Home Turf

Quite why I should feel any semblance of guilt by forsaking my own doorstep in favour of greater enjoyment is beyond me. Nevertheless a favourable forecast decided a visit to Troublefield was overdue.

I didn’t have to walk too far beyond the gate before the first flutters of Demoiselles graced the meadow. Both Banded and Beautiful were in attendance in small numbers, providing an early chase and opportunity of concentration.

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) - immature female
Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo) – immature female

There were a scattering of Large Red and a few Azure joining the butterflies in this humid warmth, and a few of the latter provided enjoyment. However it was the Demoiselles that drew my attention.

Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) - male
Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) – male

I had expected my first Broad-bodied Chaser to lift my spirits. Maybe a Hairy? A Golden-ringed? Not unheard of here so early in the season, but a Scarce Chaser was ample consolation.

Scarce Chaser (Libellula fulva) - immature female
Scarce Chaser (Libellula fulva) – immature female

After a good trawl through the meadows I headed over to Ramsdown. Brickfield Pond gave me my first over-water activity and Hill Pond gave my first Broad-bodied Chaser of the season. A newly-emerged specimen rising up the hill to perch briefly for a record shot before being carried by the breeze further uphill.

Plenty more over-water activity with Large Red, Four-spotted Chaser, Common Blue and Azure. Walking around the pond disturbed another new arrival, a fresh Four-spotted taking its first flight to a convenient tree.

Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) - freshly-emerged female
Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) – freshly-emerged female

Further along the shore I caught sight of a shimmer as in the reed another had just emerged, this time remaining within the sedge while pumping up and drying out.

Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) - freshly-emerged male
Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) – freshly-emerged male

Today’s highlight for sure, and I stayed around observing and grabbing shots while waiting for the opening of wings and that glorious first flight.

Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) - freshly-emerged male
Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata) – freshly-emerged male

Another promise of fine weather on Wednesday saw me fulfill my plan for Latchmore, except it wasn’t quite as warm or sunny as expected.

A good finger-tip search through by favourite scrub produced nothing and further uphill where I expected a couple of Southern Damselflies only brought more Large Red.

I admit to be sorely disappointed with my choice for day and destination and just as I was about to call it quits I decided on taking an alternative path back to the stream.

I don’t know why I decided on that path. Call it serendipity, fate or just happy coincidence for here in a small patch of low scrub a couple of meters away from water was a newly-emerged Broad-bodied Chaser!

Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) - female teneral
Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) – female teneral

Once she had spent a while changing position and drying out her wings I removed her away from what could have been an early demise as a rather large spider came into view.

Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) - female teneral
Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa) – female teneral

Seeing her take her first flight was reason enough to deprive this predator of a meal. Such beauty deserves a life extension after all the energy spent.

Another highlight then, and something to lift my spirits for the walk back downstream.

A Walk Through Bramshill

I remember commenting a while back how our season can be restricted to six months; I’ve never personally felt the need to search for stragglers in November. I’ll leave that to others.

While it’s always a pleasure to seek out those first Large Red of the season, the rest of April is invariably a disappointment, wasted days waiting for a little diversity to ramp up the pace.

May is when the season really starts, when that diversity reaches double-figures and you can almost be forgiven to be guaranteed a good day. Except even when you restrict the days you can still have disappointments.

I was hoping a return trip to Bramshill would offer up more numbers and a little more diversity. There were more of the same, but not in the numbers I expected, and a couple of expected newcomers.

My first grateful sighting was a Grizzled Skipper clinging to the sparse vegetation fringing the main track; a resident of this site, their previous two hot-spots now unsuitable due to too much scrub growth.

Shortly afterwards I had my first Beautiful Demoiselles right where I expected them to be, and again scattered throughout the site in small pockets of warm micro-climate.

The path down to the ponds usually provides one or two encounters and today there was an immature male Red-eyed and a female Downy Emerald flitting from perch to perch, neither of which improved on the previous visits shot.

Another couple of females graced my walk to the center ponds, however it was an immature male which gave me a better opportunity.

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

The pond-side vegetation was devoid of the expected damsel swarms so I continued on through miles of forest pathways until I spotted a male Hairy fly off into the distance and a few Banded Demoiselles parked up sun-bathing, including this accommodating male.

Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) - male
Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens) – male

So a couple of opportunities and a few more species encountered but I have to say I was disappointed to not see more, especially a Four-spotted Chaser or two which should be all over the site by now.

Counting Our Blessings

The combination of non-optimal conditions and a rather strong bout of hay fever meant I didn’t venture forth again until Sunday May 12th. Reluctant to miss another day Sue & I rose early for a last minute decision trip to Somerset.

