Another low level sighting of a male Brown Hairstreak Butterfly Thecla betulae. He had descended to feed by a chalk stream at 10:00 am in a small London park yesterday morning. The third recent record there.

@davidelement.bsky.social: support here on the flea treatment issue from a House of Lords committee - while Wildlife Trusts want to go further.

Doug Parr@dougparr.bsky.social · 19h ago

The Wildlife Trusts are calling for a complete ban on 5 dangerous chemicals “Two sugar cubes of the concentrated active ingredient imidacloprid would be enough to exceed the predicted no-effect concentration in about 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools” www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Lots of fresh Red Admiral Butterflies Vanessa atalanta flying at the moment. Photographs of these butterflies generally produce a more accurate rendition of their colours if they are slightly underexposed.

The 2022C Red Fox Vulpes vulpes vixen is the oldest fox for which I have been able to confirm an exact age, having been born in February of that year. It is always useful to obtain reference photos illustrating dentition. Canine decay/loss is likely to be life-limiting if a fox cannot defend itself

This was only my second 2026 sighting of a Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly Aglais urticae. This once common species has become elusive, probably due to parasitism of the larvae by Sturmia bella tachinid flies that reached the UK earlier this century. Anthropogenic climate change may be implicated too.

The Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens is another insect that is aesthetically pleasing. It has been around for a great deal longer than we have. This beauty is functional (for courtship) and their vision, through compound eye facets, detects a different range of wavelengths to our own.

I have an unabashed love of Red Admiral Butterflies Vanessa atalanta, one of nature's most perfect designs. These two recently emerged examples were taking salts in a small London park yesterday. Note the subtle differences between the patterns of the white and blue spots on their forewings.

This short excerpt from a longer film shows the reaction of a sunbathing juvenile female Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus to one of her siblings flying above her head yesterday evening #birds. Shown in real time, and then at one quarter speed.

I have been adding a significant number of new photographs to my on-line gallery recently if anyone would like to see them: www.avalon.red/editorial?bl....

As shot, and cropped photograph of one of the juvenile female Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus from earlier this evening #birds. Putting on a good show in quite wonderful light.

The tatty aberrant female Gatekeeper Butterfly Pyronia tithonus ab. albinotica was present again in a small London park this morning in exactly the same location as a couple of days ago. Still only possible to photographed her from a distance, but a sharper image this time. Significantly cropped.

I have just uploaded this film of a freshly emerged female Brown Hairstreak Butterfly Thecla betulae feeding on Creeping Thistle Cirsium arvense and opening her wings to reveal her lovely orange patches: youtu.be/F7gQaaJtaSg?....

One of those moments that you hope might happen but can never predict - a gorgeous, freshly emerged female Brown Hairstreak Butterfly Thecla betulae had just flown towards me, and settled. Then she did this! Filmed in a small London park this am @rlewington2.bsky.social @markbravery.bsky.social .

A male Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens alighting above a chalk stream in a small London park yesterday.

A curiosity from today - a tatty aberrant female Gatekeeper Butterfly Pyronia tithonus ab. albinotica, photographed from a distance in a small London park @markbravery.bsky.social. The first image has been cropped.

I have just uploaded this film of a male Brown Hairstreak Butterfly Thecla betulae drinking from a chalk stream @markbravery.bsky.social @rlewington2.bsky.social @ukbutterflies.bsky.social, taken this am: youtu.be/9Y-CYk65OLs?.... It is possible that this behaviour may not have been filmed before.

One of London's influx of Lesser Emperor Dragonflies Anax parthenope from a couple of days ago. This tricky to photograph migrant is rapidly becoming established as a new breeding species in the UK, in consequence of anthropogenic climate change. Impossible to tell if this one had emerged here.

A Jersey Tiger Moth Euplagia quadripunctaria, one of two photographed feeding on Creeping Thistle Cirsium arvense in a small London park this morning. Brighter and more colourful than many butterflies - when their hindwings are exposed!

I have just uploaded this new video illustrating Red veined Darter Dragonflies Sympetrum fonscolombii youtu.be/HfuCpRqi09I?... via @YouTube

A female Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens alighting on a Stinging Nettle Urtica dioica in a small London park on 8th July. Best not to rely on autofocussing for a shot like this, and a high ISO and shutter speed are needed to freeze the action and maximise depth of field.

A failed attempt by a female Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens to oust another female from her chosen perch. Photographed on 8th July in a small London park, where this species has been having a good year (despite significant predation by House Sparrows Passer domesticus).

A male Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens displaying in a small London park on 8th July. They are truly stunning insects.

Perhaps not as exotic as the Golden-ringed Dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii that was seen in the same location two years ago, but another addition to the species seen on the storm-felled tree in a small London park - a beautiful teneral female Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator.

Initially believed to have been a juvenile, but possibly a moulting adult Eurasian Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus given the tatty state of its plumage, emerging briefly from the reedbed in a small London park on 10th July #birds. Either way, an obliging subject!

Manual focussing was used to capture this image of a Grey Heron Ardea cinerea diving down to catch a fish yesterday #birds, as there was every likelihood of the wing-movement disrupting the auto-focussing mechanism.

Probably classifiable as an 'overmature' male Black-tailed Skimmer Dragonfly Orthetrum cancellatum, as blue pruinescence has covered his eponymous feature. Photographed yesterday in a London park. These highly active dragonflies usually settle on the ground close to water-bodies.

Remarkably, every Red-veined Darter Dragonfly Sympetrum fonscolombii that I photographed today was in pristine condition, with no evidence of any wing damage. This was also true when I last photographed this species on 1st June. I have been told that there may have been 3 waves of migration in 2026.

Red-veined Darters Sympetrum fonscolombii pairing in London today. If a summer UK generation is successfully produced, is there any possibility of mating occurring with the survivors of the immigration, and two generations therefore overlapping @marcheath.bsky.social @rlewington2.bsky.social?

Two of the juvenile Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus at sunset this evening #birds. They were much energised by a gusty wind, and flying overhead, often at breakneck speed!

One of the juvenile female Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus arriving with a Feral Pigeon Columba livia meal yesterday evening. Possibly caught by her (note feathers on bill), or delivered by a parent. I have just uploaded this film of Peregrines in action: youtu.be/Hyn0XCORbaI?....