This is just a brief note to log the appearance of another species.
We were bound for a long lunch with friends starting at 13:00, so there was little to be done beforehand. We did, however, pop down into Jalon for some supplies and, because the sun was shining, I checked out the ford pool at the local river. We soon spotted something bright red disappearing downstream away from us. I stood watch while Francine went to retrieve my camera from the car. [Anyone would think I’d planned to see something.]
Francine returned and so did the dragonfly. I had expected to be staring at a Broad Scarlet (Crocothems erythraea) but was a little surprised to find myself confronted by a beautiful Orange-winged Dropwing (Trithemis kirbyi). Both species are bright red with yellow wing patches but the Dropwing has much larger wing patches. This was the only picture I managed; my subject seemed particularly nervous.
This was the first I’d seen of it but being fully coloured – the males start out yellow and turn red – it must have been around for a few days, lurking somewhere.
Lunch was fabulous, a real tour de force, something of a sampler menu, all courses having a Moorish/middle eastern slant. Very moreish. 😀
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