Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
At least 3 Red-veined Darters at Orchard Pools, Severn Beach today
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UK Dragonflies and Damselflies 2023 (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter pdwinter
- Start date
StephenHampshire
Well-known member
Not a rarity but this female broad-bodied chaser spent 20 minutes in my garden here in Hampshire, flying off then returning to her perch on a cane supporting a tomato plant
Broad Bodied Chaser by Stephen Morley, on Flickr
Broad Bodied Chaser by Stephen Morley, on Flickr
Adey Baker
Member
A White-legged Damselfly was quite a surprise first for my Hinckley, Leics., garden pond today. In the county as a whole, Hairy Dragonflies seem to be spreading more generally from a few traditional spots and Beautiful Demoiselles are also being reported from new locations. I've found them in two new spots myself including one not much more than a mile from my home.
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On Sunday found my first ever local male Beautiful Demoiselle on my regular Sunday morning patch. They are being increasingly seen in some outer parts of the London area- especially along the Wandle in the SW & around the Enfield area in the north. A few years ago a female turned up in my garden-no idea how far she had wandered?
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
Male Lesser Emperor and Red-veined Darters seen today at Orchard Pools, Severn Beach (not by me)
wolfbirder
Well-known member
Seems to be a real invasion of RV Darters this year.
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
I'm so gagging for one on my patch though! And Lesser Emperor. Both now present only a few km away, and both would be patch ticks....
Lots of Common Emerald damsels emerging and/or recently emerged at Ravensroost today. Also the usual decent numbers of Common Blue and Azure, lots of Four-spotted Chasers which were dominating the ponds and a single Emperor hunting around the meadow.
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
My first Brown Hawker today, #19 for patch year
A Southern Migrant Hawker at the famous ditch in Canvey Island yesterday. It refused to pose for a photo and I didn't see any sign of Southern Emerald, but loads of Scarce Emerald and Ruddy Darter, and a few individuals of other species.
pdwinter
Paul Winter
Having ricked my back (lying down to snap insects!) and been away I've lagged behind this year but now mobile again I did manage to add Common Darter (2 tenerals and an ovipositing pair) on a survey on Saturday and then yesterday, 26.06.23, Small Red-eyed Damselfly at the boating lake on Southampton Common (the first sites for the species in Hampshire on 16.08.2004) and Emerald Damselfly - two males - at the Testwood Lakes Centre ponds along with a few more Small Red-eyed and other stuff. A few pics attached - Scarce Chaser and Southern Damselfly from the survey, female Emperor with Small Red-eyed Damselfly from Southampton Common, and Emerald Damselfly and male Emperor from Testwood Lakes.
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Farnboro John
Well-known member
Broad-bodied Chaser immature male in the back garden yesterday evening, basking on the tomato canes. Although Cove Brook runs ten yards beyond the garden's limit, we rarely get Odonata in the garden so this was a very nice record.
John
John
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
Norfolk Hawker at Slimbridge yesterday per Twitter. 1st for Glos I think.
Larry Sweetland
Formerly 'Larry Wheatland'
Willow Emerald Damsel (first for Avon) has been found at same site on Severnside that has recently had Red-veined Darters and Lesser Emperor!
pdwinter
Paul Winter
That's some leap west from the nearest known sites!
pdwinter
Paul Winter
Now back in blighty I checked my records and in 2014 I had Keeled Skimmer records on 2 dates, 09.07 on Emer Bog itself and on 14.07 in the small area in SU388211 where the stream forms a small boggy area.
Every year I tell myself I must visit the site more often and every year I fail
I looked yesterday and there were good numbers of Ruddy Darters around the drying out pond area (SU396214) of Emer Bog. Perfect habitat for Lestes dryas or Lestes barbarus should either of them decide to visit south Hampshire!
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pdwinter
Paul Winter
If it was May then almost certainly Red-veined Darters (or something rarer) but once you get 10 days into June there will likely be some Common Darters flying so it gets trickier.
Any male Red-veined Darter flying in June will be a deep dark red as opposed to the orangey red of a Common Darter but such differences are not always easy to pick out in bright sunlight or deep gloom (the only two scenarios we seem to get in the UK!)
wolfbirder
Well-known member
Ha, ironically Paul it was 10th June
-.I've put them down as Common Darter though both were deep reddish but flitting about some way out (around 50 metres out low over the large pool where I also had Norfolk Hawkers).
Just a couple of things to add..........I mentioned missing the guided dragonfly walk around Beinn Eighe NNR two weeks ago - seems like they too didn't come across any Azure's. I have liaised with the leader of the walk and she puts it down to possible global warming. So if anyone intends to make that pilgrimage trip. might be worth hanging on until next year to see if any rain over Spring.
Secondly, living on the edge of Wolverhampton, so far this summer on my patch I have had lots of Emperor's, a number of Brown Hawkers last week, immature male Broad-Bodied Chaser, lots of Banded Demoiselles and a few beautiful Demoiselles, loads of Large Red-eyed Damselflies, Azure's, Common Blue's - all the common stuff I guess. Within an hours drive into Shropshire I know where White-Faced Darters can be found along with Black Darters, also Golden-ringed and Keeled Skimmers.
I'm so pleased I got into Dragging!
Farnboro John
Well-known member
Ha, ironically Paul it was 10th June
I've put them down as Common Darter though both were deep reddish but flitting about some way out (around 50 metres out low over the large pool where I also had Norfolk Hawkers).
Just a couple of things to add..........I mentioned missing the guided dragonfly walk around Beinn Eighe NNR two weeks ago - seems like they too didn't come across any Azure's. I have liaised with the leader of the walk and she puts it down to possible global warming. So if anyone intends to make that pilgrimage trip. might be worth hanging on until next year to see if any rain over Spring.
Secondly, living on the edge of Wolverhampton, so far this summer on my patch I have had lots of Emperor's, a number of Brown Hawkers last week, immature male Broad-Bodied Chaser, lots of Banded Demoiselles and a few beautiful Demoiselles, loads of Large Red-eyed Damselflies, Azure's, Common Blue's - all the common stuff I guess. Within an hours drive into Shropshire I know where White-Faced Darters can be found along with Black Darters, also Golden-ringed and Keeled Skimmers.
I'm so pleased I got into Dragging!
Coming soon, PaulDWinter's Drag(on) Race....
John
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