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Norfolk Dragon/Damselflies reports/news (2 Viewers)

Nice one. Saw a female Large Red along the River Chelmer here in Essex on Friday - first time I've seen this species, really gorgeous damsel too!
 

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Broad-bodied chaser has been reported near Norwich, elsewhere in the country Hairy dragonfly, four-spotted chaser, azure and blue-tailed damsels have also been seen.

Can I ask plz where the Hairy Dragons have been report?

Nice picture Fozzybear am I rite in saying that the Large Red in the picture is f. intermedia.
 
Well I'm not an expert so I might be wrong. If you look at the pic I've attached (I didn't take it myself) Its still a Large Red but it has diffarent abdomen marks from your one you pictured. I guess it is like a sub species?
 

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I'd looked at some shots around on t'internet and had assumed that the plain red ones were males and the stripy ones were females but that was purely a guess as I know now't about them... can't really answer that one!
 
Like many damselflies, the female Large red come in different colour forms. These aren't sub-species, as they co-exist and interbreed; they are genetic differences akin to the way people come in black, brown and pink varieties. In most cases where there are female colour forms, one usually looks like the male (the andromorph form) and there are usually two or three other, different colour forms (collectively known as the gynomorph forms). In the case of Large Red there are three forms which differ in the amount of black: melanotum, intermedia and fulvipes. (Colour forms get named in latin too)

Robert's photo is a male, while Fozzybear's is a female intermedia. Males don't have any yellow rings at the junctions of the abdomenal segments.

The Hairy report was from a private site, but it should be flying (when it stops raining) in most areas of the broads. Good sites in the west of the county are rarer, but it's at Pensthorpe and Snettisham. If you are ever i Norwich, the best site there is marston marsh.
 
Like many damselflies, the female Large red come in different colour forms. These aren't sub-species, as they co-exist and interbreed; they are genetic differences akin to the way people come in black, brown and pink varieties. In most cases where there are female colour forms, one usually looks like the male (the andromorph form) and there are usually two or three other, different colour forms (collectively known as the gynomorph forms). In the case of Large Red there are three forms which differ in the amount of black: melanotum, intermedia and fulvipes. (Colour forms get named in latin too)

Robert's photo is a male, while Fozzybear's is a female intermedia. Males don't have any yellow rings at the junctions of the abdomenal segments.

The Hairy report was from a private site, but it should be flying (when it stops raining) in most areas of the broads. Good sites in the west of the county are rarer, but it's at Pensthorpe and Snettisham. If you are ever i Norwich, the best site there is marston marsh.

Thanks very much I've learnt something.

So out so far are~
Large Red Damselflies
Four Spotted Chaser
Broad-bodied chaser
Hairy dragonfly
azure and blue-tailed damsels
 
Actually, there's another that might be flying in Norfolk - Downy Emerald. It's out elsewhere and does occur here - but at a private site. (and I don't know where).

Next one out will probably be scarce chaser - norfolk/suffolk border is best for this species, but it does turn up at strumpshaw.
 
Hairy Dragonfly

Good sites in the west of the county are rarer, but it's at Pensthorpe and Snettisham.

Many thanks for taking the time to do that fascinating update.

Just a quick question if I may? Would that be Snettisham RSPB reserve or the Coastal Park bit it occurs at? Many thanks,

Irene
 
Sadly I'm just going on the text in "Dragonflies of Norfolk", which just says Snettisham - but it will be in freshwater ditches so I'd guess the park.
 
Scarce chaser and emerald

Actually, there's another that might be flying in Norfolk - Downy Emerald. It's out elsewhere and does occur here - but at a private site. (and I don't know where).

Next one out will probably be scarce chaser - norfolk/suffolk border is best for this species, but it does turn up at strumpshaw.

Have seen scarce chaser at Strumpshaw. One near steps, by the river at far end of seasonal meadow trail. This a few years ago.B :)

Cannot, or rather prefer not to, go public as to where the Norfolk emeralds are.:C
 
Scarce Chaser

A good spot fo Scarce Chaser a couple of years ago was along a road near Hassingham near Strumpshaw. I saw several there but can't remember exactly where. Staff at the visitors centre at Srumpshaw Fen told me where to go though.

Chris
 
Hello everybody, today I went to Fowlmead Reserve nr, Deal, Kent. Dragons have been non existent, until now. I noted Common Darter and Hairy Hawker. As I hadn,t a photo of a Hairy Hawker I prayed it would settle and it did about 4ft from me. A stealthy approach allowed me to bag my first Hairy Dragon a female.To cap it off I also took some shots of a Brown Argus butterfly which was another first for me, so I was chuffed.
 
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