Sightings and News for August 2003

 

30.8.03
At the private lake at Whirley (87H SJ882747) today there were still plenty of Common Blue Damselfly flying along with Blue-tailed Damselfly and Emerald Damselfly. Dragonfly activity comprised good numbers of Migrant Hawker, Brown Hawker and Common Darter with a single male Ruddy Darter.

29.8.03
To Vale Royal (66P SJ644699) for a look at the species around the River Weaver.There were plenty of Migrant Hawker to be seen and several Brown Hawker, Ruddy Darter, Common Darter and Blue-tailed Damselfly.

27.8.03
Stu Burnet was at Handforth (88R SJ870835) where there were 13 Migrant Hawker and 9 Common Hawker including ovipositing pairs at the series of ponds. Meanwhile at Blakemere Moss (57K SJ554711) Richard Gabb and myself recorded good numbers of Migrant Hawker, Brown Hawker, Black Darter and Common Darter with a couple of Southern Hawker.

25-8-03
This afternoon at Danebridge (96S SJ964652) a single female Migrant Hawker was feeding close to the River Dane.

24-8-03
From the Wirral Country Park at Thurstaston (28G SJ239832) Matt Thomas reports sightings of the first ever Ruddy Darter for the site. Also present were Migrant Hawker, Brown Hawker, Southern Hawker and Common Darter.

21.8.03
On the nature reserve at Pool House Claypits (98M SJ948845) today there were three species flying. I saw a couple of both Southern Hawker and Brown Hawker along with several Common Darter.

Ruddy Darter at Swettenham Meadows 20-8-03. Photo © Tony Allenby 2003

20.8.03
Tony Allenby was at Swettenham Meadows Reserve (86D SJ804675) today and recorded several Southern Hawker and Ruddy Darter on the wing.

Oakenclough Pond 16-8-03. Photo © David Kitching 2003

16.8.03
Another warm sunny day and I ventured onto the moors where god dragonfly days are at a premium. There was plenty of action at the Oakenclough pond (96P SJ958696) where the Emerald Damselfly were more abundant than any other site I have visited this year. Black Darter were also very common and active. The highlight was the several Common Hawker including a tandem pair and another ovipositing female. These upland pools can be well worth visiting when the sun shines as they often support large populations of some species. They are under-recorded due to their often remote locations.

Common Hawkers at Oakenclough 16-8-03. Photo © David Kitching 2003

15.8.03
The apparent ability of large numbers of male Migrant Hawker to fly together without clashing was displayed at Shakerley Mere (77F SJ733708) where at least six males were seen in a small area adjacent to the car park. The insects were all feeding and flying and showed no agression towards each other. A number of Common Darter were also present.

Richard Hargreaves was at Spud Wood (78D SJ700873) near Lymm where he saw two Migrant Hawker and four Brown Hawker with single individuals of Southern Hawker and Common Darter.

14.8.03
The SSSI at Dane-in-Shaw near Congleton (86R SJ877627) is a joy to visit and the small pond at the northern side of the site is a good spot to find Odonata. Today there were several Common Darter, Brown Hawker and Migrant Hawker along with a single Black Darter! Damselflies comprised Blue-tailed Damselfly and a very late Azure Damselfly.

12.8.03
Having spent many frustrating hours trying to photoraph large hawkers I have been watching their behaviour carefully for the past week or two and have realised that the Brown Hawkers at Newchurch Common (66E SJ607688) can be found resting in the brown bits of the gorse or clinging to the dead brown stalks of docks. Often there are two or three adults sitting quite close together but always well camouflaged against the background. There were several females feeding over one of the meadows today and they were landing every five minutes or so. A careful stalk usually resulted in the insect flying off just as I was preparing to take a photograph but patience was rewarded in the end. The Migrant Hawkers, although present in lesser numbers, appear to use similar resting places but have proved more difficult to spot and even more difficult to approach.

Female Brown Hawker at Newchurch Common 12-8-03. Photo © David Kitching 2003

8.8.03
Again at Newchurch Common (66E SJ607688) where many hawkers were seen. A single Common Hawker battled with the large numbers of Brown Hawker over the grassy areas whilst the wodland finges saw both Southern Hawker and Migrant Hawker. Plenty of Common Darter and Black Darter were also seen along with Common Blue Damselfly and a few Blue-tailed Damselfly and Emerald Damselfly.

Female Common Darter at Newchurch Common 8-8-03. Photo © David Kitching 2003

7.8.03
Still lots of Brown Hawker at Newchurch Common (66E SJ607688) where many were hanging in the gorse and flushed as I passed by.

Male Brown Hawker at Newchurch Common 7-8-03. Photo © David Kitching 2003

4.8.03
Tony Allenby was at Danes Moss Reserve (97A SJ908705) where he saw a few Brown Hawker and Southern Hawker along with large numbers of Black Darter.

A pair of Black Darters at Danes Moss 4-8-03. Photo © Tony Allenby 2003

On a very hot and sunny day I ventured at lunchtime to Newchurch Common (66E SJ607688) where the scene resembled the 'planet of the grandis'. Everywhere I looked there were male Brown Hawker flying and many females ovipositing at the water's edge. I have never seen quite so many hawker dragonflies in one area before. A few Migrant Hawker were flying and I saw my first Ruddy Darter of the year. There were also large numbers of Black Darter across the meadow areas and in a sheltered clearing it was so hot that they were adopting the 'obelisk' position, pointing their abdomen directly at the sun. Very few Common Darter were seen.

Female Black Darter pointing to reduce direct sunlight on the body at Newchurch Common 4-8-03. Photo © David Kitching 2003

3.8.03
Matt Thomas reports both Migrant Hawker and Brown Hawker flying close to the Visitor Centre at Thurstaston on the Wirral Country Park (28G SJ239833)

In the hills of the Peak National Park to the East of the county there was a single male Common Hawker flying at a firepond in Macclesfield Forest (97Q SJ960705). Three further Common Hawker were at a pond on the edge of the moors near Oakenclough (96P SJ958696) along with Black Darter, Common Blue Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly.

2.8.03
A further visit to the Macclesfield Canal, this time at Moreton-cum-Alcumlow (85P SJ848595) saw Brown Hawker and several Banded Demoiselle over the water.

1.8.03
Barry Shaw reports sightings of Southern Hawker, Migrant Hawker and Four-spotted Chaser today at one of the fairly newly excavated ponds near the second runway at Woodend (SJ806823).

Along the Macclesfield Canal there was plenty of activity on a sunny day. I recorded Brown Hawker and Blue-tailed Damselfly at Blue-tailed Damselfly (97G SJ923723), the same species and also Common Blue Damselfly at Sutton (97F SJ921713) and a female Southern Hawker feeding along the towpath hedge in the late evening at Moss Head (97A SJ911704).