Hawker Dragonfly

The name of this species of hawker is Southern Aeshna (Aeshna cyanea). I was walking round the garden after having just spoken to N by telephone (he's still up in Bristol) when I suddenly espied this enormous insect on the Beech hedge! Dashed inside to get the camera and it remained there. It was very difficult to get a good shot since the background is so busy hence the incomplete wings in the photograph!

Not a good day, as yesterday N's aunt's neighbour in Devon phoned to say that Auntie E had been found collapsed in her bungalow by the community nurse and was on her way to Derriford Hospital in an ambulance where in the A & E department they diagnosed a massive stroke. At a quarter past one this morning a hospital nurse phoned to say she had mercifully passed away oblivious of her surroundings. Luckily I had been able to warn N about his aunt's state yesterday so the news was not too much of a shock, but poor T who was so close to his great aunt was very upset. Auntie E was 90 (she had a very young active mind) and her husband had only died a couple of months previously. They will be missed.

The rest of the day was taken up with official phone calls to Devon.

Thank you so much for your kind comments and encouragement regarding N. It really does help.