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David Element

@davidelement.bsky.social
656 followers 174 following 1.6K posts

Photographer, naturalist, author, film-maker, webmaster, ex-chartered scientist. All photos and videos © David Element. No AI! www.davidelement.net www.youtube.com/@DavidPElement www.avalon.red/editorial?blob=at.DA…

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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
First seen in November 2020, Little Egret Egretta garzetta No. 7 is probably blissfully unaware of how much pleasure local birdwatchers derive out of seeing him reappear in a small London park after a 6-month breeding season hiatus each year #birds. He made a dramatic reappearance this morning.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
I have sent you a DM Rachel (on the 'other channel')!
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
A soporific 2025D Red Fox Vulpes vulpes vixen, now 19 months old, taking a rest early this morning. She is currently asleep in a plant trough.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Two juvenile Eurasian Hobbies Falco subbuteo, still present on a pylon above a small London nature park yesterday morning #birds.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Common Darter Dragonflies Sympetrum striolatum flying in tandem in a small London park yesterday. Cropped, as off centre in frame. Manual focussing was used.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
A Common Darter Dragonfly Sympetrum striolatum patrolling in a small London park yesterday. There are still quite a lot of these late summer dragonflies around, something that will be of benefit to the juvenile Eurasian Hobbies Falco subbuteo waiting to depart on their long migration.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
This rather bizarre sight is a male Common Blackbird Turdus merula that hadn't quite finished moulting yet #birds! Note the feather sheaths. Photographed yesterday in a small London park. As shot, and cropped. He will look far more handsome once his remaining feathers have grown!
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Indeed. A great week - six species of raptor have been seen locally since 16th September (not all by me), including 3 Hobbies and 2 Peregrines. All in urban London.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
#BirdOfTheDay theme today is raptors, so here are 3 falcon species, all seen on the same London pylon this am. A well hidden Eurasian Hobby Falco subbuteo, a female Common Kestrel F. tinnunculus realising the implications of a notice, and an inelegant take-off by a female Peregrine F. peregrinus!
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Thanks Mark!
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
You need to see this photo cropped to be able to determine what was happening #birds. The Carrion Crow Corvus corone adopted a 'divide and rule' approach by dislodging one of the pair of juvenile Eurasian Hobbies Falco subbuteo from its perch above the pylon above a London wildlife park this am.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Firmly in the "I didn't expect to see this today" category, a female Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus being 'mobbed' (something of an exaggeration) by an irate Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea in a small London park this morning. She was unmoved #birds!
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
As shot, and cropped - a confrontation between 2 juvenile Eurasian Hobbies Falco subbuteo, perched on a pylon above a small London nature park (a third was nearby), and a Carrion Crow Corvus corone that had taken exception to their presence. 6 species of raptor have been seen in the area this week.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Another (cropped) image of the Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus tiercel from 16th September @johnboorman.bsky.social. The falling, rather featureless feather (a useful clue to their presence) may have belonged to a recent victim rather than to him, or it may have been dislodged by preening.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
This Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus tiercel perched, uninterrupted by corvids, on this pylon above small London park for at least 28 minutes on 16th September. The buffish tint on his breast suggests that he may be a new (definitely unringed) visitor @johnboorman.bsky.social.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
I have been busy building up my on-line portfolio at Avalon recently, hence the lack of recent activity on this platform. Please use this link If you would like to visit it: www.avalon.red/editorial?bl... . I have also been adding new pages to my web site.
avalon.red
Avalon Licensing Ltd | Photos, news, video
Avalon.red is a photo agency offering a library of stock photography including news, entertainment, paparazzi, music, interiors, travel, nature, wildlife and much more.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
An exquisitely marked, freshly emerged second brood Lace Border Moth Scopula ornata, a Nationally Scarce A day-flying species photographed on 9th September at a sadly declining North Downs habitat where butterflies and other insects used to be far more diverse and abundant.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
A stunning, freshly emerged Brown China-mark Moth Elophila nymphaeata, photographed on 1st September during a wet, dull and mostly cloudy week spent in Mid-Wales. There were very few moths about, or insects for that matter. A quite distinctive, and relatively large micro-moth.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
The 2023F Red Fox Vulpes vulpes having a scratch this morning. He is at least four-and-a-half years old, and the father of two litters (in 2024 & 2025). His mate (the 2023G vixen) is presumed to have died after she had produced her third family early this year, so their cubs couldn't have survived.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Unfortunately, having access to a keyboard doesn't necessarily indicate that the operator possesses an in-depth knowledge of the environment. Catastrophising nature is far too fashionable during the 'silly season'. It isn't as though there aren't plenty of genuinely important news stories to report
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
I had noticed this! There is a very good reason why we only eat and cultivate a very small proportion of, or parts of the plants that we encounter. Rhubarb leaves come to mind as a probable lesson learned in the past...
