Odds and ends! Emeralds revisited, Richard 'Lovejoy' Millington and a misplaced Swallowtail.

Firstly: on looking at blow-ups of some of the Emerald Damselfly images from Friday, one can plainly see that the pterostigmata of both are pale buffish: certainly not black. One seems bicoloured, but that could be a trick of the light. So: whatever they were, they weren't Common Emeralds. My money would still be on Southern...

At an antiques shop over the weekend, Linda and I bumped into Richard Millington. Since this is the third time we've encountered Richard in similar surroundings, I naturally asked if he and Hazel were, like us, collectors (Linda collects 1950's porcelain figurines made by the Wade company: I collect vintage UFO books: the majority are signed by the author) Turns out he has a new career as an antique dealer. Good for him: always one of my birding heroes, I'm sure he will carve out another successful career!

As I was driving eastwards through Salhouse today (NB: Salhouse - near Rackheath!) a Swallowtail flew across the road, being swept over the windscreen and away. I wonder whether it was from Upton, Ranworth or Strumpshaw?