3 Dragonflies for ID please?. (1 Viewer)

[alan_rymer]

I think the Hawkers are Brown and Southern, but I have no idea about the Chaser/Darter.
Can anyone tell me what they are, and why please?. My book is not that good!.
Taken at Lavells Lake, Dinton Pastures, Berkshire.
Apologies for the large size.

 

[nigeldphoto]

I think the Hawkers are Brown and Southern, but I have no idea about the Chaser/Darter.
Can anyone tell me what they are, and why please?. My book is not that good!.

Apologies for the large size.

Hi Alan, the one on the left as far as i can make out is theCommon Hawker Dragonfly, if i find the other two i will get back to you.
Regards,
Nigel B

 

[alan_rymer]

Hi Alan, the one on the left as far as i can make out is theCommon Hawker Dragonfly, if i find the other two i will get back to you.
Regards,
Nigel B

I'll go with Common, ( Aeshna juncea - Common Hawker )
just had another look thro the Dragonfly Society page:
http://www.dragonflysoc.org.uk/frameset.htm?home&home

Thanks

 

[Nigel G]

Hi Alan

I concur with both Common (left) and Brown (right) but afraid I can't confirm the Darter either. My current guide is also rather limited and the bargin Smallwash book currently on Ebay wont arrive until next week.

 

[Adey Baker]

Come along, chaps - those broad antehumeral stripes instantly confirm the first as a Southern Hawker (Common would have narrow stripes and also in a shot like this you should see the yellow 'costa' - the front edge of the forewing). it's a male and probably immature in that colour (although, as mentioned in another thread somewhere temperature can affect the colour)

The 'Darter' looks like an over-mature male Skimmer, probably a Black-tailed, but it is well worn.

 

[Brian Stone]

The first is Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea). The broad yellow antehumeral spots are diagnostic. That's an absolutely excelent photo!

The second is an over-mature male Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum).

The last is Brown Hawker (Aeshna grandis)

Edit: I see Adey got in there first. At least we agree

 

[Adey Baker]

That's an absolutely excelent photo!

It is indeed - Southern Hawkers do fly around as much as the other hawkers but when they finally land they often allow a very close approach and they always seem to take up a 'dynamic' pose giving very pleasing photos.

You did well to get the Brown Hawker, Alan - they've got a completely different attitude to photographers!

 

[alan_rymer]

It is indeed - Southern Hawkers do fly around as much as the other hawkers but when they finally land they often allow a very close approach and they always seem to take up a 'dynamic' pose giving very pleasing photos.

You did well to get the Brown Hawker, Alan - they've got a completely different attitude to photographers!

Thankyou everyone for your diagnostic skill. Even though there are a small number of Dragonflies and Demsels I still find some difficult. I have seen one "blue" Black Tailed around this lake and many around another lake, but none were the colour of this one
When tring to photo Dragons I start off Digiscoping from 20 foot, then after a few decent photo's I sneak slowley forward, in the skimmers case crawled. I got the last photo's from with 6 inches with both the Southern and the Skimmer ( you can see the shadow of the camera in the photo of the skimmer ). The brown was very flighty and I could only get it digiscoped.
Many thanks again

 

[harry eales]

The first is Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea). The broad yellow antehumeral spots are diagnostic. That's an absolutely excelent photo!

The second is an over-mature male Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum).

The last is Brown Hawker (Aeshna grandis)

Edit: I see Adey got in there first. At least we agree

Just got in and noticed this thread, I concur with Adey and Brian.

Harry

 

[jayhunter]

Alan,

I also think the Southern Hawker is a terrific photo, must admit I have difficulty getting close especially when only having a short focus lens with me.

 

[alan_rymer]

A last ID if possible please.
This one was 15 foot up a tree. The photo is not so good.
Taken at Twyford Gravels Pits, Berkshire.
Is it another Brown?

 

[138mph]

Yep another Brown Hawker, - I have yet to get a photo of a landed one, the best I have managed is a near stationary hover:
http://www.eimagesite.net/s1/gst/run.cgi?action=imagen&prid=255

Hugh

 

[harry eales]

Yep another Brown Hawker, - I have yet to get a photo of a landed one, the best I have managed is a near stationary hover:
http://www.eimagesite.net/s1/gst/run.cgi?action=imagen&prid=255

Hugh

I agree also,

Dragonflies can be very difficult to photograph at times. Attached is one I took yesterday of a friendly Common Hawker. It was in a difficult position to obtain a decent picture of it, but then I couldn't use the viewing screen, and had to hold the camera in one hand and just point and press and hope. lol.