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Relative risk: Fatal dog bites in the UK historically averaged about 3 to 4 deaths per year, but recent data shows a sharp rise to roughly 16 to 20 fatalities annually.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
To quote AI!: "There are no official annual statistics for hemlock water dropwort fatalities in the UK because human deaths from this plant are exceptionally rare, typically averaging close to zero per annum."
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
It's all the deaths that have worried me!! Proper risk-assessments would take account of the likeliness of an event actually happening. Usual summertime silly season 'red-top'-type nonsense!! Wouldn't it be nice if evidence-based stories were printed instead, and written by knowledgeable authors?
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Relative risk: Fatal dog bites in the UK historically averaged about 3 to 4 deaths per year, but recent data shows a sharp rise to roughly 16 to 20 fatalities annually.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
To quote AI!: "There are no official annual statistics for hemlock water dropwort fatalities in the UK because human deaths from this plant are exceptionally rare, typically averaging close to zero per annum."
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
It's all the deaths that have worried me!! Proper risk-assessments would take account of the likeliness of an event actually happening. Usual summertime silly season 'red-top'-type nonsense!! Wouldn't it be nice if evidence-based stories were printed instead, and written by knowledgeable authors?
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Portrait of the 2025D Red Fox Vulpes vulpes vixen from earlier today. The foxes are clearly enjoying the cooler weather as three were seen this morning.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
A inquisitive European Robin Erithacus rubecula from this morning #birds. Photographed in a small London park. I hadn't seen this bird for a while.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Thanks Donna!
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
The 2022C Red Fox Vulpes vulpes vixen has been present all day. She is the longest authenticated survivor of the locally born cubs, at 4 1/2 years of age. Always submissive to the local (unrelated) social group until this year when she paired with the 2024B dog fox and produced (as yet unseen) cubs.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Easily the pick of the photos taken during a brief visit to a small London park earlier today, a patrolling male Common Darter Dragonfly Sympetrum striolatum.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
I have just uploaded this new film of a juvenile female Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis, disgorging a pellet, and fishing in the company of a male Common Blackbird Turdus merula: youtu.be/5OxvgHaDq8U?...
youtu.be
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
This newly uploaded film illustrates a juvenile female Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis preening in a small London park: youtu.be/lVA525NhkUI?...
youtu.be
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 15/08/2026
I hadn't see the 2025D Red Fox Vulpes vulpes vixen since 7th July, but she turned up looking fit and well this morning. She is the youngest of the five regular visitors at 18 months of age. She may have been avoiding the heat - and her larger and more aggressive older brother!
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I have just uploaded this film illustrating the reproductive behaviour of Banded Demoiselles Calopteryx splendens, including oviposition on YouTube: youtu.be/_2lH_Lz7_Uc?...
youtu.be
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I have just uploaded this new film to YouTube illustrating a Dunnock Prunella modularis sunbathing and preening on a hot day #birds: youtu.be/m9gILZ_yN-E
youtu.be
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I have just posted this new video, illustrating Painted Lady Butterflies Vanessa cardui feeding on Hemlock Water Dropwort Oenanthe crocata, a valuable source of nectar for these long-distance migrants: youtu.be/80ZfHvs4Y4A
youtu.be
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I have just uploaded this new film, illustrating Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo males displaying in a small London park: youtu.be/gZdH2DL6-5w?... to YouTube. .
youtu.be
Beautiful Demoiselle Caloperyx virgo males displaying in a small London Park
YouTube video by David Element
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I have just posed this new video, illustrating Painted Lady Butterflies Vanessa cardui feeding on Hemlock Water Dropwort Oenanthe crocata, a valuable source of nectar for these long-distance migrants: youtu.be/80ZfHvs4Y4A
youtu.be
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
I have jusy uploaded this new film to YouTube illustrating a Dunnock Prunella modularis sunbathing and preening on a hot day #birds: youtu.be/m9gILZ_yN-E
youtu.be
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Most of the wildlife had already taken umbrage by the time that I photographed this male Common Darter Dragonfly Sympetrum striolatum alighting on a perch in a small (and very hot) London park this morning.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Photographed in natural light, but with a background of deeply shaded water, a male Common Darter Dragonfly Sympetrum striolatum that was perching above the chalk stream in a small London park late this morning.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Don't forget the Perseid meteor shower tonight. No moonlight interference!
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Nice!
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
I have just posted some - all taken safely!
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
This evening's partial solar eclipse, as seen from London.
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
I have just uploaded a revised version of this web page illustrating Ruddy Darter Dragonflies Sympetrum sanguineum with an entirely new selection of photographs: www.davidelement.net/dragonflies1....
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David Element @davidelement.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
Patrolling male Common Darter Dragonfly Sympetrum striolatum. Photographed in a small London park a couple of days ago.
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