UK Dragonflies and Damselflies 2024 (1 Viewer)

[Owene]

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly found at a Bristol site (Stoke Park) today for 2nd consecutive year. First found here about 4 years ago.

How easily accessible is the site. I was thinking of going to another site for them near Bristol but that seems easier from a cursory google. Are there Many other species there?

 

[Farnboro John]

Hairy Dragonfly in the back garden thus afternoon, first for the garden and NFY for me.

John

 

[Larry Sweetland]

How easily accessible is the site. I was thinking of going to another site for them near Bristol but that seems easier from a cursory google. Are there Many other species there?

It's easy to access and a pretty small area, but I only found one individual today (though it was windy). If the other site you were thinking of is near Frampton Cotterell, then I believe they are in better numbers there, though I've not been there to look.

If you want to try the Stoke Park site PM me, and I'll help you look for one of them if I'm free. The site in general is great for variety of odonata, though it's a small site so numbers of individuals isn't that high. I've had 24 species within about 100m of each other in the last few years. 12 spp noted on the wing so far on patch this year, but Scarce-blue-tail the only notable one so far.

 

[Owene]

It's easy to access and a pretty small area, but I only found one individual today (though it was windy). If the other site you were thinking of is near Frampton Cotterell, then I believe they are in better numbers there, though I've not been there to look.

If you want to try the Stoke Park site PM me, and I'll help you look for one of them if I'm free. The site in general is great for variety of odonata, though it's a small site so numbers of individuals isn't that high. I've had 24 species within about 100m of each other in the last few years. 12 spp noted on the wing so far on patch this year, but Scarce-blue-tail the only notable one so far.

Thank you. I might be able to fit it in Thursday morning but I’m not really sure if I can do the optimum time of day for damsels. Thanks for the info

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Thank you. I might be able to fit it in Thursday morning but I’m not really sure if I can do the optimum time of day for damsels. Thanks for the info

I'm at the spot now and I've just found 2 males, so fairly confident they'd be findable if the weather's ok. I work on Thursdays unfortunately, though I could do thurs lunch time 1 til 2 or poss a bit earlier if that's any help. I'll put a pin in a map anyway when I get home.

 

[pdwinter]

This list of first dates is as up to date as I can get it.

15.02 probable Vagrant Emperor - St Leonards-on-Sea (East Sussex)
20.03 Beautiful Demoiselle -- Christchurch (Dorset)
21.03 Common Blue Damselfly -- Hackney Marshes
24.03 Large Red Damselfly -- Paignton (Devon)
10.04 Hairy Dragonfly -- Sussex (iNaturalist)
11.04 Banded Demoiselle -- Leybourne Lakes(Kent)
12.04 Blue-tailed Damselfly -- Marazion Marsh (Cornwall)
12.04 Variable Damselfly -- Westbere Lakes (Kent)
12.04 Downy Emerald -- Sandpool Reserve (Wilshire)
13.04 Azure Damselfly -- Hertfordshire
14.04 Broad-bodied Chaser -- Dartford (Kent)
24.04 Four-spotted Chaser -- Shropshire
29.04 Red-eyed Damselfly -- Somerset / Hampshire
01.05 White-faced Darter -- West Ross / Denbighshire
04.05 Emperor Dragonfly -- Steart Marshes (Somerset)
05.05 Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly -- Falmouth (Cornwall)
05.05 Common Club-tail -- Sonning (Berkshire)
08.05 Scarce Chaser -- Woodwalton Fen (Huntingdonshire)
09.05 Common Darter -- Red River Valley LNR (Cornwall)
09.05 Keeled Skimmer -- Red River Valley LNR (Cornwall)
11.05 Black-tailed Skimmer -- Upton Country Park (Dorset)
12.05 Southern Damselfly -- Fishlake Meadows HIWWT NR (Hampshire)
12.05 White-legged Damselfly -- Atcham Bridge to Wroxeter (Shropshire)
13.05 Norfolk Hawker -- Wiveton Down (East Norfolk)
13.05 Southern Hawker -- East Norfolk
17.05 Scarce Emerald Damselfly -- Little Belhus CP (Essex)
17.05 Red-veined Darter -- Belvide Reservoir (Staffordshire) [fb Migrant Dragonflies]
19.05 Azure Hawker -- West Ross

There have been a few reports of Emerald Damselfly and Small Red Damselfly - none of the ones with photos had a correct ID and none of the records reviewed and accepted by the recorder.

 

[Owene]

I'm at the spot now and I've just found 2 males, so fairly confident they'd be findable if the weather's ok. I work on Thursdays unfortunately, though I could do thurs lunch time 1 til 2 or poss a bit earlier if that's any help. I'll put a pin in a map anyway when I get home.

Thanks, a pin would be great

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Thanks, a pin would be great

51°29'26.5"N 2°32'57.4"W

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[Larry Sweetland]

51°29'26.5"N 2°32'57.4"W

maps.app.goo.gl

You'll need wellies. Walk around the edges of the seasonal pool and check especially where the grass is emerging from the water. There are plenty of Common Blue-tails and other damsels there too, but not so many as to swamp you. I returned a
bit later and found a male again fairly easily, and some odd looking damsels that I now think are female Scarce Blue-tails, but I'll need confirmation on those. I'll post some dodgy pics of those on here too!

