2015 Review – Reasons To Be Cheerful; Part 1.

I thought I’d do a review of the season this year; if only as an exercise in meditation. There’s something very therapeutic about writing a blog, having made a conscious decision to cut down the forums as I found the task of reviewing photos and keeping the blog up to date more than enough time to spend glued to a screen.

We had a good Spring which took a while to get going, but nevertheless always enjoyable and productive. As usual, the first out of the bag was a Large Red found emerging at our local nature reserve on April 10th.

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) – teneral male
Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) – teneral male

Eleven days later some welcome variety arrived some Blue-tailed and a couple of Hairy at Titchfield. My first Broad-bodied sightings were at Cadnam Common on the 27th April – too flighty for any record shots, and in early May I found a couple of spent Club-tail exuvia and my first Banded Demoiselles of the season along the Thames path. A few miles south at Bramshill I bagged my first Four-spotted Chaser, Azure and Red-eyed.

Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) - immature female
Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) – immature female

Just a few miles from home is a beautiful secluded valley bordered on one side by a steep wooded hillside with a prime water meadow on the other. I usually bag my first Beautiful Demoiselles here and on May 7th it didn’t disappoint.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) – Immature male
Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) – Immature male

My first Downy was also found locally, a female high in the trees at the often-surprising Swanwick Lakes, and the first unforgettable day of the year was had at the always marvelous Somerset Levels, providing the locally-absent Variable and the first Scarce Chaser of the season.

Scarce Chaser (Libellula fulva) – immature male
Scarce Chaser (Libellula fulva) – immature male

The Levels are still the best place to connect with magnificent Hairy hawker. There were plenty of opportunities this day.

Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) - female
Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) – female
Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) - male
Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense) – male

I had to wait until the 22nd May before I managed a shot of a Downy. No easy task, as Higher Hyde Heath didn’t produce the goods like last year. At least Studland could be relied upon.

Downy Emerald (Cordulia aenea) - male
Downy Emerald (Cordulia aenea) – male

I must give mention to Troublefield, always a delight in Spring before the cattle are introduced. I can – and often do – spend hours in less than an acre filling my boots (sometimes literally!)

My second best day of the year came with a visit to the Thames with Marc Heath and Adrian Dowling. Anxious to bag their first ever Club-tail, we searched the bank where I previously found the exuvia. Despite a little trepidation any initial worry was soon overcome with our first emergent high in a tree, but much better was to come.

Common Club-tail (Gomphus vulgatissimus) - teneral female
Common Club-tail (Gomphus vulgatissimus) – teneral female

A pleasing end to May. June will follow shortly…

2 Replies to “2015 Review – Reasons To Be Cheerful; Part 1.”

  1. Hi Paul,
    I have only recently come across your blog and have read through its full contents (lousy winter weather does have some benefits). Thank you for all the valuable information you have provided which will be a great asset to me next season when I intend to take my camera out of Cornwall. Excellent blog, superb image, keep up the good work.

    Best regards
    Dave

  2. Many thanks for your kind comments Dave. The (main) website is due for an update this winter, with some new site information and much-needed photo updates. Plenty to keep me busy during the colder season!

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