I was alerted to the recent presence of a dragonfly on the washing line on the patio and shown a phone snap. Suddenly, it reappeared on the line and stayed for ages. It would dart off temporarily, but kept returning.

I eventually dashed to grab a camera and, luckily and amazingly, it was still there when I got back. At one point it came to investigate me and was even too close to be able to focus the camera!!

I am fairly certain it is a Skimmer (Orthetrum) and think it is perhaps definitely, possibly, maybe a young male Epaulet Skimmer (Orthetrum chrysostigma). I am quite likely to be wrong, of course…and as usual.

The main geographic range of the Epaulet Skimmer lies in Africa, where it can be found in almost every country. Fairly recently it seems to have crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and is now well established and even rather common in southern Iberia. Since 2010 Epaulet Skimmers have also been found on the Maltese islands.

Whatever it turns out to be, it was a great sight.