the writing's on the fall

...a really wet and windy autumn day. Woke up to drizzle, followed by torrential rain and gales, then it dried up and even brightened up, but it was a false alarm as the rain and wind returned by tea time and has continued all evening.

During the short period of more clement weather, we enjoyed a pleasant, albeit short, walk through our local nature reserve. In complete contrast to yesterday, there was very little happening but, on closer inspection, most of the sunny smooth hawk's-beard flowers contained one small fly or another. This is a male Sphaerophoria scripta which sometimes goes by the common name Long Hoverfly because his body is longer than his wings. My choice of heavy vignette has helped to make the light look much better than it really was...