Norfolk Dragon/Damselflies reports/news (3 Viewers)

[HarassedDad]

Yes, but I've been there pretty much every weekday for weeks and never seen an emerald until that day - so what's the odds there were two different species? I suspect our perceived differences are to do with being stood on opposite sides, and thus at opposite angles to the sun.

But you're right that something good will turn up. I had an ovipositing norfolk there in the summer (today just migrant and common both ovipositing) plus my list there runs to

Emperor, norfolk, Brown, Southern & migrant hawkers,
4 spot chaser and black-tailed skimmer,
azure, blue tail and small red eyed,
banded demoiselle and now emerald
Not bad for a pond by a cafe on an industrial estate.
No BBC though - although they're on the bigger pond by the other cafe, where I've also had large red and red-eyed plus all the above except BTS (which I only saw once so presumably just passing through)

 

[Bittern2010]

Emperor, norfolk, Brown, Southern & migrant hawkers,
4 spot chaser and black-tailed skimmer,
azure, blue tail and small red eyed,
banded demoiselle and now emerald
Not bad for a pond by a cafe on an industrial estate.
No BBC though - although they're on the bigger pond by the other cafe, where I've also had large red and red-eyed plus all the above except BTS (which I only saw once so presumably just passing through)

That is a good tally of species.

I don't often visit the Terrace Café pond. I will have to keep an eye out for the small red damselflies next summer. Do they regularly occur there?

Will also keep an eye out for any Emeralds next time I cycle past.

The Broadland Business Park is a great place for wildlife although there are more developments going on that may impact the wildlife. The old cricket ground which has become a meadow in more recent years is sadly going to be turned into a car park.

Cheers

Steve

 

[StewB]

That is a really good accumulation of species! Despite being based (part-time) in one of the offices near the Waterside cafe, I've not had much opportunity to scrutinise the lakes / ponds, though like you I've had Norfolk Hawker at both. If small red-eyed has made it to the site then surely willow emerald can follow!

I used to be a regular visitor to St Andrews House when it was used by the PCT for offices, so I've got mixed feelings about all the development - certainly the ponds bring something special to an otherwise bland estate, but to think that the once immaculate cricket pitch is soon to become a car park is a bit depressing..

Stew

 

[HarassedDad]

Slightly off topic for this thread - but the meadow has produced some good leps: mother shipton, latticed heath, common blue, brown argus, large + small skippers. Shame to see it go.
The larger pond by waterside is also good for orchids - bee is regular and this year there was at least one common spotted.

 

[ben_lewis]

Not quite as impressive as some of the recent willow emerald movements but something I have found interesting...
After a few years of the damsels stayng broadly in the same areas at strumpshaw, this year has certainly seen some more movement around the reserve reflecting other sightings further afield.

Today for example I had 8 at the normal spot near the fen boardwalk, then at least 3 at the pool next to reception, 4 at the pond dipping pool opposite the sand pit and 1 in the ditch running alongside the fen hide track. This was all while working so a decent look should have reviewed far more at more locations.

Other than that there are still stacks of migrant hawkers a few browns still about and I was quite pleased to see a common emerald in a new area of the fen in what appeared to be quite unsuitable habitat

 

[Lightthiscandle]

Still some Hawkers...

I took a turn around Upton Fen today (regular readers of my blog will guess why!) and found there were still dozens of Migrants, a few Southerns and, perhaps surprisingly, still a few Brown Hawkers.

This Southern came to watch me mow the lawn yesterday!

 

[Swindon Addick]

I found a brown hawker on 1 October too (at Cley, on the path towards the East wall. Good numbers of migrant hawkers and common darters, as well.

 

[Bittern2010]

Cow Tower

There were still 2 Willow Emeralds showing in the autumn sunshine today at Cow Tower Pond.

Unfortunately, I cannot get to the coast until the weekend to see the influx of avian delights. A calling flock of Redwing overhead was some consolation though.

Cheers

Steve

 

[ben_lewis]

A female willow emerald was still holding on at strumpshaw today. Are we getting close to the latest WE records for Norfolk yet?

 

[Stratton Birder]

Migrant Hawker seen today at Ormesby Little Broad.

Steve.

 

[string boozel]

Migrant Hawker at Holkham on the 13th Nov - latest I've seen.

James.

 

[Robert S J Smith]

Common Darter in one of the Dunes slacks today at Holme.

 

[StewB]

After having Norfolk Hawkers there during the summer it's sad to see the pool by the Terrace Restaurant on the Broadland Business Park has been drained. Hopefully it will be refilled for the spring.

 

[HarassedDad]

Apparently some invasive alien pondweed got in, so it's being drained and treated with herbicide. Shame because the Norfolks had oviposited on the bogbean there, but hopefully they'll try again once it's recovered.

 

[StewB]

So I guess it will be like a new pond - it will be interesting to see how it develops, and which species re-colonise.

Stew

 

[grahamarchy]

After having Norfolk Hawkers there during the summer it's sad to see the pool by the Terrace Restaurant on the Broadland Business Park has been drained. Hopefully it will be refilled for the spring.

Interesting that disturbing Norfolk Hawkers is a a criminal offence. Have the people that drained the pond been granted a licence to do this? if not this should be investigated. I will follow this up, as i heard of an incident elsewhere in Norfolk this year whereby Norfolk Hawkers were deliberately disturbed. With this species expanding its range this might be an issue for more sites.

Any works that disturb this species needs a licence no matter if it is letting your dog swim in a dyke where they are present or draining a pond where they are found..

 

[HarassedDad]

To be fair, there was no reason for them to know - I only submit my dragonfly records after xmas so it wouldn't go into NBIS till next feb. So even if they'd done a search it wouldn't have shown up - and there's no requirement for an environmental impact assessment to drain an artificial pond . And the offence is to knowingly disturb.

If I'd seen them draining it I'd have said something, but it was done over the weekend so it was a done deal when I got to work on the Monday. On the plus side the habitat will be there again and will be recolonized.
(Unless the owners are faced with masses of legal paperwork - when they might decide to just concrete it over to avoid the grief, since they can do that legally before they refill it and it gets protected species in it again)

 

[StewB]

Earlier this week we walked from Bluebell Road down to the river at UEA in search of lesser redpolls (which we saw). However, most distressing was to find that there's been some "conservation work" at the boardwalk which involves removing all the bushes and vegetation from around Soldier Pond and the riverbank. No doubt there are good well-thought through reasons for this, but I guess they didn't include any concern for the willow emeralds that had colonised the pond, and which had almost certainly oviposited in the (now removed) surrounding willows.

Stew

 

[93Birder]

Earlier this week we walked from Bluebell Road down to the river at UEA in search of lesser redpolls (which we saw). However, most distressing was to find that there's been some "conservation work" at the boardwalk which involves removing all the bushes and vegetation from around Soldier Pond and the riverbank. No doubt there are good well-thought through reasons for this, but I guess they didn't include any concern for the willow emeralds that had colonised the pond, and which had almost certainly oviposited in the (now removed) surrounding willows.

Stew

Hi Stew don't worry you're not the first to notice. They were removed about 2 months ago and I kicked up quite the fuss. The original plan was to remove all the remaining willows from around the pond. Fortunately I managed to prevent this, I just hope the damage to their numbers won't be too bad.

 

[93Birder]

My first Large Red of the year yesterday at Strumpshaw.