Harry

 

[alan_rymer]

Yep another Brown Hawker, - I have yet to get a photo of a landed one, the best I have managed is a near stationary hover:
http://www.eimagesite.net/s1/gst/run.cgi?action=imagen&prid=255

Hugh

Hugh
Thats shots a lot more difficult that when they are landed. Well done!

I agree also,

Dragonflies can be very difficult to photograph at times. Attached is one I took yesterday of a friendly Common Hawker. It was in a difficult position to obtain a decent picture of it, but then I couldn't use the viewing screen, and had to hold the camera in one hand and just point and press and hope. lol.

Harry

Harry
I your case, that shot is a lot more difficult when it is landed!.
Well done to you too, just for getting the shot!.

 

[HarassedDad]

The other diagnostic for the Southern Hawker, as opposed to the Common, is the 9th and 10th segments. The Southern has blue stripes across these two segments, while the Common (and migrant) have blue dots.

Interestingly the mature black-tailed clearly shows the outlines of the female/immature male patterns down the abdomen.

Diagnostics for the brown Hawker has to be it's brown and you're not in Norfolk
Seriously the brown wings are the absolutely defining feature. In terms of jizz though, if you can't see the wings - the brown is prone to sudden and abrupt changes of direction, particularly sudden leaps upwards. It also varies its height far more than other hawkers - going from 4ft to 30ft and back, while other species tend to keep to smaller height bands. Also while on patrol on a territory the males tend to glide rather more than others.

Incidently the best way to get a shot of a brown is to find them roosting in the early morning before they're warm enough to fly - look for them about 20-50ft from the water's edge, about 2ft up on any suitable vegetation.

 

[alan_rymer]

The other diagnostic for the Southern Hawker, as opposed to the Common, is the 9th and 10th segments. The Southern has blue stripes across these two segments, while the Common (and migrant) have blue dots.

Interestingly the mature black-tailed clearly shows the outlines of the female/immature male patterns down the abdomen.

Diagnostics for the brown Hawker has to be it's brown and you're not in Norfolk
Seriously the brown wings are the absolutely defining feature. In terms of jizz though, if you can't see the wings - the brown is prone to sudden and abrupt changes of direction, particularly sudden leaps upwards. It also varies its height far more than other hawkers - going from 4ft to 30ft and back, while other species tend to keep to smaller height bands. Also while on patrol on a territory the males tend to glide rather more than others.

Incidently the best way to get a shot of a brown is to find them roosting in the early morning before they're warm enough to fly - look for them about 20-50ft from the water's edge, about 2ft up on any suitable vegetation.

Thanks HD

Must make notes of all these tips and I.D. features. Might be an idea for a thread with tips, examples and what the parts of a dragon are called?.

 

[Ashton.P]

Hi Alan,

A closer look at the Black-tailed Skimmer shows it to be a female, identifiable on the anal appendages.

The Southern Hawker is also interesting, the spots being all blue. There is a blue form of Southern Hawker which I recently tried to gain further information on in another thread. I`ve tried several sources to gain more information on this colour form and have found nothing. However searching many pictures on the web there are several showing this colouring which leads me to conclude that the specimen I had recently at Tophill Low was more likely to be immature.

Nice photos by the way.

Regards,
Paul.
East Riding Dragonflies

 

[Adey Baker]

A closer look at the Black-tailed Skimmer shows it to be a female, identifiable on the anal appendages.

Yes, that's right and the Brooks/Lewington fieldguide illustrates this form as 'over mature.'

 

[alan_rymer]

Another two!

Sorry

Another two please:
The first is a Hawker, I can rule out Southern, and I don't think its migrant, which probably makes it a Common!. But I can't work out what it is logically. Can anyone help please.

The second is a Darter, its in the same areas as a female Ruddy Darter I put in for I.D. last year, so I'm guessing at a Male Ruddy Darter, but again, I can't work out why.
Both of the photo's leave something to be desired for I.D. purposes.
Taken at Twyford Gravels Pits, Berkshire.

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I'm pretty rusty on dragonflies but I think the darter is certainly a Ruddy Darter - the black legs are a good feature and you can see the 'waisted' look to the abdomen as well. I reckon you're probably correct with Common Hawker too.