July Sightings and News

Total species recorded during the 2015 season is 21

Male Southern Hawker at Elton Hall Flashes 29.7.15. Photo © D Swaby

29.7.15
There were four Southern Hawker at Elton Hall Flashes (75J SJ724594) today reports Dennis Swaby.

Female Southern Hawker at Woolston Eyes 15.7.15. Photo © D Bowman

25.7.15
At Woolston Eyes (69U SJ669887) David Bowman saw Emperor Dragonfly, Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer, Common Darter, Ruddy Darter, Common Blue Damselfly, and Emerald Damselfly.

Female Emerald Damselfly at Woolston Eyes 15.7.15. Photo © D Bowman

21.7.15
Whilst walking on a green lane in Adlington (97J SJ920787) this afternoon I saw a single female Southern Hawker busy feeding on the abundant midges and mosquitoes.

20.7.15
Andrew Goodwin walked around Lawton Lake 985H SJ824556) and saw Brown Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Red-eyed Damselfly, and plenty of Common Blue Damselfly.

Male Black-tailed Skimmer at Elton Hall Flashes 19.7.15. Photo © D Swaby

19.7.15
Dennis Swaby found Brown Hawker and Black-tailed Skimmer at Elton Hall Flashes (75J SJ724594). Meanwhile Andrew Goodwin was not far away at Maw Green Tip (75E SJ715581) and saw Emperor Dragonfly, Broad-bodied Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Common Darter, and Ruddy Darter.

Male Emerald Damselfly at Woolston Eyes 18.7.15. Photo © B Baird

18.7.15
On a visit to Rivacre Valley (37Y SJ382778) Andrew Ingham saw single Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, and Four-spotted Chaser. From Woolston Eyes (69U SJ669887) Brian Baird reports Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, Black-tailed Skimmer, Common Darter, Ruddy Darter, and a few Emerald Damselfly. David Bowman was also at the same site and reports a similar list of species.

Male Four-spotted Chaser at Rivacre Valley 18.7.15. Photo © A Ingham

16.7.15
At Tatton Park today Chris Storey found plenty of Odonata flying. Tatton Mere (78K SJ753809) had Brown Hawker and Four-spotted Chaser with plenty of Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, and several Emerald Damselfly. The nearby Tatton Mere Stream (78K) yielded Banded Demoiselle, Common Blue Damselfly, and also a pair of male Broad-bodied Chaser. Across at some of the Tatton Park Ponds (78L SJ754820) species included Emperor Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Common Darter, Ruddy Darter, and a single Large Red Damselfly.

Female Ruddy Darter at Woolston Eyes 11.7.15. Photo © B Baird

11.7.15
Colin Davies saw a single female Common Club-tail at Farndon (45B SJ411533). This easily the latest ever sighting reported for this species in Cheshire.

From a survey at Woolston Eyes (68U SJ669887) Brian Baird reports seeing Four-spotted Chaser, Brown Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Common Darter, and Ruddy Darter. There were also Emerald Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, and Azure Damselfly.

Paul Hill was back at his old haunts including Dairyhouse Meadow (67S SJ663757) and was not disappointed when he saw Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Common Darter, and Ruddy Darter along with plenty of Emerald Damselfly.

Male Ruddy Darter at Sound Common 9.7.15. Photo © S Barlow

9.7.15
Stephen Barlow found plenty of activity at Sound Common (64E SJ619480) which included several Ruddy Darter. Also present were Brown Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Common Darter, Banded Demoiselle, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, and Azure Damselfly.

On a farm at Whiteley Green (97E SJ917789) today there were several Azure Damselfly and a single Brown Hawker.

Teneral female Emerald Damselfly at Risley Moss 7.7.15. Photo © A Onions

7.7.15
Tony Onions was back at Risley Moss (69Q SJ666918) and saw a teneral Emerald Damselfly.

6.7.15
Peter Dowse reports two pairs of Broad-bodied Chaser at Jackson's Brickworks (98M SJ947845) along with a few Four-spotted Chaser.

A pair of Black-tailed Skimmer at Warmingham Flash 4.7.15. Photo © D Swaby

5.7.15
At Risley Moss (69Q SJ666918) Tony Onions found a female Emperor Dragonfly today.

Female Emperor Dragonfly at Risley Moss 5.7.15. Photo © A Onions

4.7.15
On a visit to Warmingham Flash (76A SJ718616) Dennis Swaby found Emperor Dragonfly, Broad-bodied Chaser, and Black-tailed Skimmer.

Male Common Darter at Rixton Claypits 4.7.15. Photo © R Collins

3.7.15
From Rixton Claypits (60V SJ685907) Ray Collins reports Emperor Dragonfly,Southern Hawker, and Common Darter. He also called at Anderton Nature Park (67R SJ651751) and saw Emperor Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, and Black-tailed Skimmer. Meanwhile at Rudheath (67R SJ671728) Pete Leicester saw Emperor Dragonfly,Brown Hawker, and Banded Demoiselle. There was also a male Broad-bodied Chaser at Jackson's Brickworks (98M SJ947845) when Brian Ainscough was on site.

Once again a report of Golden-ringed Dragonfly comes from the Dee at Crewe-by-Farndon (45B SJ412528) where Neil Friswell saw a single insect from the Welsh bank.

Male Black-tailed Skimmer at Billinge Green 29.6.15. Photo © A Redley

2.7.15
A single male Southern Hawker was feeding along the Middlewood Way at Higher Poynton (98M SJ945842) this morning.

Male White-legged Damselfly at Wrenbury 1.7.15. Photo © S Barlow

1.7.15
The first White-legged Damselfly recorded in Cheshire this year was found by Stephen Barlow along with Banded Demoiselle at Wrenbury Heath (64E SJ605486) on the Llangollen Canal. Stephen tells me that this species is very common higher up the canal into Shropshire. A search of suitable high emergent bankside vegetation will probably yield more of this species if anyone wants a challenge. Nearby he also saw a female Southern Hawker.

On ponds at Bickley Hall Farm (54J SJ524480) Neil Friswell watched Emperor Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Broad-bodied Chaser, and plenty of damselflies including Red-eyed Damselfly, and Emerald Damselfly. Teneral Common Darter were also nearby.

Several Banded Demoiselle were seen this morning on the Bollin at Macclesfield Riverside Park (97C SJ905753). This species is regularly seen in this area during good summers but doesn't seem to be able to breed successfully this close to Macclesfield.

Female Southern Hawker at Wrenbury 1.7.15. Photo © S Barlow

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.

April - May 2015 Sightings and News Received
June 2015 Sightings and News Received
July 2015 Sightings and News Received
August 2015 Sightings and News Received
September / October 2015 Sightings and News Received

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