Hampshire dragonflies (1 Viewer)

[pdwinter]

I saw that Norflok had a Dragonfly thread so thought I'd start one for Hampshire. If it falls off the bottom then I'll know it was a mistake!

Went to Shatterford early Saturday (23/5) - really too early in the day for dragonflies but there were a couple of Four-spotted Chasers, a Broad-bodied Chaser, several Common Blue Damselflies and large numbers of Large Red Damselfies resting on the heather to the east of the first railway bridge. They must have been flying well later in the morning because at least six Hobby were up after them|:d|

Sunday morning (24/5) I saw five patrolling Downy Emeralds at Broomy Pond and another three at least at Slufters Pond. At the latter site there were Four-spot and Broad-bodied Chasers a few Common Blues and large numbers of ovipositing Large Red Damselflies. I had hoped for Emperor but maybe next weekend.

Sunday PM (24/5) wewalked around Keyhaven / Pennington and I saw my first Black-tailed Skimmer of the year at the upper balancing pond and only my second Hairy Dragonfly of the year along the gorse by the Butts Lagoon. There were thousands of immature Blue-tailed Damselflies along the ditch of Fishtail lagoon - a good opportunity for the keen photographer to get all the colour varieties.

 

[pdwinter]

Southampton Common 26/05/09

An hour at lunchtime produced an immature male Beautiful Demoiselle on the Common east of the avenue. Only my third sighting since I started looking in 2005. The ponds produced a few of Azure, Common Blue, Red-eyed and Blue-tailed Damselflies.

 

[teamsaint]

My first Banded Demoiselles of the year were out on the Itchen on Saturday.

 

[pdwinter]

Martin Down 26/5

Nigel Jones reports a Red-veined Darter from Martin Down (not a place I associate with dragonflies). The first I've heard of this year. No idea if this would be a migrant from the continent or a Hampshire / Wiltshire / Dorset colony. The strong easterlies at the weekend should bring some more migrants but will they reach Hampshire?

 

[teamsaint]

My first Broad-bodied Chaser and Common Darter of the year near Bratley Plain

 

[pdwinter]

My first Broad-bodied Chaser and Common Darter of the year near Bratley Plain

Hi Tom

Good early Common Darter - was Red-veined eliminated ?

 

[teamsaint]

Hi Paul,
Yep I was thinking it was quite early, but there's not much else it could be is there?

Being generally mediocre at dragonflies I wouldn't know how to tell a Red-veined Darter anyway!

 

[pdwinter]

Hi Paul,
Yep I was thinking it was quite early, but there's not much else it could be is there?

Being generally mediocre at dragonflies I wouldn't know how to tell a Red-veined Darter anyway!

Hi Tom

Any "Red" darter in May or 1st week of June (in Hampshire) is in with a good shout of being a Red-veined Darter. The mature male on http://www.patchwatch.co.uk/hdrag.asp?spec=syfon shows how you might see it 1/2 way across Slufters Pond Red over Blue eyes, Yellowish pterostigma with a thick black border, plus the red veins towards the leading edge of the wing plus the abdomen being red rather than orangy red are the pointers - all a lot easy when you've seen a lot of them. Even easier when about 4 feet away as in the other two pictures on that page

Two hour lunch break at Slufters coming up today I think.

Cheers

 

[pdwinter]

Slufters Pond 29/5

Dave Holt and I watched a mature male Red-veined Darter on the lower pond at Slufters Pond from c.2pm today.

It was very active so I got no decent photos.

Les Stride saw it yesterday (as did Tom, I reckon). Very grateful to Tom for posting as I wouldn't have gone to Slufters until Sunday a.m.

Just added a pic from Dave Holt

CheersB

 

[pdwinter]

Weekend Sightings

Didn't quite take enough advantage of the excellent weather.

30/05

Lower Test (08:30-13:30)

Lucky to walk round with the warden into some non-public areas.

Banded Demoiselle 500+, Beautiful Demoiselle 3
Blue-tailed, Common Blue, Azure, Red-eyed 2, Large Red Damselflies
Downy Emerald 3, Scarce Chaser male on the scrape, Black-tailed Skimmer 10+


31/5

Rushbush Pond (SU384069)

Beautiful Demoiselle 3 along adjacent stream
Blue-tailed and Common Blue Damselfly
Emperor Dragonfly 2, Downy Emerald 1 - my first for the site, Four-spotted Chaser 50+, Broad-bodied Chaser 2

Furzey Pool (SU386067)

Blue-tailed, Common Blue, Azure and Large Red Damselflies
Emperor Dragonfly 3, Hairy Dragonfly 1 -my first for the site, Four-spotted Chaser 25+, Broad-bodied Chaser 2

Keyhaven

Hairy Dragonfly 2 - one along Fishtail and one along the Butts lagoon

 

[Deer Stalker]

Southern Damselflies about on the New Forest now. A few Keeled Skimmers too.

 

[pdwinter]

Southern Damselflies about on the New Forest now. A few Keeled Skimmers too.

Hope Sunday's weather forecast is better than Saturday's. I've got the opportunity for 2 full days in the field and would like to catch up on those two plus White-legged.

Cheers, Paul

 

[John P]

Southern Damselflies about on the New Forest now.

I think I had some of those in my garden this afternoon, (fingers crossed I may have got this one right). Not sure about the mating pair.

 

[teamsaint]

Interesting to see that there has been a small influx of Red-veined Darters.

This evening hundreds of Banded Demoiselles on the Itchen. Last weekend at Beaulieu many Large Reds, Beautiful Demoiselles, Common Blues, Azures. 1 Downy Emerald. Probably a Four-spotted Chaser as well but it had only just emerged so hard to tell.

And an Emperor in the garden.

 

[pdwinter]

I think I had some of those in my garden this afternoon, (fingers crossed I may have got this one right). Not sure about the mating pair.

Hi John

They're Azure Damselflies. The Southern male (pic attached) has a Mercury mark on Segment 2 and arrowhead like markings on segs 3,4,5. The Azure male has a Whisky tumbler mark on Segment 2. There's a good link somewhere with comparisons of blue damselflies which I'll try to find.

Cheers, Paul

 

[pdwinter]

Azure vs Southern

I've made this composite pic with Azure on the left and Southern on the right for comparison.

 

[John P]

Damn! I had them down as Azure originally cos of the little dots around the penultimate segment.



Thanks Paul.

 

[teamsaint]

Try this link for IDing blues

http://www.norfolkdragons.co.uk/species/idblues.shtml

(It doesn't have Southern though just Azure, Common and Variable.)

 

[John P]

Try this link for IDing blues

Thanks, I've bookmarked that one.

Didn't see so many around this afternoon when I nipped out (very briefly), had this slightly tatty Broad Bodied Chaser in the garden this morning.

 

[pdwinter]

Alder Gully Pond 03/06

I'd hoped for the Hairy Dragonfly at lunchtime on Alder Gully Pond at Testwood Lakes but no luck. 11 species

Banded Demoiselle 3 (2m,f)
Beautiful Demoiselle 1
Blue-tailed Damselfly
Azure Damselfly many ovipositing
Red-eyed Damselfly 2
Large Red Damselfly
Emperor Dragonfly 2 (m, female ovipositing)
Downy Emerald 1 (female ovipositing)
Four-spotted Chaser 2 (male, female ovipositing)
Broad-bodied Chaser female
Black-tailed Skimmer 1

plus some Common Blue damsels on Testwood Lake.

Couldn't find any Scarce Chasers but the sun went in and the wind increased when I walked around the lakes.

Cheers