For the past three years I’ve chosen this week in May and each time have been rewarded with the first emergence of Scarce Chaser. After a first hour of dallying with the damsels the increasing warmth saw the first rise from the bank to take refuge in the surrounding foliage.

Scarce Chaser (Libellula fulva)- immature female
Scarce Chaser (Libellula fulva)- immature female

This was more than enough to warrant the trip, but the sighting of our first Hairy kept the interest going despite them being less agreeable than the Scarce.

I busied myself scouring the long grass & nettles, flushing out Azure, Variable, Blue-tailed, Large Red and Red-eyed – one of my favourites.

Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma najas) - immature female
Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma najas) – immature female

Our count continued to rise with our first sighting of Banded Demoiselle. Just a couple seen today and neither offering a decent opportunity, so I picked a willing Variable from out of the throng.

Variable Damselfly (Coenagrion pulchellum) - male
Variable Damselfly (Coenagrion pulchellum) – male

We took a walk along the Sweet Track to the far meadow where we hoped to find a few feeding Hairy. We did, but they were all difficult to photograph, choosing to perch very low and obscured by grass. I opted for a few more damsels.

Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma najas) - immature male
Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma najas) – immature male

We walked back via the main track watching Hobby and Marsh Harrier soaring high, and after a final scouring of the bank decided to head over to Westhay Moor.

Variable Damselfly (Coenagrion pulchellum) - Immature female
Variable Damselfly (Coenagrion pulchellum) – Immature female

That fabulous sight of thousands of damsels rising in clouds always raises the spirits and the sight of our first Four-spotted Chasers of the season raised them further, resplendent in their fresh, golden sheen.

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

After ten years following my passion one of the greatest disappointments is the unnecessary vandalism of prime odonata locations. Westhay Moor has never failed to disappoint in previous years however the clearing of a large section of treeline has ruined the experience.

We did manage to find one Hairy (which didn’t immediately fly off) perched low in the ditch. Not the best of opportunities, but it will do for now.

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

I fail to see the logic with such short-sighted management. That treeline was a prime feeding area for Hairy Hawker hunting along the length, alighting with their prey to provide perfect photo opportunities.

A shame, but I’m determined to get better so a return visit may be necessary, with the emphasis on Shapwick rather than Westhay. However I did manage to raise my season species count from 5 to 11, so a worthwhile trip.

A Little Diversity

Since the first Large Red appeared I’ve been waiting for a little diversity. A week after my first visit I returned to Bramshill and its plentiful environs for the best chance to find a few other species.

Around the country there have been plenty of newly-emerged species to fire the enthusiasm; from the expected Common Blue, Azure and Blue-tailed to Four-spotted and Broad-bodied Chasers and even Hairy Dragonfly. A Common Blue seemed the perfect second species on my season list.

 Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) - immature female
Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) – immature female

Naturally the most plentiful were the Large Red, however none provided me with a satisfying opportunity so I continued on checking a few favourite little hidden corners, finding more Common Blue and, thankfully an obliging Blue-tailed,

Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) - immature female violacea form
Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans) – immature female violacea form

My initial walk along hawker alley produced a few more Large Red while at the far shore I found an Azure to add to my count.

Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella) - immature female
Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella) – immature female

Number four then, and I was happy. I continued on to another pond, carefully searching every stand of reed & rush hoping for an fresh emerger. Wishful thinking I know, but you never know.

I searched the shore margins and disturbed species number four – a Downy Emerald! I didn’t expect that to be the first of the larger species encountered and, despite it flying out of reach towards the canopy, I was elated.

This spurred me on with new enthusiasm having circled the pond twice more I continued on, intending to check out the center ponds.

My route took me back along hawker alley and it was here I had my moment. I stopped in my tracks as my second Downy of the day slowly flew around me looking for a place to rest.

Up and down the path she flew as I prayed she wouldn’t fly out of reach. She landed low and before I could react she rose again and flew along the track, almost going beyond sight. Thankfully she returned and took refuge on a stand of dry gorse.

Downy Emerald (Cordulia aenea) - immature female
Downy Emerald (Cordulia aenea) – immature female

Suitably fulfilled I couldn’t care less if I saw anything else today, but I took my intended walk anyway. Only a few Large Red and Common Blue tenerals were encountered along the route, those narrow paths yet to host the hoards of feeders and roosters.

I’ll have to wait at least a week before I can have another look as our typical Spring weather has taken a turn, but there’s no hurry. Even more than last season my intention is to choose the days and locations wisely. I already have a plan for the next trip, depending of course upon the weather.