Dragons in the Cemetery

As the afternoon remained warm and sunny I decided on a walk round the horsefield and woodland cemetery to see if I could find any common blue butterflies as, Although there are reports of good numbers this year, I have yet to photograph any.  That remains the case as I did not see even one.  As I walked through the cut at the end of the road I enjoyed, as usual, the magnificent silver birch growing there and couldn't resist photographing the bark.  I also passed a buddhlia that had attracted a lot of tortoiseshell and at least 6 painted ladies - an exceptional year for them.  Unfortunately the painted ladies were high up and didn't present themselves for photography.
Although pleasant on the Horsefield there were few butterflies about: several whites and ringlets, a very worn small copper and a single painted lady.  Blackberries are cropping well here this year, although the magnificent display of knapweed has now gone over.
Butterflies were few and far between in the woodland cemetery as well although I found quite a few common darters and, to my delight, good numbers of migrant hawker dragonflies as well.  I saw more on Thursday in the main part of the cemetery.  One in particular posed really well, allowing for plenty of photography, including some extreme head close-ups.

Small Tortoiseshell

Silver Birch

Common Darter, female

Common Darter, female

Common Darter, male

Common Darter, male

Migrant Hawker, male

Migrant Hawker, male

Migrant Hawker, male