Stephen Barlow has seen a number of Hairy Dragonflies at Marbury Big Mere – just outside Whitchurch, but over the border in Cheshire. Stephen’s photo illustrates the broad yet tapering antehumeral (shoulder) stripes of the male, the hairy thorax and the unusually long, thin light brown pterostigma (wing spots). We only have a handful of records for this species in Shropshire so if you see any ‘small hawker’ dragonfly on the wing this early in the season please do get in touch.