Female Southern Hawker

I was pumping water from the spring when I notice this dragonfly emerging from the water. I reached out a twig to it and it clapped. I put on the bank and stuck a dead branch into the mud so it had something to climb up. It was there for at least forty minutes as its wings swelled and stiffened. A lizard passed by but it would have been a big job.

The pond is very active with dragonfly larvae which keep the mosquito larvae under control. I’ve never seen one emerge as it metamorphoses.

A warmer day up into the low thirties. I keep harvesting hazel nuts which are having an amazing year.

Came across a bottle of wine I made two years ago from our own grapes. Decanted it looked pretty decent and tasted ok. A pleasant surprise.