliest insects to colonise the UK in response to anthropogenic climate change, spreading rapidly during the late 1970s...

Another survivor of the mow was this male Roesel's Bush Cricket Metrioptera roeselii. Both this species and the Long-winged Cone-head had effectively been eliminated from the park until unmown areas were left. More sympathetic mowing has enabled their reestablishment at the site.

The importance of leaving marginal vegetation when mowing. It is likely that the operator of a mechanical mower was entirely oblivious of the carnage that would have been caused to Long-winged Cone-heads Conocephalus fuscus and other invertebrates in a small London park recently.

An impromptu improvement to the plot of Oliver Twist in a small London park this morning #birds, when a male Carrion Crow Corvus corone took exception to, flipped over and pinned down one of his demanding chicks! This sequence was taken in under one minute, lesson learnt, no damage done!

I have little desire to appear in any of my videos, but occasionally one has little choice in the matter, as was the case here, when a male Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo elected to use my hat as a prominent position to display in an attempt to entice females!

Female and male Banded Demoiselles Calopteryx splendens. Photographed yesterday morning in a small London park.

The presence of several feather-sheaths on the head of this rather tatty Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita suggest that this may be an adult approaching the end of its summer moult #birds - but juveniles also undergo a partial moult. Photo taken yesterday in a small London park.

Southern Bee Chafer Trichius gallicus, photographed in the Dordogne on 11th July. One of several similar European species.

I have just added this new web page to my web site illustrating Red-veined Darter Dragonflies Sympetrum fonscolombii, photographed in the UK: davidelement.net/dragonflies6....

I have also been updating existing web pages and adding some new ones: davidelement.net/index.htm.

I have been adding new material to my on-line Avalon Gallery, which may be seen by using this link: avalon.red/editorial?bl....

Thank you - much appreciated!