Hampshire Dragonflies

Sat at home waiting for that belt high pressure to arrive, I wondered how I was going to make the most of it.

There are still a couple of sites in the New Forest which need a seasonal visit, and when the sun did finally appear on Thursday I was spoilt for choice.

The decision was made when Stephen (red_fan) couldn’t make the planned Friday jaunt at Crockford, but could manage Thursday. As the next sunny spell was all about relaxing and enjoying a few hours at a pleasant location, a day at Crockford proved perfect.

I arrived quite early at 10.00am. Surprisingly still overcast with sea mist, which didn’t clear until around noon. Time for a wander, and potentially the first sighting was a male Golden-ringed on his first morning patrol of his patch.

In the clearing across the stream a few Common Darters awoke at my passing. Through the thicket with the two shallow ponds and up the skope brought my first Hawker – a Migrant unhappy at the disturbance, flying high and far in search of a lie in.

At the stream another two male Golden-ringed appeared and claimed their territories among the few Common Darters, Keeled Skimmers, Beautiful Demoiselles, Southern and Small Red Damselflies.

Walking back through the thicket I bumped into another enthusiast whom I’d met at Blashford last year, swapped notes and scanned my brain looking for his name.

Back across the stream to the small, wooded ponds where a male Southern Hawker was frantically flying back & forth, mostly high and occasionally low but showing no signs of rest.

Back at the stream I had a glimpse of something quite remarkable – a Hawker flying fast & low upstream along a narrow channel, appearing once more heading downstream before taking flight across the moor.

Brown striped abdomen was all I could distinguish, and it wasn’t a Brown Hawker…

The Southerns and Small Reds were still congregating around their chosen Bog Myrtle bushes, and for once this season the few Beautifuls were giving a good display.

Suddenly the relative quiet was disturbed by the unmistakable sound of a female Golden-ringed ovipositing in the shade of a Bog Myrtle bush, while further along the resident male held his territory.

A male Keeled Skimmer appeared within the small pool, disturbing the resident Golden-ringed, and a female Broad-bodied Chaser looked for somewhere safe to hide as I made my way back through the thicket.

Meeting Stephen, we followed another male for a while before returning through the trees to notice a female – possibly the same one – ovipositing in the narrow bank of the shade.

Back at the basin Stephen filled his boots with an obliging subject while I attempted to catch the fellow in-flight.

A most agreeable chap who, despite the odd territorial dispute, allowed us the chance to photograph him on several perches, although his favourite was a young Bog Myrtle.

For me though the golden moment came when he perched on the heather hanging over the stream.

We had some brief visitations from a couple of male Emperors and a male Southern to add variety, and a few more Common Darters before we headed towards Pennington.

Our main goal were Small Red-eyed Damselflies, and these proved plentiful along with their larger cousins, Blue-tailed and a scattering of Azure.

Over on the river were Banded Demoiselles and Common Darters. The latter were also parading around the main pool, along with a few male Emperors holding territory, and one female ovipositing at various points along the full length, occasionally disturbed by one of the males.

On Friday I returned to Crockford and did a quick scout of the area before the arrival of my guests. Golden-ringed were already in attendance, yesterday’s preferred model still holding court over his territory., and the resident Keeled Skimmer was perched in his bush.

Chris & Mike arrived around 11.30 and immediately got to work grabbing their shots. At one point our male tried desperately to get a grip in the leg of Chris’s tripod, and watching this Mike had the idea to present the leg clamp as a possible perch, and our quarry obliged.

Another very pleasant afternoon with a total of nine species, short a Broad-bodied Chaser from the previous day.

Thanks to Dave’s (NewEra51) recent post and photos, South Wales looked to be the ideal location for finding and photographing the Common Hawker; a quarry I’d longed for. My only previous encounter with this elusive beast was a few years ago at Whitten Pond.

A dragonfly trip had been originally planned for Sunday, but was rescheduled to Saturday due to the weather. In our eagerness we had already booked a room to give us a full day refreshed instead of stressed by a 200 mile journey.

Swansea is the last major conurbation for miles. Head west and you’ll be in Ireland before you encounter anywhere as big. Head north and Bangor is probably the closest culturally. East brings you further upstream, as it were, where everything has gone before.

Yet south is a small pocket of heaven, where roads wind narrowly down to the sea or lead you onto a rich Montaigne plateau with foreboding bogs and tranquil ponds. The big daddy of these ponds is Broad Pool, and geographically was our destination for this weekend in search of the elusive, In my and several others opinion, Common Hawker.

However arriving early on Saturday afternoon gave us a chance to scout the area prior to Sunday. Heading almost exactly west from Swansea the urban sprawl gave way to open moorland of Cefn Bryn, known as the backbone of the Gower. The summit provides a panoramic view belying it’s modest 600ft summit.

About a mile south-west of Cillibion in a small hollow lies Broad Pool – a reasonably large acidic pond surrounded by heath,  bog and a scattering of smaller pools each offering a fine selection of dragonflies.

We parked roadside among the scattering of cars and immediately headed for the far bank of Broad Pool, stopping on the way to practice with a patrolling Emperor.

Damselflies were reasonably well presented with Common Blue, Blue-tailed, Emerald and even a Large Red or two. Among the grasses and heather were Black and Common Darters, and around by the trees we disturbed a couple of Common Hawkers who flew off at speed across the moor.

The old Brown Hawker trick!

Heading north into the dip we encountered the party and introduced ourselves, pick brains and swapped notes before heading back to Broad Pool and returning to the road along the other shore.

A few Black-tailed Skimmers and Four-spotted Chasers patrolled the margins along with more Emperors, but I was after larger prey.

A quick break at the cars before walking the short distance to the 5 small pools where Common Hawkers had been spotted earlier. These each contained more of the same species, and at the second largest pool we spotted our prize.

Time stood still as we frantically followed his flight path, reeling off shot after shot afraid of missing a golden opportunity. Now & again a male Emperor would fly in and cause trouble, appearing to chase off our prize, but it wasn’t long before he returned to his patch.

Now this encounter had thrown all my previous expectations into doubt. I expected to have to deal with a hawker with similar behaviour as the Brown – a fast flyer prone to disappearing into the distance an any moment.

