Dragonfly

Despite yesterday's traffic nightmare on the M2, I took a chance on the traffic today to head down to Tyland's Barn near Maidstone for coffee.  Maybe after the heat of yesterday, everyone else decided to stay home as we had an pleasant traffic-free journey and enjoyed our coffee on the patio surrounded by wild flowers and the distant sound of happy children enjoying an outdoor birthday party with pond dipping, bug hunting and other interesting (and educational!) activities - what a great idea!

Afterwards we headed to the pond where one of the rangers clearing up after the pond dipping showed us some of their finds, which included what she thought might be a great crested newt, before releasing them back into the pond.

There were masses of mating damselflies plus a couple of dragonflies flitting around. I think this one was laying her eggs in the water while a blue damselfly dive bombed her.