An emperor for lunch

A day of occasional showers, warm sun, patchy cloud and a good breeze meant that insects were out and about but not always very active. At lunchtime the Emperor dragonfly below was basking in an attempt to warm up in the, at best, patchy sunshine.
It is a really fine male, all black and blue, it remained on this mullein stem for over twenty minutes and allowed me to get right in close for a picture. It might have hatched from the pond at the centre, this is the most common large dragonfly to hatch out from there and there can be twenty or more exuvae clinging to the stems of the reeds around the pond.

Nesting bird update:
All four Little Ringed Plover chicks are still surviving in front of the Tern hide, but the Lapwings seem to have lost two of their chicks. The Oystercatcher chick is well grown now and almost as large as the parent birds.
On Ivy Lake the Common Terns continue to do well, with more flying, although two had dropped into the lake and will be at risk if they do not get out of the water. Both were being regularly fed by their parents and hopefully will get back onto a raft. The small raft by the south hide has a sitting Great Crested Grebe, certainly sitting on at least two eggs.