Summer's arrived...

The last breeding bird transect of the year today, requiring a 5am start to the day. Things are quietening down, with only the warblers, song thrush, robins and wrens still singing. Despite a glorious sunny morning, the wood was deeply shady, making it difficult to spot birds lurking in the canopy.

I then went on to The Boardwalks LNR  - which I used to visit almost daily when we had dogs to walk. It was lovely to hear our local cuckoo calling, and to watch plenty of kingfisher activity. There weren't many damselflies around, just this blue-tailed damselfly and a few banded demoiselles (see extra). All the grasses are flowering now - not such good news for hay-fever sufferers - but I enjoy photographing their tiny flowers, which are so often overlooked but have a subtle beauty of their own.

I'm not sure whether this image is suitable for the Tiny Tuesday challenge of Weather / Seasons hosted by WalkingWombat, but damselflies do only come out in fine summer weather - and it's certainly been that today!