I set off for the pond this week hoping to see my first emperor dragonfly (Anax imperator) of the season and I wasn't disappointed. I found this well-camouflaged female resting (briefly) away from the water. I managed these photos before she resumed hunting. She shows the less common blue female colouration - usually the abdomen is green.
There were also several males patrolling the margins of the ponds but they never rested while I was watching. I managed just one flight shot vaguely in focus but I'll have another go next week.
I also saw a male broad-bodied chaser, now showing some blue colour on his abdomen but still not mature.
There were still lots of four-spotted chasers
and very many damselflies - large red, common blue, azure and blue-tailed as in recent weeks.
A new butterfly this week was a large skipper. This one is male.
And a new moth was a cinnabar moth. It is day-flying and its colours warn potential predators that it is poisonous.
Another little beast was this sawfly.
New flowers this week included tufted vetch,
hawkweed,
and this orchid which my friend Dave tells me is a pyramidal orchid.
I heard the long-tailed tits in the hedge before I saw them. There were lots of recently fledged young in the group.
The Canada goslings are growing up fast.
They had a dabbling lesson
and then a bit of communal preening
while dad was doing a few yoga exercises.
A pair of mallards was flitting about between the two ponds but with no sign of young.
Other birds seen or heard included grey heron, green woodpecker, swallow, lesser whitethroat and willow warbler. I also had a brief glimpse of a hare but could only see its ears before it ran off so still no photo this year. Maybe next time.
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