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Tuesday 22 June 2021

Early Season Damsels and Dragons Pt.1 - 31st May - 8th June, 2021

The start to the damselfly and dragonfly season for me was a little slow. Six visits to four favoured locations between 24th April and 9th May yielded absolutely nothing in the way of Odonata. We then had an unseasonably extremely cold wet spell which further delayed emergence, and this was the situation until we departed for our visit to the Outer Hebrides. On our return I was, therefore, disappointed (and, at the same time, excited!) to find two damselfly exuviae in our mini-pond which was only set up last year. I have yet to attempt to ID these exuviae, and two others (the emergence of which I subsequntly missed!) due to too much to do to catch up after our return.

I'm pleased to say, however, that I did find time to get out for several short visits in order to check on the local Odonata situation, and with some success, although the photography side of things was far from satisfactory, due to the focus function of my camera set-up not working properly. I have two identical camera bodies, the first of which developed a problem early on in the Covid pandemic, which gave me issues with having it serviced. Now that the second one is misbehaving, I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get something done about it !

So here is a brief account of those visits:-

Monday, 31st May          Saltersford Vally CP

It being the spring bank holiday, I felt it necessary to visit somewhere where there was a good chance that there would not be too many people around. Saltersford Valley CP was closed to the public (and still was at last count), but I have permission to visit in order to survey for Odonata.

By far the most numerous species found was Azure Damselfly, which I did not specifically count but conservatively estimated at 21-100 specimens (a bracket that is in accordance with County Recorder instructions), with four pairs being counted.

Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella) (male) - Saltersford Valley  CP
There were also good numbers of Blue-tailed Damselfly, which I recorded as '6-20'. The females of this species come in five different colour forms. This first one is of f. violacea, which will mature to f. typica or f. infuscans.

Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) (female f. violacea)  - Saltersford Valley CP

Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) (immature male)  - Saltersford Valley CP
I noted five Large Red Damselfly, including one pair in tandem.

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) (male+female) - Saltersford Valley CP


Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) (male) - Saltersford Valley CP

I saw just two Banded Demoiselle - both male.

Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) (male) - Saltersford Valley CP
Incidentals to the visit

A Great Crested Grebe was near the nest (now empty) that featured in my previous blog post, but unfortunately directly into the light so its full glory was not captured.

Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) - Saltersford Valley CP
I tried to capture the essence of a lengthy spat between a pair of Mute Swans, but failed. I'm not sure what was going on, but one was pursuing the other for a good five minutes or more!

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) - Saltersford Valley CP
The Yellow Iris plants were flowering quite profusely and I couldn't resist a photo of one.

Yellow Iris (Iris pseudacorus) - Saltersford Valley CP
I had seen good numbers of damselfly but, sadly, no dragonflies.

Tuesday, 1st June          Heather Lake

The next day, I headed off to another nearby favourite site - Heather Lake. Here I found a somewhat different situation, with the area being dominated by Common Blue Damselfly. These were impossible to count but I logged numbers as '101-500' including '6-20' pairs, although I suspect that numbers probably exceeded both these brackets.

Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) (teneral male) - Heather Lake
Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) (male) - Heather Lake
Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) (male+female) - Heather Lake
The only other Odonata species seen, but not photographed, was Large Red Damselfly, of which I saw two males.

Incidental to the visit  

There was much white 'fluff' around and this turned out to be debris from the seed heads of a tree. Trees is a subject I know virtually nothing about so I cannot comment on the ID of this one. With thanks to 'Conehead54', I now believe that these are the seadheads of a Salix sp.

Salix sp. seed heads - Heather Lake
Tuesday, 8th June          Sence Valley FP (new area)

The new area of Sence Valley Forest Park contains a number of fenced-off newly planted areas, one of which I have kindly been offered access to by Forestry England in order to record the Odonata in the newly created ponds it contains. 

I had a short visit there on this day, but it turned out to be a rewarding one, giving me my first dragonfly sightings of the year.

Immediately apparent were two male Broad-bodied Chasers which seemed to be having a squabble over territorial rights. During my visit, I noted five of this species, including two females ovipositing directly into the water as is normal for this species. However, my camera problems wouldn't let me record this. One of the males was just heading into maturity.


Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) (immature male) - Sence Valley FP (new area)

Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) (male) - Sence Valley FP (new area)

I then noted what, at first distant sighting, could have been a female or immature Broad-bodied Chaser, a Four-spotted Chaser, or even a female or immature Black-tailed Skimmer. It was soon identified as a male Four-spotted Chaser, with the four spots confirming the species (together with the dark wing base) and the anal appendages confirming the sex. In total, I noted four of this species - all male.


Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) (male) - Sence Valley FP (new area)
As I moved from one pond to another, I disturbed a dragonfly in a grassy area. I managed to relocate it and it turned out to be a newly emerged Black-tailed Skimmer. I saw two of these in this way, and I think that both were teneral males (mature males have a blue pruination to the abdomen) rather than females going by what little I can see of the anal appendages, although my sightings and photos were not fully conclusive.


Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum) (teneral male?) - Sence Valley FP  (new area)
I was paying most attention to the dragonflies, but damselflies were numerous with by far the majority present being Common Blue Damselfly. I recorded numbers being '21-100'.

Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) (female) - Sence Valley FP (new area)
There were also Blue-tailed Damselflies present, with numbers recorded as being '6-20' including yet another female of the form violacea.

Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) (female f. violacea)  - Sence Valley FP (new area)
Only two Large Red Damselfly were recorded.

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) (male) - Sence Valley FP (new area)
Outside the fenced-off area, at the close-by River Sence, I found three Banded Demoiselle - all male.
 

Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) (male) - Sence Valley FP, River Sence
If you needed any proof that I am only an enthusiast rather than an expert, I offer the next image of a teneral damselfly which I am unable to ID. I can't match the apparently dark segments 8 and 9 with a species. Help please!!!

? - Sence Valley FP (new area)
Incidentals to the visit

There were disappointingly few butterflies around, but I was pleased to sea a Common Blue.

Common Blue (Polyommatus icarus) (male) - Sence Valley FP
In the past, when I have found Red-and-black Froghopper there have been several of them in the same area. This one seemed to be solitary.

Red-and-black Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata) - Sence Valley FP
There's a group of spider species that seem to favour ponds and like to rest with their heads down and their legs exteneded in front of them. They always seem to look rather sinister to me.

Tetragnatha sp. - Sence Valley FP (new area)
This last shot is of what I think is a group of spider ladybird eggs on a fence post, but I am far from sure. Your comments and suggestions will be welcomed. My thanks to 'Conehead54' for pointing me towards the ID here.

probable ladybird eggs? - Sence Valley FP (new area)
I have, two days ago, been gifted a voice recorder which I can clip to my binocular/camera harness and which I hope will make future recording of my sightings easier and more accurate. Until now it has been a case of having to pull a notebook and pen out of my pocket and write it all down.

 

This brings me to the end of this post. I shall now start working on a post to cover the first part of our May visit to the Outer Hebrides - it may take some time!

Thank you for dropping by. Take great care - - - Richard

26 comments:

  1. Some wonderful Odonata photos there. Such a slow start as you say to the season, especially after last year's exceptionally early season where I'd seen 6 species before the end of April!

    The fluffy seeds are one of the Salix species. Think the eggs are those of a ladybird such as 7-spot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for those IDs and your kind words - much appreciated. Sadly, I didn't experience an early season in these parts last year, and found it very frustrating when other people did. Best wishes - - - Richard

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  2. A lovely set of photos Richard, some real quality shots. Glad you have finally joined the odo season and look forward to your next instalment. Take care.

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    1. Thank you, Marc, for your much-appreciated encouragement. I'm going to try your manual focus approach on my next excursion.

      Best wishes - stay safe - - - Richard

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  3. I thoroughly enjoyed looking through your Odonata images Richard, in particular the complex taxonomy of the Blue-tailed Damselfly.

    A long way to go yet Richard. Take Care Stay Safe is still the motto.

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    1. I've still got a lot to learn about the odonata, Pete, and retaining that knowledge in my head is getting to be increasingly difficult! However, I do find them to be a fascinating subject.

      There certainly is a long way to go and it doesn't help when we seem to be in reverse gear! We're both still being very cautious even though we're both double-jabbed! Take good care - - - Richard

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  4. its a great time of the year just to be out and about, however there is nothing better than being out and on a mission to capture these beauties. Great Photography, Great Subject.

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    1. It is a great time of year, Dave, but sadly my excursions have been limited somewhat recently by various issues. I never tire of looking for dragons, however, as they are an integral part of the definition of 'summer' for me.

