Fieldfare600
Well-known member
Has anyone any recent, and hopefully positive, news on the hawkers? I'm still trying to head that way this week ... Thanks in advance for anything.
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UK Dragonflies and Damselflies 2024 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Swindon Addick
- Start date
In early July there were quite a few reports from the traditional sites in the Loch Maree / Beinn Eighe area being retweeted by the BDS Scotland team. Their Twitter account has been quiet for a few weeks since then so lack of further reports doesn't necessarily mean nothing's been seen.
pdwinter
Paul Winter
A trip to Dame's Slough Inclosure (New Forest) today (24.07.24) brought plenty of White-legged Damselflies - surprisingly quite localised in southern Hampshire. Images of an immature male and immature and teneral females attached. Keeled Skimmer and Southern Hawker were also new for the year - not put in too much effort !
Now reached 23 species for the year.
Now reached 23 species for the year.
Attachments
Matthebirder
Well-known member
Not sure if you know the Beinn Eighe site; I would just look at the weather prediction for the hottest sunniest period and plan a whole day walking backwards and forwards along the top loop trail above the tree line well above the visitor centre. Look for the Golden Ringed as they will be trying to catch the Azures; I rescued one once from the crips of the bigger insect.
Good luck weatherwise.... great location
Not sure about the current Loch Maree reliability; 2023 seemed unreliable I believe?
Farnboro John
Well-known member
Mind you a couple of years ago the hot spot was the gravel path from the reserve to the village, not very far above the centre and trees on both sides. Northern Emerald there as well. Very civilised.
John
Stuart Goodwin
Well-known member
Evening.
Sandwich Bay Birds Obs have posted on Twitter that Ischnura pumilio, Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly, have been seen and photographed on the estate.
Sandwich Bay Birds Obs have posted on Twitter that Ischnura pumilio, Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly, have been seen and photographed on the estate.
Not seen today
They've been regular at the London Wetland Centre for several years now, so you could have got your Surrey tick a while back.
True, just never got round to it. I wouldn't have expected the acid heath of Thursley to be suitable for it, very different from the riverine habitats I have previously seen it in in Norfolk and Kent.
On Facebook someone posted that they'd seen one there about a week previously.
Yes, neither would I. Suspect not suitable breeding habitat for the species., though remember when it was stated Water Soldier was a requirement, which is clearly not true.
wolfbirder
Well-known member
I know dragonfly species are turning up at strange locations, but this record of 3 Azure Hawkers near Mundesley, Norfolk must be a load of blox, must'nt it?
irecord.org.uk
Record of Aeshna caerulea
Common problem with iRecord because of the way users are encouraged to enter species names by starting to type and seeing suggestions pop up. The natural thing to do when reporting Azure Damselfly is to start typing A Z U R ... and the system isn't smart enough to refuse to show Azure Hawker as an option. So people will pick the wrong one when offered a choice of 2 species, rather than only being offered the common one unless they really insist they've seen the rare one.I know dragonfly species are turning up at strange locations, but this record of 3 Azure Hawkers near Mundesley, Norfolk must be a load of blox, must'nt it?
Record of Aeshna caerulea
To be fair, I've seen the same issue on BirdTrack, and that does have an "are you sure about that?" prompt for rarities. Fortunately iRecord does get looked at by county recorders and I would imagine in this case she'll be asking some tactful questions.
I was leading a general entomology walk today in Richmond Park, west London/Surrey & went to one of the ponds as it's often good for Odonata. Most common were Ruddy Darters & Willow Emeralds.
Otherwise a male Emperor & a couple of Common Blue damselflies. My wife then said she thought she could see a Blue-tailed Damselfly. As I got onto it my immediate reaction was the "blue" was virtually at the end of the abdomen & screamed Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly. In fact there were 2 males amongst some short vegetation in the water- Spike Rush & the hybrid of Sharp-flowered/ Jointed Rush, occasionally perching.
I rarely take photos, especially when leading walks, but one of my group captured shots on his phone (his app agreed with my ID) & said he'd upload to I-Naturalist later. Certainly new for Richmond Park & presumably a part of the recent arrival in Kent & Sussex?
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Any chance of him posting a pic on here, please
You can see it on iNaturalist.
pdwinter
Paul Winter
The pics are at Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura pumilio)
firstreesjohn
Well-known member
This male Southern Migrant Hawker was a welcome find, after days of grilling the 'Dragons':
It was near the N end of the Beach Road, Salthouse, in north Norfolk - and the County Recorder informs me a first for the Parish.
It was near the N end of the Beach Road, Salthouse, in north Norfolk - and the County Recorder informs me a first for the Parish.
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