May Sightings and News

Total species recorded during the 2009 season is 16

31.5.09
Alan Redley spotted the first Black-tailed Skimmer of the season at Marbury Country Park (67N SJ659762).

Female Black-tailed Skimmer at Marbury Park 31.5.09. Photo © Alan Redley 2009

30.5.09
On a fine field pond at Henbury (87S SJ871742) there was a female Broad-bodied Chaser and plenty of Large Red Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Azure Damselfly. From Newchurch Common (66E SJ602687), Paul S Hill reports abundant Red-eyed Damselfly and a couple of Downy Emerald.

In south Cheshire at Marbury Big Mere (54M SJ557457) Martin Pennell found Four-spotted Chaser, Banded Demoiselle, Large Red Damselfly, Red-eyed Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, and Azure Damselfly. However, the highlight were several Variable Damselfly. This is a new site for this species, some distance from previous known locations. There is certainly scope for further searching in this area of Cheshire.

Female Broad-bodied Chaser at Vale Royal 30.5.09. Photo © Mat Bingham 2009

Trisha Thompson reports 14 Emperor Dragonfly exuviae from ponds on Wilkins Lane (88H SJ831843). There were also a Broad-bodied Chaser and a Four-spotted Chaser present. Mat Bingham found Broad-bodied Chaser at Vale Royal (66P SJ643698). There were even Large Red Damselfly and Azure Damselfly ovipositing in the gardens at Tatton Park (78K SJ744811) reports Bob Bradshaw.

A final note is that a possible Red-veined Darter was spotted passing Hilbre Island today along with many Painted Lady butterflies. It is certainly worth checking carefully for this species on suitable waters at the western side of Cheshire.

Male Red-eyed Damselfly at Newchurch Common 30.5.09. Photo © Paul S Hill 2009

29.5.09
On a trip to Rixton Claypits (69V SJ685907), Ethan and Nathan Waller with dad Ian soon found the first Broad-bodied Chaser of the year when they saw a female being harassed by the Four-spotted Chasers. Meanwhile Tony Parker saw a male Broad-bodied Chaser at Moore Nature Reserve (58S SJ573854).

Male Hairy Dragonfly at Aldford 24.5.09. Photo © Trisha Thompson 2009

25.5.09
It was a day to seek out Hairy Dragonfly and Bryan Roberts found a couple of ovipositing females on the fishing pond at Vale Royal (67K SJ640705) with a further male on the nearby river. On the river there were also Banded Demoiselle, Large Red Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Azure Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly. At Billinge Green Flash (67V SJ682712) I found two male Hairy Dragonfly and a male Red-eyed Damselfly.

At Rixton Claypits (69V SJ685907) Ethan and Nathan Waller proved to have sharper eyes than their father when they spotted a couple of Four-spotted Chaser, and soon recorded plenty of Large Red Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, and Blue-tailed Damselfly. TrishThompson was at Woolston Eyes (67N SJ651879) and saw the same mix of species flying.

Teneral female Common Club-tail at Aldford 24.5.09. Photo © David Kitching 2009

24.5.09
Down to Aldford (45E SJ415596) with Martin Pennell and Trisha Thompson for a look at what was flying on the Dee. First up was a male Hairy Dragonfly and soon after there were lots of Banded Demoiselle. After a slow start we recorded at least twenty Common Club-tail basking in the nettles in sheltered places. There were also several Red-eyed Damselfly and a single Large Red Damselfly and Common Blue Damselfly. After lunch it was over to Churton Marlpits (45I SJ430565) where there were plenty of Hairy Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Large Red Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly and Variable Damselfly. Martin went on later to the Wybunbury Brook (74V SJ703497) and recorded the first Beautiful Demoiselle of the year.

Phil Corley found the usual damselflies at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) and also a female Banded Demoiselle.

Tandem Hairy Dragonflies at Churton 24.5.09. Photo © David Kitching 2009

Female Blue-tailed Damselfly at Anderton 24.5.09. Photo © Phil Corley 2009

23.5.09
As the weather had improved a little I took a stroll on Saltersley Moss (88F SJ821807) where there were abundant Large Red Damselfly and a single teneral Four-spotted Chaser. On nearby Lindow Common ()88F SJ833811) Trish Thompson saw the same species plus Azure Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, and Common Blue Damselfly. At Sound Common (64E SJ619480) Martin Pennell saw Red-eyed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly. Peter Heywood found Common Club-tail, and Hairy Dragonfly at Aldford (45E SJ415596) and the latter species was also at Churton Marlpits (45I SJ430565) with several Variable Damselfly.

