Sightings from Sunday 14th June

Damian emailed me to say he'd visited 'The Pond' in Chippenham on Sunday to check it out for Red-veined Darters - no luck I'm afraid. But he did see loads of Black-tailed Skimmers, Broad-bodied Chasers and both a male and an ovipositing female Emperor. Plus Azure, Common, Blue-tailed and Red-eyed Damselflies.

Mike Hamzij visited his 'local patch' - the Bristol Avon near Whaddon, Trowbridge today and, despite the weather, found the following:

"First Red-eyed Damselflies of year there; only 4 on one patch lilies. Also first Emperor.
Literally 100's Banded Demoiselles, Plenty White-legged and Blue-tailed plus few Common Blue and Azure Damselflies. Scarce Chaser absent today."

Early june on the Bristol Avon

Geoff Dicker has very kindly sent some photos of a few of the species he saw on the Avon near Whaddon the other evening. From top to bottom: White-legged Damselfly male; White-legged female; Banded Demoiselle mating pair. Nothing current to report - the weather needs to improve first....!

1st June Sighting

Just received a note from Ian Gray [with supporting photo - not digital] that he found a small colony of Beautiful Demoiselles at another new location on 1st June. It is a small fast flowing stream which eventually runs into the Salisbury Avon. The spot is about halfway between Patney and Etchilhampton - east of Devizes - called Hail Bridge.
It just goes to show if you risk a speculative visit to a new location you never know what you might unearth. It's beginning to look as if this species is far more widespread in Wiltshire than previously thought. Some of it may be due to genuine recent expansion but some is probably due to increasing observer coverage. This wet weather will obviously quieten things down for a while but hopefully for not too long.

Sightings for Wed 3rd June.

I visited the CWP yesterday looking at several suitable pits for Red-veined Darters - but with no success. There were a couple of Broad-bodied Chasers however, a scarce species in the water park, and lots of Black-tailed Skimmers in all stages from pre-flight tenerals to mature territorial males. Also a couple of Emperors plus various damselflies - particularly tens of thousands of Common Blue Damselflies and also Red-eyed Damsels in a new location.
One male Downy Emerald patrolling the usual spot at Lower Moor Farm.
I hope the change in the weather is only short lived - 3 bad summers in a row could be devastating.

Records for 1st June

Geoff Dicker sent me the following observations:
"Just to let you know that a late afternoon walk along the Avon at Whaddon on Monday 1st June produced :-

3 Scarce Chasers (2 male and one female)
1 Emperor
Many White-Legged Damselfly, Banded and Beautiful Demoiselle.

Most of the activity was around the large patched of nettles opposite Monkton House either side of the bridge. As a relative newcomer to "dragon" watching I observed some interesting behaviour involving an Emperor dragonfly seemingly being mobbed by Banded Demoiselles similar to the mobbing of birds of prey by smaller birds. Is this regular behaviour I wonder?"

This mobbing behaviour is something I've only observed from larger dragonflies such as 4-spotted Chasers and Black-tailed Skimmers. Has anyone else noticed this from Demoiselles or other damselflies?

31st May & 2nd June

Tricia Porch reported the following to me yesterday:
"There's quite a few broad bodied chasers near the ponds along the Red
Lodge rides. They've been emerging this last week and I've seen at
least 8 on one walk. Today, I also saw a black tailed skimmer. Also
large red and common blue damselflies about."

Also, on Sunday 31st May, Jenny Vickers found two Golden-ringed Dragonflies at Stourhead whilst doing a bird count. This is a first record for Stourhead although I long suspected they ought to be there. Photo on her Blog at:
www.wrensnaturenotebook.blogspot.com