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Is anyone able to confirm or otherwise my suspicions that these are female Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies?

 

[Larry Sweetland]

This list of first dates is as up to date as I can get it.

15.02 probable Vagrant Emperor - St Leonards-on-Sea (East Sussex)
20.03 Beautiful Demoiselle -- Christchurch (Dorset)
21.03 Common Blue Damselfly -- Hackney Marshes
24.03 Large Red Damselfly -- Paignton (Devon)
10.04 Hairy Dragonfly -- Sussex (iNaturalist)
11.04 Banded Demoiselle -- Leybourne Lakes(Kent)
12.04 Blue-tailed Damselfly -- Marazion Marsh (Cornwall)
12.04 Variable Damselfly -- Westbere Lakes (Kent)
12.04 Downy Emerald -- Sandpool Reserve (Wilshire)
13.04 Azure Damselfly -- Hertfordshire
14.04 Broad-bodied Chaser -- Dartford (Kent)
24.04 Four-spotted Chaser -- Shropshire
29.04 Red-eyed Damselfly -- Somerset / Hampshire
01.05 White-faced Darter -- West Ross / Denbighshire
04.05 Emperor Dragonfly -- Steart Marshes (Somerset)
05.05 Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly -- Falmouth (Cornwall)
05.05 Common Club-tail -- Sonning (Berkshire)
08.05 Scarce Chaser -- Woodwalton Fen (Huntingdonshire)
09.05 Common Darter -- Red River Valley LNR (Cornwall)
09.05 Keeled Skimmer -- Red River Valley LNR (Cornwall)
11.05 Black-tailed Skimmer -- Upton Country Park (Dorset)
12.05 Southern Damselfly -- Fishlake Meadows HIWWT NR (Hampshire)
12.05 White-legged Damselfly -- Atcham Bridge to Wroxeter (Shropshire)
13.05 Norfolk Hawker -- Wiveton Down (East Norfolk)
13.05 Southern Hawker -- East Norfolk
17.05 Scarce Emerald Damselfly -- Little Belhus CP (Essex)
17.05 Red-veined Darter -- Belvide Reservoir (Staffordshire) [fb Migrant Dragonflies]
19.05 Azure Hawker -- West Ross

There have been a few reports of Emerald Damselfly and Small Red Damselfly - none of the ones with photos had a correct ID and none of the records reviewed and accepted by the recorder.

I can beat the date for White-legged Damselfly. I had my first in Bristol on 07.05. 24

 

[pdwinter]

I can beat the date for White-legged Damselfly. I had my first in Bristol on 07.05. 24

I'll get that updated when I get back to the UK! I expect a lot more will be flying by then.

 

[pdwinter]

Is anyone able to confirm or otherwise my suspicions that these are female Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies?

With the proviso that I'm only looking on my mobile your ID looks fine to me.

 

[wolfbirder]

Where can I find details for up to date sites for Azure Hawker?

I went up to the Scottish Highlands last year and think I had one in flight, but the traditional sites are now feared dried out.

 

[Farnboro John]

Where can I find details for up to date sites for Azure Hawker?

I went up to the Scottish Highlands last year and think I had one in flight, but the traditional sites are now feared dried out.

Dried out as of when? I was up two years ago at Beinn Eighe (just by Kinlochewe) and it was great.

John

 

[wolfbirder]

Dried out as of when? I was up two years ago at Beinn Eighe (just by Kinlochewe) and it was great.

John

Last year I went up exactly to that spot in the first week of June John, nothing and all the pools / boggy marsh were totally dried out. An official guided 'dragonfly walk' the same day there, along that track from the visitor centre also found none. Apparently it had been like a drought there for months.

I don't know for sure that the same previously-productive area will be dead this year, but I have subsequently read that where such areas dry out, it tends to kill the future larvae in the bogs too. That's my fear. I know previously that spot was superb.

 

[pdwinter]

Eggs of Azure Hawker are laid one year and hatch into larvae the following year and then take 3 or 4 years to develop.
Larvae can live in damp rather than wet conditions so a 'dry' appearance might not be too dry for the larvae.
Adults not being seen last year won't necessarily mean they won't be seen this year although they are likely to seek out wetter areas so perhaps a little local dispersion.

If I were to twitch them I would look in iRecord at this year's sightings to find where to go for the current year.

 

[wolfbirder]

Eggs of Azure Hawker are laid one year and hatch into larvae the following year and then take 3 or 4 years to develop.
Larvae can live in damp rather than wet conditions so a 'dry' appearance might not be too dry for the larvae.
Adults not being seen last year won't necessarily mean they won't be seen this year although they are likely to seek out wetter areas so perhaps a little local dispersion.

If I were to twitch them I would look in iRecord at this year's sightings to find where to go for the current year.

Many thanks, I struggle with that site unfortunately.

 

[Swindon Addick]

There's been a lot of chatter on the BDS social media channels about Rannoch Moor and lots of conservation work going on there for Azure Hawker. I've not been there and don't know the actual sites but there haven't been any reports of drought issues there that I've heard.

 

[wolfbirder]

There's been a lot of chatter on the BDS social media channels about Rannoch Moor and lots of conservation work going on there for Azure Hawker. I've not been there and don't know the actual sites but there haven't been any reports of drought issues there that I've heard.

Thank you very much, appreciated.