Hawker Exuvia, Big Waters.

Following info. from Dick (City Birding) of  location of exuvia at Big Waters i called there on Tuesday of last week. I found 3 attached to Flag Iris stems and reeds in very close vicinity to each other. Having seen these i decided i would call up early one morning to see if i could watch a specimen emerging from the exo skeleton. Yesterday morning (Sun.) i arrived in the car park at around 5.15a.m. and made my way to the area in question. I immediately came across an individual but unfortunately for me it had already left the exuvia but was resting right next to it as it finished its metamorphosis. I hung around for about 90 minutes watching it slowly prepare itself for flight. While doing so i scanned more of the reed bed and again found another 2 empty exuvia. They were in  different positions to the ones i saw the other day but in the same locality.
I decided to have a wander round the site and come back later. I didn't see any Dragonflies elsewhere while walking about but had large numbers of both Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damsels in and around Seaton Burn and the surrounding trees and grasses. Also sighted were large numbers of Meadow Brown and Small Skipper butterflies and a few Ringlets and Whites. I returned to the dipping pond to see how things were proceeding at 9.15a.m. to find that the Hawker had taken to the wing and was left with only the empty case. I managed to rescue it and took it home to photograph. Here are a couple of close up images. i will post some images of the Dragon and exuvia soon.

 

Amazing creatures........i wish i had seen it emerge.