This certainly wasn’t the case. Our subject was happy to stay around, flying a low and predictable pattern around the pond margins in much the same way as a Downy Emerald, and even more surprisingly being as inquisitive as his cousin, the Southern.

After another battle with the Emperor where the latter was coming off worse, our subject hopped the short distance to one of the smaller ponds – a perfectly round boggy hollow barely 10 feet in circumference with little distracting background and access from all points.

At first the small size gave the impression that there wouldn’t be much activity, especially for the larger species, but proved perfectly adequate to accommodate one.

This was the pond I’ve been looking for for years, and couldn’t get more perfect from a photographers point of view. Absolutely the best pond I’ve yet encountered for in-flight photography.

Once again we filled our boots, and when our subject flew off without returning, we went back to the cars to say our goodbyes until tomorrow. A cry from the ponds lead me back for a few more opportunities before wrapping up the day.

You couldn’t wish for a more agreeable subject, and I was elated to grab this chance on what was basically a late afternoon scout! Having bagged some more than acceptable shots, I could relax for the rest of the weekend.

The following day we met up with John and Tony just after 11.00am under cloudy skies and busied ourselves with searching the undergrowth along the treeline.

The previous day I’d commented that this treeline would be an ideal roosting spot for the Common Hawker, and sure enough in a small thicket of gorse further along I disturbed 3 males, all flying off over the trees.

We made our way around Broad Pool – with a quick detour to the ‘kidney pond’ and returned to the south bank just as the sun decided to break through. Five minutes of unbroken sunshine had the desired effect and out of nowhere 3 Emperors appeared, clashed almost immediately in a 3-way dogfight, then dispersed to their own territories.

Over on the small pools another Common Hawker was patrolling, and, in much the same as yesterday, would frequently battle with the Emperor, driving the latter back to the other end.

Once again when he flew to the small pool the best photo opportunities presented themselves, especially when he hovered so close it was difficult to get a lock on.

It did result in my favourite shot of the weekend though!

When he left I wandered over to the kidney pond and found an obliging Emperor

There were also a Four-spotted Chaser and Black-tailed Skimmer adding interest. Walking back around Broad Pool I disturbed a female Common Hawker who had perched low down in the grasses of the boggy area. Nice that it would’ve been to get a photo, the opportunity didn’t present itself. I didn’t mind though.

Besides finding my prize this weekend gave me that chance to spend a few hours practicing my in-flight shots, for me the most fun you can spend in the company of dragonflies.

Probably  safe to assume most of us have had to suffer a repeat of unpredictable weather after such a glorious week . So unpredictable that I didn’t venture out again until Wednesday 1st August.

A ‘brief’ visit to Troublefield proved a waste of time. If the perches inside the gate didn’t hold anything, then you can almost guarantee the rest of the site is just as barren. A few Azures and Banded Demoiselles were all that showed themselves.

With a possibility of rain I declined open areas and decided on a visit to Blashford Lakes in the hope that I might find a roosting Brown, Southern or Migrant Hawker.

I didn’t. Neither did I see any large species flying around the rides..

There were however a reasonable number of Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies, but to be honest rather lousy compared to previous years.. You can normally expect to find swarms of both.

The summer rains had fed the brambles to the extent that the usual hidy-holes are all impossible to access, so I did a circular walk finishing along the shores of Ellingham Pound, one of the only lakes where you can actually access the shoreline, albeit at your own peril on a sloping pebble base.

Familiar with the lake after several hours spent there last season on the trail of the Lesser Emperor, I knew the best places to look.

At the far corner there were no less than 3 female Emperors sharing a short section to oviposit. Provided you stayed reasonably still and non-threatening, they were reasonably accommodating.

Further around the shore were another pair of females and a patrolling male who attempted a (failed) coupling with one of the busy females.

Besides these welcome sightings on the water were a few Common Blues but not much else, except several teneral Blue-tails rising with every footfall along the path.

Alas that was it as shortly after the heavens opened and put an end to the day.

On Friday I took a scouting trip to Esher Common, long championed by Stephen, and after a recent correspondence with Mike Waite – due for a scout.

My initial impression was just another of those ‘urban’ nature pockets filled with dog-walkers I feel rather uncomfortable with. However, if it wasn’t for the help of one dog-walker I probably would’ve failed to find Middle Pond, the first one on my list.

I followed the bank as far as I could and didn’t see anything of note – too shaded and innaccesable for my liking, but probably ideal for a Brilliant?

I stopped and watched for 15 minutes and, seeing nothing, continued on across the A3 to find Black Pond. This was better – a large pond surrounded on 3 sides by a reeded border.

To the right of the main path I found access to the shoreline, which provided several Common Blue, Red-eyed and Azure Damselflies flying over the water, or flitting through the reeds.

I stayed for a while and witnessed one female Brown Hawker looking for a place to lay her eggs., a Black-tailed Skimmer holding territory over a small island and a very brief passing of an Emerald – but I’m almost sure it was a Downy.

I’ll return to this spot later.

I walked along the causeway and noticed on the left a superb boggy area with a few scattered ponds which deserved further exploration, but I was more intent on circling the main pond.

To the right of the main path was a beautiful heath area festooned with heather, with access to the reeds in a few spots if you were prepared to explore.

Only a few Black-tailed Skimmers showed themselves and I continued along the heathland paths, long bereft of people and dogs, until I found the meadow to the south which proved to be a dragonfly-watchers heaven.

I say watchers because every time I attempted to nail a photo my subject would rise and fly beyond my reach. Mostly Brown Hawkers.

The prize for me though was my first Ruddy Darter of the year.

To the south of the pond is an area of heath which serves as a feeding and roosting ground, and I had at least another half dozen Brown Hawkers rise from the foliage.

Walking back via Middle Pond, I did see one Brown Hawker along the furthest bank. Better though was a Southern Hawker patrolling the cul-de-sac near the car park, until he disappeared out of site in the trees.

I did call in briefly to Thursley on the way back, but it was getting rather late. A Downy over the pond, some Common Blue & Emerald Damselflies and aven fewer Black-tailed & Keeled Skimmers along the boardwalk.

