Late lunch

I was slow to get moving this morning, and it was early afternoon before I made it down to the river at Cleeve Prior Mill. Every time I visit the site now I’m hoping to see either the first Scarce Chaser or the first White-legged Damselfly of the season, both of them having been there in good numbers last year – but yet again today I failed to find either. It wouldn’t be true to say that I was disappointed though, because there were plenty of Banded Demoiselles zooming about – upwards of forty now, I think – and also several Large Red and Blue-tailed Damselflies. And to my surprise I also found a fresh female Red-eyed Damselfly, which was a species I didn’t record at Cleeve Prior last season, though I did see a few Small Red-eyes at the Community Orchard. 

Also looking fresh – and very more relaxed about me photographing her than the Red-eyed Damselfly – was this Banded Demoiselle, who was so enjoying her late lunch of Fly (indeterminable) that she let me walk right up to her and aim the macro, without so much as twitching. In the end I was so close that I had to keep changing my angle so as not to block the light, and she still kept chewing unconcernedly. I’ve elected not to use one of the images involving bits of spat out leg and wing, because I feel this would be a poor way to repay her – I mean, which of us would choose to be seen in public with our lunch all over our face? And as we all know, the internet never forgets.

R: L2, C9, D6.