Out of the wind it was a lovely sunny afternoon yesterday and a good one for dragon spotting at DENR. This lovely site has four ponds that attract many different species and yesterday was a good one. During my visit I saw two blue tailed damselflies on different ponds. Its regarded as one of the commonest species but I have not seen it in great numbers anywhere.
And in evidence - its golden wing showing clearly the four spots that give it the name - Libellula quadrimaculata. Books say its is a rather dull chaser but that is only true in its later days and right now it had a lovely golden glow. 
Another chaser on the wing - the male broad bodied chaser. The female is a gold colour but the male has this soft blue pruinescence. The dark patches at the wing base and its broad shape make it easy to identify. 
Also on the wing were two hairy dragonflies but they were not keen to be photographed and refused to perch for me to take a shot. There were many azures at all stages of their development and very many large red damselflies. I am trying to see the different variations within each species this year and was pleased to get a shot of this rather oddly shaped female. I wonder if she is just perching this way or was born this way or got injured somehow. She is interesting because she has two yellow antehumeral stripes and the black markings on her abdomen suggest she is a type known as fulvipes as opposed to the more common typica. A very nice way to spend a sunny afternoon.