I shouldn’t forget the half-a-dozen or so Brown Hawkers disturbed along Hawker Alley. To me it appears to be a bumper year for this species, but they still don’t get any easier to pin down!

Despite strong gusts of wind, Sunday was reasonably pleasant with some rather pleasant sunny spells. A chance then for a look at Pennington where we were guaranteed some peace from the tourists.

Over the pond, Red-eyed,Small Red-eyed, Blue-tailed and Azure Damselflies were present in reasonable numbers.

Three or four male Emperors were joined by a female at one point, and there were several ariel clashes – this male looking somewhat worse for wear.

The only other larger species were a few Common Darters.

Over on the river we had Banded & Beautiful Demoiselles and more Common Darters, but not much else.

Over to the 2 smaller ponds where we had better success. Black-tailed Skimmers joined the Emperors over the water, while in the reeds and meadow were several Common Darters.

Damsels were well represented by hundreds of Blue-tailed – always prolific at this site.

Besides disturbing a vixen with 3 cubs hiding out in the grass, my best find was an immature male Migrant Hawker – the first I have managed to photograph this year.

It’s been months since we’ve seen some decent sun, and it’s been months since Doug & I shared a day out, His work commitments abroad has meant he’s missed out the most of the season. poor as it has been.

I started the day at the pond waking up a few Common Darters and Broad -bodied Chasers from the gorse.

Over the water were a couple of tired Four-spotted Chasers and briefly one female Southern Hawker among the few Azures.

But I had a day planned elsewhere, so I met Doug at Linwood to hopefully flush out a few Brown Hawkers. We weren’t disappointed. Among the ferns were at least half-a-dozen along with a few Golden-ringed.

Common Darters were in reasonable numbers, and at the pond an Emperor was patrolling, but otherwise only a few Common Blue damsels and Keeled Skimmers.

We were after larger prey, and back towards the ferns we had our first real chance when a female Brown Hawker dropped down behind a gorse bush.

Knowing the rough location helped, and it wasn’t long before Doug spotted her hidden deep in a shaded hole. You would never spot her if you were just passing.

Back in the ferns we saw several more fly up & away and while Doug was flushing, I occupied myself with another – or possibly the same – Golden-ringed.

While I was grabbing this shot, one of Doug’s flushes flew right in front of me and landed very low in shaded dead fern underneath a gorse bush. A nightmare of a position for a photograph, but an opportunity all the same.

Result then, and a great start to the day.

We moved on to Christchurch Common and just before the main pond area we had our first Southern Hawkers patrolling the old railway.

Everyone we saw perched at completely the wrong angle to the sun.

We spent some time with the Black Darters and Emeralds, Doug getting frustrated with the former while trying to get some video of the males.

Further around the path we came across another female Southern Hawker who chose another lousy perch!

By now we were tiring – mostly due to our Brown Hawker flushing earlier – but decided to give Troublefield a look in. Just inside the gate was a male Southern Hawker patrolling the treeline, but no more. Only a few Banded Demoiselles.

A quick foray around Ramsdown threw up more Black Darters, Emerald Damsels, Four-spotted Chasers and a couple of flighty Golden-ringed, none offering a golden opportunity.

I had a busy day planned for Wednesday, so on Tuesday I decided to treat myself to a few hours at the pond. Arriving at midday, 3 hours later than yesterday, the morning sun had already raised the temperature to provide a satisfying display across the water.

Battling for territory were Broad-bodied and Four-spotted Chasers – more than I’ve seen for a good while. Joining these were Keeled Skimmers and Common Darters, Azure, Common Blue, Blue-tailed and the first Emerald Damselflies I’ve seen here this season.

Among the gorse were more Common Darters and a single female Southern Hawker circling several times before disappearing out of sight. I did manage a rather continentally-posed Common Darter though

Besides the superb aerial battles between the chasers, a couple of male Emperors were holding court at each end of the pond. On a couple of occasions they would stray into each others territory and rise in a violent clatter of wings.

No other hawkers appeared during my stay, but a real pleasure to see this pond so alive after the disappointments of the past month.

On Wednesday Sue & I had arranged to meet with (Naturalist) Stephen Moss on a glorious summer’s day to hopefully find him some Scarce Blue-tailed and Small Red-eyed Damselflies.

We met just after 10.00am at The Royal Oak in North Gorley before trundling through the maze of lanes to Ogdens.

The walk along the stream threw up a few Keeled Skimmers and Broad-bodied Chasers, some Common Blue, Large and Small Red Damselflies.

On arrival at the site we caught our first glimpse of a male SBT at the crossing point, and several more in the main pool.

Further searching and higher temperatures brought out more along the sub-pools & channels, and a female ovipositing at the base of a plant stem.

Keeled Skimmers were plentiful with several pairs in cop, and plenty more Small Reds. Surprisingly didn’t see any Southerns, but we weren’t really looking for them.

After we had our fill we walked back along the stream, visiting a few more channels, inlets and ponds. Pleased to see the SBT’s had spread out quite nicely with several more sightings, along with regular Blue-tailed. At the pond we had a Four-spotted Chaser and a reasonable amount of Emerald Damselflies.

Back on the stream we finally saw some Beautiful Demoiselles, but only a few males. Very poor, however it wasn’t long before we spied our first Golden-ringed, shortly followed by another.

We returned to The Royal Oak for a lunch stop, and while sat in the front garden another Golden-ringed flew through the tables twice following the small stream running underneath us.

Cider, Sandwich and 2 fly-bys of probably our most impressive dragonfly in a pub garden? Lunch doesn’t really get any better than this!

Next stop Pennington – the only reliable site I know for Small Red-eyed, and, even though I found a fresh female a week ago, I still felt a little apprehensive knowing that the pond hadn’t really shown any activity since before the flooding.

I needn’t have worried as at the pontoons there were several males patrolling the water. An Emperor was navigating the far bank, and Blue-tailed, Azure and Large Red were also making the most of the sunshine.

At the other end of the pond the only larger species were another Emperor and a few Common Darters. Luckily there were several more Small Red-eyed including several pairs in tandem.

My only disappointments were missing 2 perched male Emperor opportunities, A lack of stealth no doubt influenced by that lunchtime Cider, and no sign of any Southern or an early Migrant Hawker.

