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Norfolk Dragon/Damselflies reports/news (1 Viewer)

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Paul Woolnough said:
From the lakes near Little Plumstead hospital today
Four-spotted chaser and many azure damselflies. Had variable and large red damselfly yesterday at same spot but no azures strangely.

(I did hope for my first common blue or blue-tailed damselflies of the year. None seen. All possibles for these showed themselves to be azures, for example a mature green female.) This posting has been revised below.
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I could not get any good damselfly photographs at Little Plumstead on Saturday.

One insect would not settle. I focussed on the grass near the insect and when it landed I took a picture.

Did not show much interest in the picture as I only managed to get a shot of the abdomen. Have blown up the picture and found there was no U for azUre but the marking for common blue damselfly.

The other blue damselflies I saw were azures.
 
Paul Woolnough said:
Thanks to Jabberwocky for the picture and HarrassedDad for the ID. Was planning to post a reply.

I looked at the picture a short while ago and blew it up as best I could. Could not decide whether it was common or azure. Could not see enough detail from the front of the abdomen.

Eliminated variable as the rear end would have more black than your damselfly has.

Agree on common as ID
Have looked at the book again the wide ante-humeral stripes are a feature of common damselfly

Am still trying to get my head around these blue damselflies. They often don't stay still long enough to be photographed.
Click to expand...

Thanks to Paul and HarrassedDad for the confirmation.

I paid a quick visit to the Pingos at Stow Bedon on Sunday. There were a few damsel and dragonflies on the wing but none settled within range and I'm still learning these so no ID's.

Did see 6 Orange tips a Brimstone and a Peacock. Also heard the second Cuckoo of the weekend. The first was in my garden. Highlight of my weekend was a nice Turtle Dove within a few feet of the kitchen window, 2nd visit this month.

Lewis
 
A possible darter on the south bank of breydon water yesterday. A walker put it up before I got close enough for a good look, but the jizz was right.
 
Holt Lowes

My first Keeled Skimmer of the year 'on the bog' this afternoon: a recently emerged female.

A Four-spotted Chaser was the only other dragon present, which was a bit of a surprise, in the warm sun.
 

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Photo of an imm male Broad-bodied Chaser taken at Felbrigg this week attached.

Only very small numbers of other species present so far this year with a single Red-eyed Damselfly, and a few Large Reds, Common Blues and Blue-tailed Damsels, and all away from the lake itself.

Simon
 

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Chasers & Darters

Four-spotted Chasers were out at the summit of Walsey Hills last weekend, in and around the gorse.

Two Broad-bodied Chasers were near to Holt Country Park, south of Holt in the week.

The Hairy was snapped at Walsey, too.
 

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Hail, thunder and a Norfolk Hawker

TWO of Harrassed Dad's butterfly recording tetrads run through the narrow Church Plantation east of the round-towered Beeston St Lawrence church north of Wroxham, near Beeston Hall.

At the east end two dragonflies in the sunshine. One a Norfolk hawker, flying up and down at the east end of the wood. Came and had a look at me as I left. The other a female hairy hawker. Had already seen a male hairy hawker by the main road near the church. Unexpected sightings 1/2km or more from water.

East of Smallburgh church in the same tetrad a four-spotted chaser. This dragonfly was even further away from water than the other sightings. Those at Beeston were north of the lakes and stream from Beeston St Lawrence through Neatishead to Barton Broad. Disappeared before a hail storm.

Clearly these dragonflies would spread into suitable new habitat if there were any. All were alas in areas mainly of arable fields.
 
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Marston Marsh in Norwich produced my first broad-bodied chasers yesterday. Also Large red and azure damsels plus this wee hairy - who was so cold she elected to use my finger for warmth.

I do like rummole darter - is it released under a creative commons licence?:t:
 

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Over the bank holiday weekend a male Broad-bodied Chaser was at Welney, whilst I found my first Scarce Chaser at Foulden Common (see picture)
 

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I didn't know they were at Foulden - though I've heard of them at narbourgh.
Just received my copy of Transactions in the post and we have a new species for norfolk - Scarce blue-tail (Ischnura pumilio) seen 2008 in "west norfolk". Just shows what's still to be discovered.
 
Tuseday I had my first Broad bodied chaser , male just comming into colour and a tenneral Emperor dragonfly at Swanton Novers. Overall dargon\damselfly numbers still very low.
 
Foulden yesterday

One of the pools held 2 annoying blue dragons (which must have been male Hairies, as I've just seen my first Emperor of the year and they weren't that!) which would not settle, in addition to one Broad-bodied and 4+ Four-spot Chasers.
 

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Common Blue, Azure and Blue Tailed at Thomson Common on Sunday morning.

Also saw this newly emerged and three Emeralds, but are they Scarce Emeralds? Sorry the pics aren't too sharp it was a little windy.

Lewis
 

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Lakenheath yesterday -
few Large Red Damselfly
numerous Azure Damselfly
1-2 Variable Damselfly

2-3 Hairy Dragonfly
1-2Broad-bodied Chaser
6+ Four-spotted Chaser

Ta Chris
 
from left to right 2 (female) and 4 (male) are definitely common emerald. 3 can't be distinguished due to the angle of the photo.
 
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