Venus Pool - Common Hawker!!

Here's the insect of the day! I'd just finished photographing the best looking female Common Blue butterfly I've seen when I became aware of a Hawker dragonfly perched up nicely near to the arable field entrance. I joined the mini gallery and my mind was racing - soooo blue and right timing for Migrant, but...? The 'golf tee' was missing from the thorax. It couldn't be a Southern Hawker Hawker either and noticing the brown leading edge to the wings, I realised it had to be a male Common Hawker!!

These are notoriously difficult to photograph perched, plus what the heck was one doing at Venus Pool?! It's the first one I've ever seen / photographed here. Looking somewhat cool in this relaxed pose... The bright yellow costa (leading edge to the wings) in all the images, is bright yellow against clean wings and this is diagnostic.

I angled the camera to correct. This shouldn't be at VP, the habitat is not to their liking but they do disperse over a large area from their breeding site!

And those gorgeous blue eyes!

Seen in side view, the yellow costa is even more evident...

Even better in close up!

Thanks for the 'heads up' Brian!

Checked my list and this is species No 20 that I've seen at VP reserve and that includes Black Darter, another acid bog specialist which shouldn't have turned up either! You little stunner!