No worries – in a month there will be several opportunities.

Thursday was another cracking day with glorious skies, if a slightly stronger breeze than recently. Sue & I decided to spend a few hours at Crockford.

As soon as we reached the stream we had a couple of patrolling male Golden-ringed, a scattering of Southern Damselflies, Common Darters rising from the foliage and Keeled Skimmers decorating the clearing.

We followed the treeline uphill to the right before dropping down to the main basin where we set up camp for the rest of our visit.

Two more male Golden-ringed were holding territories along the basin, occasionally meeting for a brief battle.

Beautiful Demoiselles were cascading around and above the Bog Myrtle, and a few more Southerns were pairing and ovipositing in the shallows.

At the larger stream pond a small thicket of Bog Myrtle appeared to contain the main population of Small Reds.

A little further along another population of Southerns were busy around another thicket.

Back at the pond a female Emperor appeared from upstream and chose the emerging bank-side vegetation to oviposit, allowing my closest opportunity yet to photograph this beautiful beast in action.

We didn’t stray too far upstream on this visit, partly to do with the wind but mostly to do with the still saturated ground. Regardless in this small stretch we encountered at least another half-a-dozen male Golden-ringed.

Crockford Stream is the Ben Nevis of New Forest dragonfly locations and can suffer from its own celebratory, usually by seasoned and experienced enthusiasts complacent through too many disappointing visits.

My best day here was in the first year of my interest, and such was the diversity that to a hungry newbie was simply heaven. Since then I’ve had many a disappointing day there, but occasionally the treasures encountered on the right day make you realise how fantastic a place this can be.

Last season it was the beginning of August, where a full reccie up & downstream provided more than enough entertainment. Today was another example of a great day to be had at Crockford.

On Friday I paid a brief visit to the pond during the afternoon to witness a fairly decent bout of activity with 15 species observed, although the count was actually 17 all told. Not many photo opportunities other than another Emperor in-flighter.

To end a fantastic week, Sue & I took a chance at Alners Gorse in Dorset for some rare Hairstreaks, but it turned out more of a dragonfly day with my first sighting this season of a Migrant Hawker, some Common Darters, Common Blue, Azure and even White-legged Damselflies and this female Emperor feeding on Gatekeepers

On the way back we stopped off at the River Stour for a brief glimpse of a Brown Hawker , some more White-legged and several Banded Demoiselles

The majority of my time out in the field is usually spent alone, with Sue and/or with friends who share the same enthusiasm for dragonflies. A few times a year I receive e-mails requesting details of sites in the New Forest , and where they can find certain species.

I’m always happy to oblige and preferably meet up to share their experience. These days are always enjoyable and satisfying in a different way than grabbing a decent shot or finding a prize.

Different pairs of eyes can reveal far more than I usually see, and makes me appreciate the delights of a familiar species more than I would usually do.

Different minds can reveal more knowledge than books or websites, and I learn far more first-hand from these expeditions.

There is many a time, especially this year, when you’d be forgiven for thinking the met office are hedging their bets when it comes to their weather forecast. Take Tuesday July 17th for instance. Light cloud cover with just the tiniest of sunny spells over the forest.

The reality was somewhat different. At Christchurch Common from 10.30am to 12.30pm I was basking in bright sunlight for most of the time. Ideal then for a spot of dragonfly watching.

Pretty much the same candidates as last week. Black and Common Darters, Emerald and Azure Damsels.

Didn’t see any Small Reds this time, but my eyes were scanning the horizon for larger species.

Towards the end of my visit I had a female Brown Hawker rise and disappear. Still getting the better of me.

Nothing larger at Ramsdown this time, and after a short recce I thought I’d take a look at Troublefield. The water levels had receded, but the ground was still waterlogged. A hidden hole caught me off balance and I fell sideways into the soggy mire.

Surely a reward? Alas only more Azure, some Large Red and both Banded & Beautiful Demoiselles. Seven species in total, and a tad disappointed I didn’t see a Southern Hawker this day.

Thursday looked promising. A few showers if you were unlucky, but in the main good sunny spells.

Pennington was first up, with Blue-tailed well down on usual populations. Usually a good indicator, they didn’t prove wrong. Just a few Azures, Large Reds, Brilliant and Banded Demoiselles.

The only larger species I saw were teneral Common Darters – again well down on previous years. A detour along the rides usually flushes out a Hawker or two, but the only real bonus were the butterflies. Meadow Brown, Gatekeeper, Marbled White and Large & Small Skippers.

Deciding another trip around the pond wouldn’t reveal anymore, I took the top path back to the gate and found a very nice surprise. An immature female Small Red-eyed Damselfly perched in the foliage several metres from the water’s edge.

I should point out that despite the sun, the only pond activity were from the hardy Azure and a few Blue-tailed.

To drive back from Lymington towards Southampton without visiting Crockford Stream is never an option, and now the car park is open there is no conscientious excuse.

Still saturated and swift, the stream at least threw up a few Southern and Small Red Damselflies and a few Beautiful Demoiselles.

The only larger prey in the first section were a few patrolling Keeled Skimmers and roosting Common Darters.

A quick call into the pond on the way home threw up a couple of Broad-bodied Chasers and yet more Common Darters

Sunday was a day when all enthusiasts would be out, and even at 11.00am the car park at Thursley was more than full. A party of photographers probably made up half, while the rest could well have been Natural England volunteers.

Around The Moat only a few damsels – Large Red, Blue-tailed, Common Blue and Red-eyed. Further around a couple of Downy Emeralds.

Onto the heath we had a female Southern Hawker, Keeled & Black-tailed Skimmers, Black & Common Darters, Four-spotted Chasers and some frustrating Brown Hawkers.

Among the heather were several Small Red and Emerald Damselflies

There was reasonable activity around the boardwalks with a good few Emperors patrolling the water.

Nowhere near the numbers of Black Darters normally seen this time of year, but I think they’re a little late at Thursley.

Back towards Hawker Alley, near the end of the boardwalk, we had a male Brown Hawker hawking the heather and gorse to the right in search of a tasty snack. Perfect. I had a feeling he’d perch when he caught something, and he did.

