Hampshire dragonflies

[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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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

[pdwinter]

Had an excellent lunchtime with 13 species in 1.75 hrs

Additional species to yesterday in bold

Damselflies:

Banded Demoiselle 2, Beautiful Demoiselle 1

Blue-tailed, Common Blue 1, Azure (many), Red-eyed (5 inc ovi f), Large Red

Dragonflies

Emperor 2 (m + ovi f), Downy Emerald 1, Four-spotted Chaser (m + ovi f), Broad-bodied Chaser 1 (f), Scarce Chaser 1 (m), Black-tailed Skimmer 1
I've seen 18 species on this pond which, using the Dragonflies of Hampshire criterion, makes it an "outstanding assemblage site".

Cheers, Paul

[pdwinter]

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.)

I think that Variable is extinct in Hampshire - I've not seen one and I've not trespassed onto Sowley Pond to check their last known location some years ago. Well worth checking every blue damsel in the southern forest, though, just in case!

Cheers, Paul

[pdwinter]

13 species in about 2.5 hrs west of Puttles bridge at lunchtime. Shame it wasn't a sunny, windless day!

New species for me for the year in blue

Banded Demoiselle 1
Beautiful Demoiselle 100s
Blue-tailed Damselfly 2
Azure Damselfly 1 on Silver Stream, several on Ober Water
Southern Damselfly 11 males (Silver Stream)
Large Red Damselfly 100s
Small Red Damselfly 2
White-legged Damselfly 11
Emperor Dragonfly 1
Golden-ringed Dragonfly 2
Four-spotted Chaser 1
Broad-bodied Chaser 10+
Keeled Skimmer 10+

Left Welly full of a forest mire :C

Cheers, Paul

[pdwinter]

What a difference a week makes! The cold, windy and mostly cloudy weather meant few dragonflies were showing. The highlight was my first Emerald Damselfly of the year (quite an early date) ... plus a Peregrine which came over to have a go at two of the local Buzzards.

Paul

[John P]

The cold, windy and mostly cloudy weather meant few dragonflies were showing.


.........and there was me thinking I was just carp at finding dragonflies. It's always good to know why you're struggling.

I saw very few Dragons but still a fair few Damsels at Keyhaven on Sunday morning ( nothing like the numbers seen there on Saturday) and snuck out after the rain in the late afternoon to some lovely looking ponds at Markway and saw just a handful of Damsels, mostly Bluetails.

Ponds at Markway enclosure:

(needed a smaller lens really), they are much easier on the eye than, say, Slufters pond, is this likely to make them more or less attractive to Odonata?

[pdwinter]

.........and there was me thinking I was just carp at finding dragonflies. It's always good to know why you're struggling.

I saw very few Dragons but still a fair few Damsels at Keyhaven on Sunday morning ( nothing like the numbers seen there on Saturday) and snuck out after the rain in the late afternoon to some lovely looking ponds at Markway and saw just a handful of Damsels, mostly Bluetails.

Ponds at Markway enclosure:

(needed a smaller lens really), they are much easier on the eye than, say, Slufters pond, is this likely to make them more or less attractive to Odonata?

Late afternoon on a cool day is never going to bring out the dragons. They'll be there all tucked up on the vegetation for the night. (I was at Slufters Sunday pm but fortunately left before a prolonged heavy shower - because there was nothing to see).

I think if you go back to Markway sometime between 11-3 on a sunny day you'll see a lot more species. I would expect there to be Large Red, Red-eyed, Common Blue and Azure as well as Blue-tailed damsels - there's a mix of open water and surface vegetation. - and with all the surrounding dense vegetation I'd expect Emerald Damselfly (only just getting going). There will likely be Broad-bodied Chasers, possibly Four-spotted, and Keeled Skimmers will be on the nearby mires. Emperors seem to be at every pond in the forest. All the large dragonflies seem to appear everywhere so when the hawkers get going they'll show up. I'd be surprised if you didn't have a Downy Emerald or two at present. When I get home I'll look up what's been seen in the area in the past.

What's the nearest place to park to get there? Wilverley Plain?

Regards, Paul

[John P]

What's the nearest place to park to get there? Wilverley Plain?

Regards, Paul

Nearest parking is at SU242022, the ponds are at SU249023.

Many thanks for your helpful reply.

[pdwinter]

Nearest parking is at SU242022, the ponds are at SU249023.


Had a quick check in the database and there are very few records from Markway Inclosure... so I might have been guessing nonsense! However there's Duckhole bog next to it so must have some chance of a good number of species.

