Whirligig

It’s been a one thing after another day. But I briefly took some time out in the back garden.

During the early part of the first lockdown, when we got to know the garden rather well, we noticed the hoverflies. I don’t know the species, they are large (bee sized) and at this time of year engage in what I presume is some form of courtship display. This involves briefly hovering over the lawn at about my height or a few feet higher, and then suddenly in a burst of real speed changing position. Occasionally they came up close to inspect me. The challenge I set myself was to photograph them, in focus. This is not easy.

Rather more accommodating was a comma butterfly, which landed and sat patiently whilst I moved towards it (extra). A queen wasp was also very accommodating. So accommodating that I found her upstairs in the house later - I encouraged her out of an open window. And frustratingly a brimstone butterfly fluttered into the garden, a first, but did not pause.

All of which helpfully distracted me from an otherwise full on day.