It is not more than twenty years ago that we didn't expect to see Common Darter in Cheshire before July. Since then June sightings have become normal and May records have started to creep in during the last ten years. Today Mat Bingham made the earliest Cheshire record ever at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) where he saw four tenerals along with one Emperor Dragonfly and a couple of Four-spotted Chaser.

Teneral male Common Darter at Anderton 23.5.09. Photo © Mat Bingham 2009

21.5.09
At Aldford (45E SJ413592) on the Dee today, Neil Friswell managed to flush several Common Club-tail and also saw Banded Demoiselle and a single Common Blue Damselfly.

A Robin cleans up on damselfly larvae at Stapeley 17.5.09. Photo © R Bradshaw 2009

17.5.09
Both Martin Pennell and Mel Bellingham visited Newchurch Common (66E SJ602687) today and saw female and male Downy Emerald respectively, along with a few Blue-tailed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly and several Large Red Damselfly.

Newly emerged male Four-spotted Chaser at Anderton 16.5.09. Photo © Mat Bingham 2009

16.5.09
Mat Bingham called at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) and found five emerging Four-spotted Chaser. Later at Vale Royal Locks (67F SJ639702) there were a few Blue-tailed Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly. Meanwhile at Churton (45I SJ430567) Mel Bellingham and Huw John saw three Hairy Dragonfly with a couple of Variable Damselfly and a few Blue-tailed Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly.

Male Variable Damselfly at Churton 16.5.09. Photo © Mel Bellingham 2009

Teneral female Common Blue Damselfly at Newchurch Common 11.5.09. Photo © David Kitching 2009

11.5.09
At Newchurch Common (66E SJ602687) this morning I saw plenty of Large Red Damselfly and Common Blue Damselfly with single Blue-tailed Damselfly and male Downy Emerald. Trish Thompson also reports Blue-tailed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, and lots of Large Red Damselfly at Lindow Common (88F SJ833811).

Teneral male Downy Emerald at Newchurch Common 11.5.09. Photo © David Kitching 2009

10.5.09
Neil Friswell called at Churton Marlpits (45I SJ430565) and was rewarded with sightings of plenty of Large Red Damselfly, three Variable Damselfly, and an ovipositing Hairy Dragonfly. He also saw a couple of teneral Common Club-tail flit across the river at Farndon (45B SJ411533) Meanwhile at Sound Common (64E SJ619480) Andy Harmer, Jeff Clarke and Paul Hill found nymphs, exuviae and adult Red-eyed Damselfly and a single Large Red Damselfly. At Stapeley Water Gardens (65Q SJ666513) Bob Bradshaw watched Azure Damselfly emerging and two pairs of Blue-tailed Damselfly ovipositing.

Azure Damselfly emerging at Stapeley 10.5.09. Photo © R Bradshaw 2009

9.5.09
The first Four-spotted Chaser of the year was seen today by Peter Dowse at Jackson's Brickworks LNR (98M SJ947845).

7.5.09
A visit to Newchurch Common (66E SJ603688) by Mel Bellingham yielded plenty of Large Red Damselfly along with a single Azure Damselfly and a couple of Common Blue Damselfly.

Teneral male Common Blue Damselfly at Newchurch Common 7.5.09. Photo © Mel Bellingham 2009

3.5.09
in a sheltered spot at Rixton Clay Pits (69V SJ685907) Ian Waller found a dozen Large Red Damselfly and three Common Blue Damselfly. Meanwhile there were plenty of Large Red Damselfly emerging at Woolston Eyes (68N SJ651879) when Trish Thompson visited.

Teneral Large Red Damselfly at Leftwich 2.5.09. Photo © Alan Redley 2009

2.5.09
On a visit to Clincton Woods (48X SJ482855), Widnes, Paul Hillyer spotted a male Azure Damselfly.

Male Azure Damselfly at Widnes 2.5.09. Photo © Paul Hillyer 2009

1.5.09
Alan Redley reports several Large Red Damselfly emerging at a pond in Leftwich(67Q SJ6671)

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. Good quality photographs of Cheshire Odonata for use on the news pages are also very welcome.

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