10 May 2009
A glorious day, spent with BBQ and pond watching. Some huge Diving Beetle adults, Water Boatmen and these Damselflies. They are the Large Red Damselfly, though Tom thought they looked pretty small - fair comment. Told by size (unless you are six years old) and the yellowy stripes on the fat bit of it's body (antehumeral stripes don't yer know).
These two are at it ! (and remained so for 15 minutes - as a percentage of their life as an adult that's the equivalent of humans doing it for 17 days non stop ! )
You can see the yellow stripes here and it's red body with black tail markings (obviously having a rest). 
The pond was also an attraction for bathing and sun basking birds. Below a Blackbird having a bath and a Dunnock catching some rays and airing out it's feathers. This helps them with feather maintenance and parasite control.
A Fluffed up Dunnock
A bathing Blackbird