That was the shot which made my day, and it almost went downhill from there. We did a further circuit and decided to move on to another location. but the glorious weather had brought everyone out!

Never mind – a butterfly feast at Alice Holt would wrap up the day nicely. Except there were hardly any flying – terribly disappointing compared to last week.

Thank you then to this obliging Golden-ringed to wrap the day up nicely.

Surprisingly Monday 9th was dry, albeit overcast. The temperature was comfortable and I even had a glimpse of sun just after 1.00pm.

Anxious to avoid any flooding, I settled for the higher ground of Ramsdown. With a little luck I might be able to flush out a Brown Hawker or two. Maybe even a Golden-ringed or Emperor? I didn’t. But I did manage to find my first Black Darters of the year.

I circumnavigated the small hill a few times, covering as much ground as I could, but the only other dragon I found a Scarce Chaser.

I decided to explore the heath below and, cheered on by more Black Darters, I decided to walk on to Christchurch Common. On the way I took a little detour and spied a pond I’d previously missed.

This great little pond, if restricted by access, provided a few more Black Darters, some Small Red and several Emerald Damselflies.

I crossed the busy dual carriageway and made my way deeper into the heath to a couple of my favourite small ponds and was not disappointed.

More Small Red & Emerald Damsels, and hundreds, if not thousands, of Black Darters.

The heath was alive with them, and even a few Common Darters showed themselves.

A lone Black-tailed Skimmer flew in, almost as if to let me know there was more diversity. However by now the day was darkening and the wind increased, making photography even more difficult. It had also gotten noticeably cooler.

Satisfied with a good day despite no larger prey, I called it a day and headed back to the car park. Almost out of the gate my eyes were drawn to a telling flight pattern within the shadows.

Circling the gateway was a female Southern Hawker, another first this year.

She was almost impossible to track completely given the light, and after watching her for about five minutes I lost her. No matter. To see one more species this day was more than enough to make the trip worthwhile.

Thursday 12th I popped in to ‘the pond’ for a brief visit, knowing that the morning had started out with a wondrous sunrise, but would turn sour soon after noon.

Still too cool to warrant a late morning pond display, at least there were a couple of Azures braving the weather and patrolling the waterline.

I concentrated on the gorse & fern area to the south, kicking up a few Common Darters.

There were also a couple of Broad-bodied Chasers, the latter looking past their sell-by date, but still a joy to see.

A quick fix then, but not enough to really get a high. Perhaps it’s time I enrolled on a twelve-step program to cure me of my addiction. Except I don’t want to be cured.

During last week I received an e-mail from John Ward-Smith, a conservation volunteer for Berkshire and an experienced Dragonfly enthusiast, in response to my report on Swinley Forest a couple of weeks ago, .

The group were conducting a walk on Friday 13^th July and I was welcome to join them, to show me how to navigate this vast area without getting lost, and hopefully find a few dragonflies.

The forecast showed overcast with (possible) sunny spells and showers, and, realising I wasn’t going to get better elsewhere, I gladly accepted the offer.

The day started well with patches of blue sky, and after making acquaintances we headed towards Rapley Lake.

At the bridge pool we had Common Blues and a couple of Red-eyed. As my back was turned there was a fleeting glimpse of something larger which John was almost sure was a Brilliant Emerald.

We continued along the banks of the main lake and saw more of the same, then back-tracked to the cleared area to the south of the lake.

Here we had Blue-tailed, Large Red, Small Red and Emerald Damselflies to add to our count, along with a female Downy Emerald ovipositing and disturbed by a feisty Four-spotted Chaser.

John & I delved further along the shoreline to the western edge, a precarious pigeon-step to a significant reed bed which was sheltered and surrounded by trees, populated by feeder insects and bright enough to warrant good activity.

We braved the sodden ground, supported only by submerged vegetation, for a good half-an-hour and observed another possible Brilliant Emerald patrolling for a few moments until disappearing into the trees.

We also had sightings of Four-Spotted Chasers, Black-tailed Skimmers and a female Emperor.

The remainder of the party had already moved on to Cobbler’s Hole, a valley mire which had been stripped of encroaching Birch to allow the Bog Myrtle to break through. While the rest of the party were having lunch, I was advised to check out the small ponds created by my hosts.

A passing walker, or indeed an inquisitive enthusiast like me, would never know this pond existed without insider knowledge. All their work is carried out during winter; damming culverts and draining ditches, and repairing the damage done by recent forestry works.

I felt truly humbled. I spent last winter hibernating.

An insignificant bridge dissecting a gravel path was our next stop. Jumping a ditch, I was guided to a series of ponds created by my guides which, in better weather, would be alive with dragonflies.

After a pause at one of the ponds watching a few damsels, we were greeted by the last sunny spell we were going to experience that afternoon. A male Four-spotted Chaser rose to patrol for a few seconds at a time before settling on his favourite perch.

A rattle on a dead tree stem disturbed a Golden-ringed from the shelter of the bank which found refuge beyond our sight.

Shortly afterwards a male Brown Hawker appeared from nowhere, circled the clearing several times before disappearing beyond our reach.

We had another sighting – perhaps the same one – before the clouds drew in for the afternoon.

This was the highlight of the day – a display of two of my favourite dragonflies in one brief moment of sunshine. A moment you would miss had you decided the day wasn’t worth the weather gamble.

I must thank John for giving me the opportunity to erase that bad experience I had of Swinley Forest a few weeks ago, and the rest of the crew who all made me feel very welcome.

Most of all I thank them for giving me an insight into their home ground and the treasures it can provide, all of which probably wouldn’t exist without their sterling efforts to keep this urban forest a refuge for wildlife.

I might well join then this winter.

Sue & I had a dedicated butterfly day on Sunday, and were nicely surprised by this beautiful Golden-ringed taking refuge along the forest ride.

That’ll make up for the lack of photo opportunities on Friday!

 

 

After a disappointing weekend pursuing other water sports (it rained), I was anxious to get back in the field on Monday 25th. Still focused on the Brilliant Emeralds I visited Puttenham Heath after a heads up from Linda who had observed and photographed several individuals there during the weekend.

