Green Goddess

This gorgeous female metallic green demoiselle flitted past ...with me in hot pursuit. The males were numerous and very conspicuous because of their colour but the females blended into the grassy stems around.

Following a bit of a dilema with a goldfinch on the loose which seemed to go everywhere but out of the door I gave up and went on Tewkesbury Ham to walk the camera!

Bending over in the grass I heard a voice behind me, 'You're the best thing I've seen on this walk all day!' from a very sergeant major type! Giving a slightly nervous falsetto laugh I jumped up and belted on my way!!

Did get a few shots of a white-legged damsel two spotted crane-flies mating and a small tortoiseshell butterfly but I like this because of the colours! It's Britain's largest damselfly and fairly common from early summer and it probably likes the fast flowing Severn with it's muddy banks because it's the perfect breeding ground. They catch small insects on the wing - great because I was getting bitten to death, have specialised legs for perching but cannot walk.

The Ham right in front of Tewkesbury Abbey was perfect this evening and when the abbey bells tolled with the peals rolling over the meadow, it was incredibly atmospheric. Reminded me somewhat of the TV drama Cadfael with Derek Jacobi - but no dead bodies as far as I know!