Back To Business

And horrifically un-funny title puns...

My pesky back issue [apparently a nerve was displaced, which is why it's been so unrelenting] is slowly resolving itself, though massage and codeine were required. [Apparently both are addictive, though I didn't enjoy either of them..] After a happy working week, enjoying the summer temperatures in my little metal box of a workplace, I decided to have a go at carrying weights about my neck today and went for a lunchtime visit to Little Bradley Ponds.

They're what I think of as a proper WT reserve; small, out of the way, not incredibly easy to access, but a real gem once you're there. I took the paparazzi rig - because when the dragons are in the mood you really want a camera there - but as I'm not fully pain-free yet I carried it in my rucksack. [Not that quick shots are really possible with it over my shoulder, anyway..]


It was warm; 23-24°, humid, and a little breezy, so while no absolutely ideal, it was still pretty good. Clouds did turn up and end the party [then bugger off completely after I'd left] but I was never intending this to be anything more than lunch and a test of how I'm doing. [The answer to which is 'not bad but still not right', so no expeditions for me tomorrow..] [[And that was the last shoulder/back reference]]

The east pond was very quiet - a Downy Emerald zipped off right after I arrived, so maybe it was just my timing, but there were no other dragons at all. Plenty of Azures and the odd Common Blue were the only odonata. Hmm, not good.
The west pond was another matter, fortunately, with 3-4 Four-Spotted Chasers doing battle with 2-3 Emperors [the island and insects coming and going meant getting exact counts was not going to happen]. As well as the Azure horde, Large Red and Blue-tailed Damselflies were also present, including this one;

Dodgy mobile shot

Better images may appear of 4-spots and an Emperor, which [when not dogfighting] both tried posing for me. It was to my great grief that said Emperor actually hovered for nearly ten seconds right next to me - and just inside minimum focussing range of my lens! This also meant it was too far out for the maximum range of my lens' macro mode, too... aaaaarrrrgghhh... 

Anyway, pictures may appear here in the future. Speaking of, last shot of the old roll - taken of Sister-Scaring Spiders at Aylesbeare - is here...

I think it's a male courting a female - very carefully!

 ...as the new roll should hopefully maybe will have the pics for the previous post [[that one down there  \/ \/ ]]. As the first one, taken as a 'quick get 'em!' shot, it's not great; more a 'spot the spiders' than Sister-repellent, but never mind, eh?


EDIT:
Here as threatened promised..

A present for my beloved Sisters... ;)

Four-spot at Little Bradley. [Don't bother enlarging...]