At first site it was another of those gloomy wooded ponds with minimal access, festooned with the odd fisherman – usually a sign that odos are infrequent.

However not far from the car park was one of these filthy, shaded inlets preferred by the Brilliant.

There were a few individuals patrolling this small area, both male and female as on two occasions pairs would link and fly up into the trees.

At one point a fresh teneral rose from the sparse reeds towards the trees. I have no idea what species, but it was large with a bright yellowy-green abdomen.

I stayed for a short while, but only managed a few in-flight Downy shots.

Lack of sun and any better opportunities spurred me on in the direction of Thursley Common. Again the Moat Pond was quiet, with just the one Downy visible along its shores.

This time I did a little flushing through the heather and disturbed a fresh Emerald Damsel, my first for this season.

The walk towards the boardwalk was quiet with only the odd damsel or Four-spotted Chaser brightening things up, but a sad reflection on only a couple of weeks ago when there were thousands.

Looking at the options meant another sit down watching the Hobbys was in order, although they kept their distance today.

On Tuesday I scouted another possible Brilliant location – Swinley Forest in East Berkshire, but close enough to the M3 for investigation.

On arrival at the car park/activity centre, my first thoughts were to turn back as this looked to be another urban playground with the added bonus of Go Ape tree climbing. The presence of off-road cyclists were also a put off, however I persevered and headed off in search of Mill Pond.

Classic Brilliant country with limited access and dark, dank tree-lined banks. I had reasonable views of two Emeralds which I’m positive were Downy, the latter being in a better spot with at least some bright areas, but once again the weather wouldn’t allow a decent photo opportunity or indeed more activity.

And then I decided to visit Rapley Lake. Because of a series of wrong turns which drove me deeper into the forest, including several switchbacks, it took me 2 hours to find, and only then because I had found it by accident trying to find my way back to the car park!

Exhausted and fed up, I spent an hour at the side of the lake watching FSC’s BTS’s and one Emerald, by it’s flight pattern almost certainly another Downy.

Unfortunately the majority of this hour was taken up conversing on all aspects of life by another lost individual who was either looking for reassurance or company. All I managed was a Four-spotted Chaser for my troubles, but at least it was in-flight for a change.

So through sheer exhaustion, and frankly inability to walk, I missed Wednesday and gave another attempt at the Brilliants on Thursday.

Arriving at Puttenhead Moor at just after 10.00am I made my way to ‘the spot’. Already there were 4 or 5 ‘Emeralds’ patrolling this…quagmire.

I set the camera and attempted to photograph anything that was flying, which meant ISO 800 which was still too low in this humid gloom.

Knowing I’d return to the spot, I did a quick reccie of the pond just to be sure, but all the action was at this foul, shady inlet with detritus of woodland decay and who knows what else creating a mire which was too treacherous even for me.

I was soon joined by another enthusiast who confirmed with the use of bins that there were indeed both species present, but I still failed to get a shot.

After 3 hours of not getting any other opportunities I went to Thursley Common and spent some time with a Downy on the Moat pond.

The lighting and surroundings here are better, and I’m hoping the Brilliants will appear here this year to offer some opportunities.

Still cloudy, very breezy but very hot & humid, the boardwalks were mostly empty. Where were the thousands of FSC’s seen here just a fortnight ago? The only larger species flying were Black-tailed Skimmers.

Still suffering exhaustion from Tuesday, I did one quick foray into the heath to flush out a few more Emerald Damselflies and a few teneral Keeled Skimmers.

Having to spend time in less-than-favourable spots all week in search of the elussive Brilliant Emerald, I’m anxious to spend time at a couple of favourite spots just drinking in the spectacle and grabbing some in-flighters.

Saturday had sunny spells – quite a few of them. But it also had a strong breeze and several gloomy spells. So we decided on a scout of Eelmoor  on the Basingstoke Canal.

Heading east and just before we reached the flash we spotted our first Emerald, and having had a crash course on them recently I’m certain it was indeed a Brilliant. Unfortunately it was along the opposite bank and didn’t venture over our side.

Shortly after we had a male Emperor patrolling his territory, and then nothing big until we walked further on to a small sunny area where we encountered another Emerald, but this time it was definitely a Downy!

And that was almost it for large dragons, until we had a female Broad-bodied Chaser fly by and a male Scarce Chaser settling down for the evening in some brambles.

Plenty of Large Red, Azure, Common Blue, Red-eyed and Blue-tailed damselflies to finish the day.

Having ventured a little too far along the path, I at least now know the promising spots, and there aren’t a lot of them. Mostly too shadowed by the trees, but those sunny clearings certainly fit the bill.

I will definitely return to this spot as it’s more ‘photo-friendly’ and doesn’t irritate my claustrophobia!

Just need that elusive sunny day…

A well-earned rest on Monday meant Tuesday was the first trip out to the New Forest, tackling two streams – Latchmore Brook and Ober Water.

First off Latchmore. This location has been useless to me for the past two years with the weather either too cool, too windy or just plain dull. At least today the sun was shining!

Just out of the car park I spotted my one and only Golden-ringed of the day hawking the hedges, but not sticking around. Further upstream Beautifuls were dancing, although nowhere near as many as there should be.

Teneral Keeled Skimmers were popping up everywhere on the heath, but my goal were the Scarce Blue-tailed.

I saw my first one here 3 years ago and haven’t found any since! Obviously not looking in the right place, but my previous two visits this season to the right place revealed nothing.

Today however there were 2 males hovering across the small pool when the sun broke through. I stayed for about an hour and didn’t see any more, but at least I now know where to go.

On the way back downstream I stopped at the boggy pond to watch the Four-spotted and Broad-bodied Chasers, joined shortly after by a Downy Emerald.

Other damsels seen at Latchmore were Southern, Azure, Large and Small Red.

Onto Ober Water and again there were a few Beautiful Demoiselles, Large Red and Azure patrolling the stream in small numbers. At the bend there were 2 or 3 male Scarce Blue-tailed and (the normal) Blue-tailed a little further on.

These were joined by a few Southerns and a reasonable selection of White-legged.

Rising from the heath were teneral Large & Small Reds and the inevitable Keeled Skimmers.

