The Dragon among the damsels

Ran about 10-11 miles today, took me about 1:35 anyway, out to Hawton then across to Farndon and back along the river. That route.

In Willow Holt, the sun was out and in that delightfully attractive meadow, the second field along, the Meadow Browns were out in abundance, as well as the mousier brown ringlets. Everywhere there was vegeation today, all along the river, there were Meadow Browns, as well as some specimens with slightly thicker dark edging to the wings that I figured might be Gatekeepers.

But once I'm running, I don't like to break my rhythym for anything unless it's a real beaut to look at - when you stop when you're running that far it gets harder and harder to get going again. But I did briefly, as I ran along the stretch of river across from the Gotham City construction of Staythorpe Power Station.

On that section of path, the Common Blue Darters were about but in huge numbers - I reckon the swallows that were slicing the crisper summer air than of late were after them, there was a lot of them about - sunning themselves on the dirt path before being disturbed by the Godzilla of cross country running and fleeing for their insectoid lives as I approached, probably into the beak of a passing swallow, so I apologise to them for that.

But also sunning itself on that path, bringing me to a halt, was another neon blue creature, it's outstretched wings indicating that it was a Dragonfly, rather than a damselfly. It was a fair chunk bigger and broader as well, and blue as a tarty nightclub sign. I've just used my comprehensive sources to identify it (wiki again!) , I think, as a Broad Bodied Chaser which is nothing very exotic but I'm pleased to ID it as I'm not great with these fantastic insects.

I'll keep my eyes open for more as summer lengthens, I reckon there will more to see as the year to go on. And more to misidentify, get over excited about, exagerrate and inflate and conflate, same as everything else I go to look at!