Harry Beaman has sent in this fabulous close up of a male Common Hawker illustrating a number of helpful diagnostic features; yellow narrow antehumeral stripes, a yellow costa, yellow thoracic side stripes, a broad contact between the eyes and you can just about make out blue lines at the top and bottom of segment 2 (in contrast Migrant Hawker just has blue at the bottom of segment 2).
Harry also sent in this teneral female Black Darter which can be identified by the useful black triangle on top of the thorax, and lastly a very late Broad-bodied Chaser. This old specimen appears blue like the male, but on closer inspection is in fact an overmature female. The anal appendages, broader body and more extensive yellow markings on the sides of the abdomen help indicate a female.