The only other large species was a male Broad-bodied Chaser near Rhinefield Bridge.

During my walk down Latchmore and Ober Water I lost my phone, probably during  the fall down a boggy hole, so if anyone reading this finds an old samsung slide-action mobile on theie travels, I’d be grateful if you drop me an e-mail!

On Wednesday I headed up the A3 to Bolder Mere – a large pond close to the junction with the M27 – on the advice of Stephen and Linda from the forum. The chance sighting of a Brilliant Emerald securing a visit.

My first impressions was this is precisely the type of pond I find unenjoyable, mainly due to the lack of bank-side access. The other problem with wooded ponds in urban recreational areas is the flotsam polluting the sheltered corners and inlets – a foul-smelling danger for paddling even in wellies.

I did see one Emerald patrolling the entrance to one of these corners, but I’m pretty sure it was a Downy. Other odos of note were a few Four-spotted Chasers, some Black-tailed Skimmers and a wealth of damsels, Red-eyed in particular rather plentiful.

Along the far bank is an open area with better access and lots of foliage where odos hide. A particularly productive spot with more of the same plus a female Emperor which disappeared out of sight. Several more Red-eyed Damsels though and some Blue-tailed.

Anxious to do a full circuit, and eager to get to Thursley, I didn’t give the spot enough time to reveal it’s full benefits, but the disappearance of the sun called time.

At Thursley the Moat pond had a few Downy’s and some damsels, but even in the brief sunny spells activity was muted.

My favourite spot is far too boggy to explore to its full potential, so I did a figure-of-eight circuit of the boardwalks, noticing that even the FSC’s were not going to play in this gloom, despite the temperatures being reasonable.

Frustrated by the lack of odo activity, I decided to just sit and watch the pond from the boardwalk, and remained there for 3 whole hours watching the Hobby’s hunting the odd brave Four-spot.

Captivating and inspirational, and ending up being the highlight of my day. The full series can be viewed here:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thelizardwizard/7414640806/in/photostream

I’m still rushing around when I should just stay put, a lesson I need to drum further into my mind. Unfortunately I still haven’t learned the lesson, but more on that next week…

The current depression continues weather-wise, although I won’t let it get me down. The thought of another week of the same fills you with frustration though. But isn’t this just more of the same, and what we’ve come to expect?

We’ve had a superb fortnight of fruitful activity with a decent long spell of good weather, which makes it difficult to contend with the lows.

As superb as a summer of unbroken sunshine can seem, the realities are a climate such as ours cannot sustain long periods of hot, dry weather without consequences for us and more importantly for the insects, which in turn affect the whole eco-system.

This doesn’t of course satisfy the dragonfly enthusiast or photographer, but having witnessed two years of disappointments punctuated with days to remember, you learn to make the best of a situation.

So with this and the forecast in mind I waited until the clouds dispersed enough on Wednesday to allow a late glimmer of sunshine and made my weekly pilgrimage to my favourite pond.

Arriving at 3.30pm there was nothing immediately present across the water, but then the sun had yet to appear. A quick survey of the gorse thicket revealed male & female Broad-bodied Chaser, a fresh Four-spotted Chaser and, surprisingly, a fresh Common Darter. The latter unfortunately wouldn’t allow a photo.

When the sun did appear, so did the chasers across the pond, with Four-spotted battling and Broad-bodied pairing, mating and the female ovipositing shortly after.

The male kept guard, rising occasionally to shoo off curious Four-spotted.

While I was watching this drama, I noticed the first damsels. Further circuits of the pond revealed Large Red, Azure, Common Blue and Blue-tailed damselflies, but only in one’s or two’s when on a good day there would be hundreds.

Activity over the pond continued while the sun shone, and after 5.00pm when the temperature started to drop the Broad-bodied perched up.

The Four-spotted continued to patrol and, realising that was probably it for the day, I decided to retire myself – but not before a lone male Downy Emerald made a late appearanace at 5.30pm.

He only stayed for 10 minutes, possibly warmed enough for a late afternoon hunt & snack, he circled me a few times before disappearing off with his prey.

When I first discovered this pond by accident 4 years ago while trekking through an area of the New Forest I hadn’t previously visited, it was one of those life-time moments. This was the very pond which turned me on to dragonflies.

So to see it  provide a glimpse of that first encounter for (probably) the first time this year filled me with renewed hope that this season has yet to really start…

Thursday was a butterfly day. A yearly visit to Collard Hill in Somerset for the Large Blue. In typical fashion the first sighting were damsels sharing the same sheltered spot on the hill, far from water.

After I had my fill with the butterflies, I called in at Westhay Moor for a quick look. No dragons, but quite a few damsels laying up ready for the rain.

I took a rest on Friday to prepare for our weekend trip to Norfolk.

We arrived at Strumpshaw Fen just after noon on Saturday and did a full circuit in the horrendous wind. Very little shelter, but we did see several Four-spotted Chasers – the predominet species of the weekend, and towards the end of the walk our first Norfolk Hawkers!

No-one had told me they fly at the same speed and distance as Brown Hawkers! We had three fly-bys along the back stretch and also several sightings of Black-tailed Skimmers

and Hairy Dragonflies.

We decided to return to the only sheltered spot – a small, bright clearing along the woodland walk not far from the visitor centre.

More FSC’s and our first Broad-bodied Chaser seen that day.

Also in the same glade was a Scarce Chaser.

This glade seemed to be where all the late afternoon action was. A perfect grazing area for hungry dragonflies. Every now & again one would pop up from the perch to grab a passing snack, the greediest being a male Hairy.

Then came the first highlight – possibly the best – of the weekend.

A female Norfolk Hawker appeared, flew straight towards us, hovered inches in front of Sue, then inches in front of me – close enough to look straight into her eyes.

And then she landed on my chin with her  head resting on my bottom lip! It only lasted a couple of seconds, but such was the experience it felt like a couple of minutes.

Kissed by a dragonfly. It doesn’t get much better than that!

She continued flying around the clearing before disappearing low down and out of sight in inaccessible reeds. So no photo opportunity, but I ended the day on a real high.

