I visited Thursley Common this morning, a welcome photography distraction amidst the spoils of sunshine and 2 bank holiday barbeques. Thursley Common is in Surrey, surprisingly very near the village of Thursley, about 8km south of Guildford. Thursley is one of the most significant heathlands in the UK, care of the fact that it is home to a number of England’s reptiles. Well, just about all of them really, from the adder to the rare green sand lizard.

I was hopeful of seeing some lizards scurry across one of the boardwalks which allow you a civilised stroll over otherwise rugged bog and heath. Alas not this time, but I was however, still fascinated by the vast number of dragonflies hovering and darting over shallow ponds. (There are 26 species of dragonfly in Thursley) For a moment, I thought it would be a futile to attempt to photograph them, but one or two obliged to settle on the occasional blade of grass. Below are some of the pictures I took. If you’re like me, you probably wouldn’t give a dragonfly much attention, but when captured thru a  lens, then it does reveal a striking, if not surreal fairy like creature. I used my 70-300mm lens, and while okay, I think really a macro lens would have served me better. I shall return.

Lord of the Flies, Dragonfly, Thursley Common 

Dragonflies Squared, Thursley Common

Resting Dragonfly, Thursley Common