Migrant Hawker (Aeshna mixta)

Better in large.
There were lots of these migrant hawkers down at Eagle Pond today; I enjoyed trying to photograph them in flight, and even got a few shots with which I was quite satisfied. I've uploaded one to Blipfolio here. Here is another one resting.
There are apparently also Southern Migrant Hawkers (Aeshna affinis) around at the moment, but they don't have brown stripes on their abdomens like this one.

Argh, but it was sad down at the pond because one of the goslings has fishing line tangled around both of its legs! It was well and truly tangled, with a loop tightly wrapped around each leg and lots of extra line caught up too. It was limping and couldn't take proper strides because there wasn't much slack between its legs. It was fretting at the line around its legs with its beak, and although it was keeping with the group, it didn't seem exactly happy. Poor thing; I wish I could help or rescue it. I've phoned the RSPCA and reported the situation, so hope an officer can catch and free it very soon.
Grrr, inconsiderate fishers: some of them leave so much mess and rubbish when they leave. This must have been line that someone left behind, or else a fisher must have cut his line free once the gosling became tangled.

I shalln't upload the gosling in distress (I photographed it to get a better look at the line around its legs), but will report back tomorrow. I have uploaded a gosling flapping its wings to Blipfolio though.

p.s. I love my superbly flexible 18-200 Nikkor lens, but a macro lens is definitely on my wish list...