July Sightings and News

Total species recorded during the 2006 season is 24

30.7.06
From ponds at Handforth (88R SJ872831) Barry Shaw reports another Yellow-winged Darter, the third Cheshire record this year. Now is a really good time to seek out migrant species on Cheshire waters and to look that bit more closely at darter species.

Tandem Common Hawker at Oakenclough 28.7.06. Photo © David Kitching 2006

28.7.06
Up on the moors near Oakenclough (96P SJ958696) the ponds were full of Odonata action with masses of Emerald Damselfly and Common Blue Damselfly. At least fifteen male Common Hawker were seen along with single Brown Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly and plenty of Black Darter.

On the Sow Brook at Lymm (68U SJ679883) Mike Mulholland found several Banded Demoiselle.

Female Brown Hawker at Duckington 27.7.06. Photo © David Kitching 2006

27.7.06
A pond in Duckington (45Q SJ472516) today yielded another pair of Banded Demoiselle and lots of Ruddy Darter along with Brown Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Common Darter, Common Blue Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly.

A pair of Ruddy Darter at Duckington 27.7.06. Photo © David Kitching 2006

26.7.06
MIke Mulholland reports a male Migrant Hawker in a garden at Stockton Heath (68D SJ608860).

25.7.06
A single male Common Hawker was busy feeding amongst trees at Bollin Head (97K SJ952704) on the Gritstone Trail this afternoon. Paul Hill saw a male Migrant Hawker feeding in the Lime Avenue at Marbury Park (68N SJ653763).

Trisha Thompson reports a male Yellow-winged Darter from Woolston (68U). This is the first record of this species in Cheshire since 1999. Please note that there is no public access to this site.

Male Yellow-winged Darter at Woolston 25.7.06. Photo © Trisha Thompson 2006

24.7.06
The first Migrant Hawker of the season were seen by Neil Friswell at Tilston Fearnall (45K SJ445515) along with Ruddy Darter, Common Darter, Emperor Dragonfly, Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, Four-spotted Chaser, Common Blue Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly. Meanwhile, Nik Ginn found a male Yellow-winged Darter on farmland at Mobberley (78V SJ798811).

Male Yellow-winged Darter at Mobberley 24.7.06. Photo © Nik Ginn 2006

There are plenty of Southern Hawker about at the moment and I was lucky enough to have a female at my garden pond in Macclesfield (87W SJ8973) this evening.

Female Black Darter at Newchurch Common 24.7.06. Photo © David Kitching 2006

23.7.06
News today of a male Lesser Emperor being accidentally captured by bird ringers in mist nets at Shotton (SJ2970) on Deeside. This is only 2km outside Cheshire so it is well worth looking out for this species. The insect was released unharmed.

Male Lesser Emperor Dragonfly at Shotton, Deeside 23.7.06. Photo © Carol Cockbain 2006

19.7.06
From Dairyhouse Meadow (67S SJ663757) Adam Keen reports Common Darter in good numbers.

16.7.06
Paul Hillyer reports plenty of dragonflies on ponds at Clincton Woods near Widnes (48X SJ482858) where he saw Common Darter, Ruddy Darter, Emperor Dragonfly, Brown Hawker and Four-spotted Chaser.
At Sandbach (76Q SJ7661) George Hill saw Black-tailed Skimmer and Emperor Dragonfly on garden ponds with Banded Demoiselle on the Arclid Brook.

15-22.7.06 Welsh interlude
A few observations from a trip to Snowdonia.

13.7.06
I have long had a theory that Downy Emerald breeds at Hatchmere (55L SJ552721) and I have recorded the species there in 2002 and 2004. Unfortunately I wasn't able to visit in 2005 but today I recorded the a male once again patrolling here. This is not a species that wanders very far and I am now very confident that it is resident at this lake. Also present were plenty of Variable Damselfly.

Male Downy Emerald at Hatchmere 13.7.06. Photo © David Kitching 2006

11.7.06
From the ditches of the Gowy Marshes (47H SJ434740) Andy Harmer reports seeing eleven species today. These included Emerald Damselfly, Banded Demoiselle, Black-tailed Skimmer, Four-spotted Chaser, Emperor Dragonfly, Common Darter, Ruddy Darter, and Black Darter!

Male Broad-bodied Chaser at Byley 10.7.06. Photo © David Kitching 2006

10.7.06
Today was the one where Southern Hawker was to be found in every sun-dappled glade. At Newchurch Common (66E SJ607690) there were at least six and at Byley (77A SJ701706) similar numbers. Nearby at Drakelow Lane (76E SJ710699) a pair of Broad-bodied Chaser were ovipositing in a ditch.

Nick French was at Hockenhull Platts (46S SJ476657) where he saw several Banded Demoiselle with single Brown Hawker and Emperor Dragonfly.