When I get back at the end of June and if we get the promised long hot summer I'll check the ponds out.

Paul

[pdwinter]

I've put together two pics, each of Southern, Azure and Common Blue damselfly males - probably the only three blue damsels in Hants now.

The first shows them from above (left to right) so that you can see the key differences in segments 2 and 8,9 and note the broader antehumeral stripes in Common.

The second shows them from the side (top to bottom) where you can see the Coenagrion spur on Southern and Azure which is clearly absent on Common.

I haven't got enough pics do do a comparison of females yet - always difficult to find or just seen in a mating wheel |;|

[John P]

Thanks Paul, very useful.

I've ordered a copy of "Brooks", it should be with me soon.

I'll check out Markway on a better day some time soon, (assuming we get one). It's not birded much up there so maybe it gets missed.

[John P]

Quite a few Dragonflies around Holmsley gravel pit this morning (SZ207989), including Emperor, Keeled Skimmer, Four spotted chaser and a couple too distant for me to ID but I think one may have been *Hairy*. Damselflies also well represented with at least Common, Azure and Large Red.

Had a look at the old quarry workings also at Holmsley yesterday (in poor conditions) and saw a few damsels, no dragons seen but evidence of them from exuvia. Possibly also a *Hairy"? Pics are of the old quarry at SU216011

[John P]

Had a quick check in the database and there are very few records from Markway Inclosure...


I had a look this morning with the sun shining intermittently, quite a good variety seen, Small Red and Large Red Damselfly, Beautiful Demoiselle, Common, Azure and Bluetail Damselfly, Emperor, Broad bodied Chasers, Four-spotted Chasers, Black-tailed Skimmers and Keeled Skimmers, which were the most numerous, probably at least ten. I'm pretty sure I didn't miss any Dragons but someone with more experience may well find some other Damsels.

[John P]

Looked at Holmsley Quarry again this morning, not so many dragons as at Markway but all the same species, not so many damsels either and only saw the three most common Blue varieties. Nice surprise on the way back to the car was a Golden-ringed on the heath.

[John P]

Walked up along one of the streams in Holmsley Inclosure today, this area was cleared a couple of years back as part of the scheme to restore the *valley mires* in the Forest.

I've no idea what it was like before for odonata but it was crawling with Keeled Skimmers today, males every couple of yards all along one 500 yard section, plenty of Beautiful Ds and Large Red Damsels, very few Blue Damsels and none of them stopped long enough for me to ID them. Only one female Keeled Skimmer seen.

[pdwinter]

I've been sent some pics by Paul Norris and there's been a Red-veined Darter at Badminston GP since 1st June - still there today.

Paul

[pdwinter]

Walked from Highfield to the Boating and Ornamental lakes and back at lunchtime.

Species encountered were

Blue-tailed, Common Blue, Azure and Large Red damselflies;
Emperor, Black-tailed Skimmer, Broad-bodied chaser, Golden-ringed (good record), Red-veined Darter male flying over and around the Boating Lake (a new species for me on the Common).

Looking forward to some quieter (peoplewise) New Forest sites at the weekend!

[Brian Stone]

I spent last weekend at Godshill near Fordingbridge and walked a fair bit around Great Cockley Pain, Ditchend Brook and Must Thorns Bottom.

One section of the brook with a largish pool held more odonata than I've ever seen in one place before.

Emperor, pair inc oviposing fem on the Ditchend pool
Broad-bodied Chaser, in several places but quite a few at the pool
Keeled Skimmer, numerous throughout
Golden-ringed Dragonfly, several along the Ditchend Brook
Beautiful Demoiselle, thinly distributed
Large Red Damselfly, fairly common
Azure Damselfly, most of the blue damsels Ided
Common Blue Damselfly, most of the rest
Blue-tailed Damselfly, Very small numbers around the ditchend pool
Small Red Damselfly, in a couple of areas but only small numbers.

Most blue damsels were too active to id and I may have overlooked Southern. I don't think I missed any Scarce Blue-tails though.

[Brian Stone]

And a few more pics.

[pdwinter]

I spent last weekend at Godshill near Fordingbridge and walked a fair bit around Great Cockley Pain, Ditchend Brook and Must Thorns Bottom.

One section of the brook with a largish pool held more odonata than I've ever seen in one place before.

....
Most blue damsels were too active to id and I may have overlooked Southern. I don't think I missed any Scarce Blue-tails though.

