When I checked my spreadsheet of dragonfly sightings that morning, I realised that the date was about right for seeing my first Black-tailed skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) so I was keeping a look out as I walked the tracks through the fields at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park that Sunday, 14 June. And I did find one – in fact, it’s a miracle I didn’t stand on it when I walked along the fence line of the dragonfly pond, as the dragonfly was almost hidden amongst the grasses on the ground at my feet. When it didn’t fly away, I realised there must be something wrong with it and put my finger down for the poor creature to cling on to. I gently moved it to a nearby fence post but I could see that it was injured, or hadn’t developed properly, as the end of its tail was a bit squished – maybe an earlier visitor to the pond had, in fact, stood on it. As you see, I did take a few photos, but I wasn’t very hopeful that it would survive.