Small Red Damselfly, from the pond belowA pond at Bramshill. Reedmaces in foreground, water level well down in current drought. Succession (sere) from open water – floating pondweed – emergent plants e.g. rushes, then reed and reedmace, then willow bushes, finally birch-oak mixed forestBlack-Tailed Skimmer on his lookout perchCommon Darter: he too constantly returned to this perchBrown Hawker female, ovipositingThe ‘beach’ on the Long Pond, BramshillEmperor Dragonfly on reedmaces at end of Long Pond, Bramshill. Zipping about were lots of blue/azure damselflies, common darters, and black-tailed skimmers, and a few bluetails.The Long Pond, Bramshill – perfect dragonfly habitat. Open water with floating weed, bordered by beds of rushes, reeds, willow and alder bushes. Conifers in the backgroundCommon Fleabane – a handsome yellow composite in forest ditch, Bramshill
The English seem unemotional … except for their passion for nature