Hi Brian

I must walk along there. On my visits to the general area I walk (southish) over the hill to the Ashley Hole bomb craters and come back down Little Cockley Plain and then a failry small section along Ditchend to the track back to the car park - and it's always late afternoon for Ditchend so I've been disappointed!

I'm pretty sure that there have never been any Southern Damselflies recorded from the area but there aren't any NBN records for the area past 1997.

Cheers, Paul

[Brian Stone]

That section of the brook (near the Ashley Walk crossing) was totally dry last weekend. Southerns are not far away on the Latchmore Brook so I wondered if they might be here. Perhaps not.

[pdwinter]

Now three Red-veined Darters flying aorund the boating lake on Southampton Common.

[pdwinter]

Now three Red-veined Darters flying aorund the boating lake on Southampton Common.

Still three males there today and Andy Collins saw what was probably a female also. Two Golden-ringed today - one along the path/stream just east of the boating lake and another on the east of the Avenue (although possibly the same insect!)

[pdwinter]

That section of the brook (near the Ashley Walk crossing) was totally dry last weekend. Southerns are not far away on the Latchmore Brook so I wondered if they might be here. Perhaps not.

Yes, it's surprising that Southerns haven't hopped over from Latchmore. Perhaps there are scrub areas they won't cross or no suitable habitat within a km. I've been told that Southern Damselflies are on Broadlands estate (Romsey) and we're hoping that they get to my local patch - Lower Test. The latter has been surveyed and the ditch systems are suitable but as yet no sign.

[pdwinter]

I went with Tim Parmenter to the Latchmore Brook today. When it became overcast and rained we thought we'd made a big mistake but eventually it became a fine afternoon

Species seen

Beautiful Demoiselle
Emerald Damselfly 5
Blue-tailed Damselfly
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly 7 inc aurantiaca female
Common Blue Damselfly
Azure Damselfly
Southern Damselfly c.50 the most common blue
Large Red Damselfly
Small Red Damselfly
Emperor Dragonfly 2
Golden-ringed Dragonfly 5
Four-spotted Chaser 6
Broad-bodied Chaser 2
Keeled Skimmer 100s

We called at Slufters on the way back and added two species

Black-tailed Skimmer
Black Darter (imm Male)

I've now seen 4 Red-veined Darters and a Black Darter but no Common Darter this year!

Regards, Paul

[pdwinter]

A good few hours at Badminston today produced 13 species.

Blue-tailed Damselfly
Common Blue Damselfly
Azure Damselfly 1
Red-eyed Damselfly 1
Small Red-eyed Damselfly 1
Large Red Damselfly
Emperor Dragonfly 5
Golden-ringed Dragonfly 1
Four-spotted Chaser 1
Black-tailed Skimmer 10+
Keeled Skimmer 3 (2m,f)
Red-veined Darter 8 (7m,f)
Common Darter 6 (tenerals)

Unsurprisingly a Hobby appeared!



Paul

[pdwinter]

There was one Red-veined Darter in the rough grass north of the boating lake at lunchtime - sheltering from the wind until I disturbed it and then unfortunately disappearing again just before Andy Collins arrived.

To the east of the boating lake is a narrow ditch with a path alongside and an area of thistles. When the sun came out in this sheltered area we saw one (poss 2) Golden-ringed, two Emperors and a Southern Hawker which had a deformed abdomen with the last few segments at a right angle to the rest. Good for butterflies too.

[pdwinter]

In an hour's visit at lunchtime around the pond I saw

Emerald Damselfly 1
Blue-tailed Damselfly 3
Azure Damselfly 100s
Large Red Damselfly pr
Emperor 1
Golden-ringed 1
Broad-bodied chaser male
Ruddy Darter 4 mature males

The bog was relatively dry.

Paul

[pdwinter]

Managed to see a Common Hawker hunting along the trees on the Burley old railway west of the Holmesley tea rooms at lunchtime. I then walked around Holmesley bog and saw little in the gloom and rain! The best part came at the end of the walk back by the stream at the beginning of the railway with several Goldenrings and a Southern Damselfly. (The latter probably only 50m from the car after a 5 mile walk!)

[pdwinter]

Twelve species of dragonfly on a nice sunny (but a bit windy) day.

Highlights were a small Red-eyed Damselfly, nine Ruddy Darters and three immature male Red-veined Darters. The latter were unfortunately in a private area although I'll look again around the upper balancing pond (aka Iley Lake) on Wednesday.