Pond skater and lily pad, Rydal

Please view LARGE - as small is so unimpressive!

Took the group to Rydal today, where we spent the day photographing wild garlic flowers, Weevils, Butterflies, Bluebells, Fungi and all sorts. Towards the latter part of the afternoon, I found some pond skaters at the edge of the late skitting about - our attempts at photographing them were first foiled by an unattended golden retriever that came bounding through our tripods and careered into the water in front of us, scattering the pond skaters. Eventually the dog was called by it's owner (without an apology) and the pond skaters gradually returned. As they weren't too close to the edge of the lake,

I shot this one on a 300mm lens with extension tubes, to bring the close-focus in a little, and rather liked the way the reflections of the lily pad looks like ink drops in the water round the leaf's perimeter.