Dragonfly Heaven

I had a great day on a mini blipmeet with friend and work colleague PaulKnowles at the Thursley National Nature Reserve near Elstead in Surrey.   The reserve is known for having the largest number of dragonfly and damsel fly species in the country, and today they were out in force.

I spotted this pair mating - a little later they wer to be seen flitting around the pond with the one at the back (the male?) dipping his abdomen into the water: apparently they lay their eggs underwater where they eventually hatch.

We also spotted a couple of  lizards, though they were very flighty.  Some more shots in extras.

Eventually we headed back into Elstead for a welcome ice cream (it was scorching) before finishing our photo jaunt at Waverley Abbey on the way back to Farnham, before finally deciding that the heat was too much and heading our separate ways home.