Male Southern Hawker at Byley 10.7.06. Photo © David Kitching 2006

9.7.06
Another record of Broad-bodied Chaser, this time from Crewe by Farndon (45G SJ4252) where Neil French saw a single adult. He also reports Brown Hawker and Ruddy Darter from Inner Marsh Farm (37B SJ308734).

7.7.06
Debbie Hughes reports 20+ Southern Hawker having emerged from an ornamental pond on the Kingsmead Estate at Davenham (67K SJ6571). This demonstrates that this species can take only one year to develop to emergence as this pond was only constructed in 2005.

Male Banded Demoiselle at Chorley 6.7.06. Photo © David Kitching 2006

6.7.06
On the small stream that is the River Weaver in Chorley (54P SJ560499) was a single male Banded Demoiselle and also a male Common Darter with several Common Blue Damselfly. A Brown Hawker was also flying nearby.

Male Emperor Dragonfly at Anderton 5.7.06. Photo © Alan Redley 2006

5.7.06
At a Risley pond (69R SJ662927) Craig Higson found the first recorded Black Darter of the year along with a teneral Emerald Damselfly.

Meanwhile at Dairyhouse Meadow (67S SJ663757) there were several pairs of Emperor Dragonfly with a few Four-spotted Chaser and a couple of Brown Hawker and Common Darter. On the Witton Brook (67M SJ658750) a couple of male Black-tailed Skimmer were on territory. At nearby Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651752) Alan Redley recorded both Emperor Dragonfly and Black-tailed Skimmer.

Male Black-tailed Skimmer at Anderton 5.7.06. Photo © Alan Redley 2006

4.7.06
Another hot sunny day and at Badger's Rake (37H SJ337756) there were at least fifty male Black-tailed Skimmer and ten females ovipositing. Also seen were Emperor Dragonfly and Four-spotted Chaser. At Hatchmere (55L SJ552721) the population of Variable Damselfly continues to flourish although there were just as many Azure Damselfly flying. Also present in good numbers were Red-eyed Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly.

Male Variable Damselfly at Hatchmere 4.7.06. Photo © David Kitching 2006

3.7.06
The cluster of marlpits around Church Minshull (66K SJ645615, SJ643616, SJ640612, SJ642613) were very active today with Emperor Dragonfly on all as was Four-spotted Chaser. The muddy margins of the shallow sided pit had also encouraged a number of Broad-bodied Chaser. Also present in good numbers were Ruddy Darter. Two pits had a single Banded Demoiselle present and there were also a male Brown Hawker, several Emerald Damselfly and lots of Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Azure Damselfly.

Elsewhere, Alan Gradwell went to Lindow Common (88F SJ835813) where he recorded a male Common Hawker along with ovipositing Black-tailed Skimmer and a number of male Emperor Dragonfly.

Male Emerald Damselfly at Church Minshull 3.7.06. Photo © David Kitching 2006

2.7.06
To the south-west of Cheshire on a really hot day to see what might be flying. I never got very far because it was so hot and there were so many good marl pits to look at in a small area. At a rather shaded pond at The Hough near Malpas (44X SJ490458) there were lots of Azure Damselfly and a single Four-spotted Chaser, but the real surprise was a large number of Large Red Damselfly. I have not seen this species elsewhere for several weeks so this was a real bonus. Moving to the Parish of Cuddington the marlpits at (44N SJ448474, SJ445473, SJ443475 and SJ441477) yielded lots and lots of Broad-bodied Chaser. This insect was everywhere and the margins sometimes resembled a war zone with up to four males clashing at one time. Emperor Dragonfly was also ubiquitous with a number of females seen ovipositing and males at every site. We watched one male catch and devour a Small Tortoiseshell butterfly in less than a minute. There were also several Ruddy Darter including a couple of females. A single Common Darter and Brown Hawker were also seen with a few Four-spotted Chaser. One the way back at Clutton (45M SJ457545) a female Broad-bodied Chaser was seen by a stream. All-in-all a very satisfying day out.

From the Llangollen Canal at Wrenbury (54Z SJ595481) Richard Knisley-Marpole reports lots of male Banded Demoiselle and a single female.

Male Ruddy Darter at Cuddington adopting the obelisk position to present the smallest body area to the sun.
2.7.06 Photo © David Kitching 2006

1.7.06
A very warm sunny day and Paul Hill reports ten species flying at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651752). Emperor Dragonfly were ovipositing on the conservation pond accompanied by Four-spotted Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, a single male Ruddy Darter and lots of teneral Common Darter. Damselflies seen were Red-eyed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly with Banded Demoiselle on the adjacent River Weaver.

Ovipositing female Emperor Dragonfly at Anderton 1.7.06. Photo © Paul Hill 2006

If you have made any Odonata observations in Cheshire and would like to share them with others or wish to take part in the recording scheme please email me.