A present......

....From Essex!
My final day in Essex and I returned to Abberton resevoir to have one last look at the wasp spiders, and to photograph the Small Red-eyed Damselflies that love to sit on the lily pads in the pond just outside the centre entrance.
The Small red-eyed damselfly Erythromma viridulum, is very similar to the more common Red-eyed damselfly, it is however smaller (about 29mm long) with slightly brighter red eyes. The markings in the male are also slightly different, and viewed from the side the 2nd and 8th abdominal segment are mostly blue whereas in the Red-eyed damselfly they are mostly black.
It was first recorded in Britain in Essex on 17th July 1999. Since then it has increased it's range and is quite reliable all across Essex and other eastern counties.
It loves to sit on lily pads or other floating vegetation with it's abdomen slightly raised in the middle of ponds, and as such is difficult to photograph.
Today's shot was taken with my Lumix G10 as it had the 200mm lens on it, stupidly I forgot to take my 300mm lens for my SLR with me!
Home now after a 50 minute hold up at the Dartford bridge......am very tired and it's back to Heathrow again tomorrow to pick Arab and Willow up...