      Thank you for your visit and kind words - - - Richard

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  5. Wonderful series of images, Richard, as always. As I read this account it reinforces the simple fact that I will always be an ardent admirer of dragons and damsels but never proficient with them. There is simply too much to learn for mere casual interest to be sufficient. Nevertheless, it is sheer joy to see so many, and there is a special feeling of victory that comes with observing and identifying a new species, and I will continue to experience that. Yesterday the temperature plummeted to 15.5 degrees here and I couldn't find even one!

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    1. I'm by no means sure that my own level of proficiency on the subject of dragons and damsels exceed your own, David. However, I am happy to put the time in where they are concerned. I just wish my brain was more proficient at retaining knoweldge these days!

      We too are experiencing wide fluctuations in temperature with it being 13° here, and I'm sitting at my desk wearing a fleece jacket as I write this! Last week we were in the high 20s.

      My very best wishes to you and Miriam - - - Richard

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  6. Wow! I felt as if I were right there with you as I tried to patiently focus on each subject.

    Simply marvelous, Richard! Although I am always happy (and usually surprised) to identify any species of flora or fauna, the experience is the thing, isn't it?

    For me, I think being in a forest, swamp, field - in Nature - is the true definition of synergy. The sum total of such an experience is far greater than the value of its individual components. To get to a point where one is capturing an image of a dragonfly, one must typically be in proximity to some natural feature. We are exposed to sights, aromas, sounds - all of which makes the event quite unique.

    All of your images make me want to head outdoors, but I confess to having a favorite today. The Banded Demoiselle is awe-inspiring!

    Gini and I hope you and Lindsay are rested from your trip, are in good health and are prepared to have a relaxing and peaceful weekend!

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    Replies
    1. Dear Wally. I always get great pleasure from your comments which seem to come from your apparently natural poetic nature. Thank you!

      Of the British damselflies, for me the Banded Demoiselle ranks second. You'll have to wait for my second dragon post to learn which one sits at the top of my list.

      My very best wishes to you and Gini - - - Richard

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  7. A fabulous set of photos. You amaze me with your ID, I really struggle with dragons and damsels. Good to see a blue, we usually have dozens of them flitting around and I have not seen one this year. I was though delighted to see a Marbled White today that looked newly hatched. I suspect our strange weather has something to do with the lack of many insects. This is summer and I am typing this with a jersey on. Cool, overcast and lots of rain!!!

    Hope you get the camera problem sorted out.

    Keep safe, best wishes to you both. Diane

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    Replies
    1. Yes, Diane, it has been a relatively disappointing year so far for insects here too. The extreme fluctuations in temperature and rainfall are, I think, a significant factor, but modern farming practices in UK are largely to blame too. As mentioned to David, above, I'm wearing a fleece as I sit at my desk writing this because it is cold!

      I have not yet sorted out what I am going to do to sort out my camera problems. I very nearly bought a Tamron 18-400 like yours last week but changed my mind at the last minute. Probably going to try and get both bodies and my zoom and macro lenses serviced, but need to work out how and when without loosing the ability to take photos for a couple of weeks in the process.

      Take good care. Best wishes to you and Nigel - - - Richard

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  8. Beautiful photos of the insects, flowers, and birds. Have a great weekend!

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  9. Wonderful stuff Richard,
    You take photo's I only dream about. Such variety of subjects as well. Take care.
    Mike.

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    1. I'm somewhat taken aback by your comment Mike as I was thinking along similar lines about your Fox photography - although the variety aspect might not be so relevant. ;-}

      Thank you. Stay safe - - - Richard

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  10. Absolutely stunning, those creatures are beautiful Richard.

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    1. Thank you, Bob, they certainly are! Stay safe - - - Richard

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  11. Hello Richard, these times are partytime for you concerning damselflies and dragonflies. What beauties you managed to take photos off. But also that spider is amazing in details.
    Again thank you for your reaction on my latest post and well wishes for my husband.
    Regards,
    Roos

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your visit and kind words, Roos. Blogger is currently making a mess of header images, so I wish you good luck when next you change yours.

      Take good care - I hope your husband is recovering well - - - Richard

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  12. Hello Richard
    with the dragonfly photos you can see the master behind the camera, dragonflies are not my favorites they are always gone so quickly .. ;-)
    Greetings Frank

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    1. Those are very kind words, indeed, Frank - thank you! Best wishes - - - Richard

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