Seeking And Finding. Pt.1, Down By The River

Well, sort of. It was right over there ::Points::

I'd heard stories of vast numbers of Scarce Chasers [contradiction in terms, surely?] having appeared at Exminster, and they being most favoured by myself, I decided to go and have a looksee. [Reports of a Lesser Emperor may have helped matters... Ahem.]

Turns out, not exagerrated.

Oh yes

Scarce? Chaser

Scarce?  Oh no. Not at all.

Also, many even felt quite helpful.

Yup

Another.

This one very helpful,

Young one

Googly eyes...

Very pale below

From behind

Note that broken twig is the same insect, all the rest are different. I photo'd more Scarce's in an hour than I had before. Total.

Wowzer.

Dark and scary from the front

[Appropriate!]

But it wasn't all Scarce joy [I even had a couple of females and a pair in wheel, though no sitting and posing for them...].

The Lesser Emperor I was hunting was not between the M5 and Turf Lock, he was N of the M5, opposite the Sludge Beds [traditional site]. He popped over the reeds, flew along in front of me, showing off his lovely blue arse, then popped back over and stayed canalside, out of reach... Then a Horsefly found me.

Drat.

So still no LE pic for this little black duck. But here's a few other things;

BTS

How do you tell a Black-tailed Skimmer from a Scarce Chaser?

If he's on a twig, he's Scarce, if he's on the path, he's Black-tailed!

Ahem.

Empress getting on with it

Also,

Alexander

[a Mordellid sp.?]

Big red pondskater!

[Lake?]

Oh no....

If you'd like to take a go at hoverfly ID, be my guest.

Common Comfrey

[pink form; note extensive wings

ruling out Russian]

While none of them felt like being photo'd, I was serenaded by Cetti's, Reed, and Sedge Warblers accompanied by Skylarks, while assorted hirundines and Swifts zipped about overhead [and not so overhead, yoinks!]

Rather a fun time had by nearly all  [the Horsefly didn't get lunch but did get swatted, though not terminally. We agreed a draw; I'd move on and she'd bite someone less belligerent..!], my SC count went well over 20 without ever leaving the canal bank....

[And I even got a decent space in the end car park..!! ::Faints:: ]

Be Seeing You...