On Sunday we headed over to Hickling Broad. The journey felt like a different country with quite possibly the best road-side verges I’ve seen on our mainland, full of Poppies and other wild flowers.

The traditional cottages, old lanes and peaceful water courses was a step back in time. I had no idea Norfolk could be so beautiful.

Unfortunately my mood was lowered on arrival at Hickling Broad. I can’t help feeling that a charge of £4.50 per adult for the Norfolk Wildlife Trust site is daylight robbery! That’s more expensive than the RSPB sites.

But I suppose it keeps the idiots away. However the rudeness and unhelpfulness of the chap at the visitor centre who only cared about taking our money put me in a foul mood.

It had better be worth it!

Luckily it was and my mood was soon lifted by our first ever sighting of a Swallowtail butterfly. This was soon followed by several more as the sun broke through. Truly an excellent sight to see them in flight, and even better to have them land close by to feed on Yellow Flag Iris.

No Norfolk Hawkers to be seen, but a fair number of Four-spotted Chasers, Black-tailed Skimmers and Hairys.

Next stop Upton Fen. Difficult to find and hidden away down a narrow lane, this location proved the best of the weekend. A magical place where you can follow the ditches which offer excellent views of the patrolling dragons and damsels.

Just inside the gate we had our second sighting that day of a Norfolk Hawker, the first being on the journey over hawking above a road-side verge.

This was another female hawking the ride and feeding on the wing before disappearing out of sight deep down in the reeds.

She rose a few times and even flew close to check us out. Again no photo opportunities, but I’m now convinced the (female) Norfolk beats the Southern hands down for curiosity!

By now Sue was getting anxious that I hadn’t managed a shot, so we continued exploring the fen and followed increasingly dodgy paths to gain access to the ditches.

Wellies are a must, but a bad wellie and sock combination the previous day resulted in a painful heat rash which prevented me from wearing anything other than a pair of light walking boots.

At one point Sue disappeared up to her knees in a hole!

It must’ve been a sign, because shortly afterwards I saw a male Norfolk Hawker appear along the ditch and land on the opposite bank. I couldn’t believe my luck!

Perfect. My only photo opportinity the weekend, but one is all I need. Now I could relax.

We didn’t see any more  until we returned to the car park where the female was still in attendance, but activity over the water was superb with more Four-spotted Chasers, Black-tailed Skimmers, Hairy Dragonflies and Azure, Large Red, Blue-tailed and Variable damselflies.

The surrounding reeds threw up several more photo opportunities for those plentiful Four-spotted Chasers.

I could have stayed at the Upton Fen for the rest of the day, but time was moving on too quickly and we decided to call in at Strumpshaw once more on the way home. Just more of the same, damsels, FSC’s and Hairy’s, but at close to 6.00pm with the temperature dropping this was all we could expect.

So a fantastic and productive weekend which took a while to get going but produced the goods in the end with two more ‘lifers’ to add to my list.

If you’re thinking of visiting Norfolk in June, stop thinking and go for it. I will definitely be making this a yearly pilgrimage.

I’ve learned not to rely on supposed predictable behaviour, especially when it comes to visiting a reliable site where even in the coolest weather you could at least hope to see something.

One Azure was all I managed at the pond on Monday – a Bank Holiday Monday when the whole nation was gearing up for Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Even at the pond this hadn’t gone un-noticed, with the small promontory rigged with a beacon. Granted, the summit – albeit rather modest – provides a fabulous view of south Wiltshire.

I was beginning to think the dragons had loped off to a party themselves!

Luckily I had a back-up plan and travelled the short(ish) distance to Bentley Wood to hopefully catch some Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary butterflies settling down to roost.

As soon as we entered the Eastern clearing we were greeted by a Broad-bodied Chaser taking advantage of this sheltered and humid environment, shortly followed by another.

Typical! You go to a pond and find (almost) nothing, and switch your quarry only to find dragons in the realm of the butterfly! Luckily I love both.

Tuesday was a washout, and Wednesday more of the same, but there was the odd small blue patch breaking through. Unfortunately not enough to raise the temperature sufficiently to tease the insects out of their hiding places.

Regardless I did a little scouting trip just over the county border in Surrey. Last summer I kayaked down a section of the Basingstoke Canal, and paddled through an open, reed-lined sunny stretch populated with damsels and Brown Hawkers.

After doing further research I found out this very stretch is also a prime spot for Brilliant Emeralds earlier in the season, so I had to check it out. The canal is bordered on both sides by small lakes with plenty of lush vegetation and tree cover.

It would be a promising spot for odos on a fine summer’s day, and unfortunately this wasn’t it. However I did manage Common Blue, Large Red, Blue-tailed and Red-eyed Damselflies.

The close proximity to Thursley means it can easily be included in a day trip, and as it was on the way I had to check out Thundry Meadows Nature Reserve.

Not long into the reserve I spotted a female Broad-bodied Chaser, but this was to be the only larger species spotted in this gloom. At least the Banded and Beautiful Demoiselles were happy to show themselves along the banks of the River Wey.

Once again, given a sunny day, I imagine this reserve to be buzzing with insect life. Certainly no excuse to not pay a visit when at Thursley, unless the latter provides the goods and wears you out!

Unfortunately Thursley was a disappointment. A few damsels seen, but not one Four-spotted Chsser, which didn’t bode well.

After searching high & low, I returned via the far bank of The Moat and as if to mock the weather, or brighten my day, a Downy appeared. He did a couple of fly-bys before disappearing back into that place where all dragons hide.

Still a reasonable count of 8 species on a dull, rainy day and some promising new locations to add to my agenda.

The unsettled weather reached a peak on Thursday with torrential downpours and gale-force winds. Not a day for venturing out!

Friday brought  a break in the rain, although there were a few small showers blown in by still very strong winds. I decided to give Latchmore Brook and Ober Water a try

Not having spotted one odo at Latchmore I continued on to Ober Water.

Having planned a walk on Saturday, I did a scout and had to give up my usual route at the first crossing. The deluge yesterday had raised the stream to such an extent that the banks were well & truly breached. I couldn’t follow my usual course, and ended up having to follow the treeline to reach the boggy areas downstream.

Again, not one odo could be found. Nothing hiding in the reeds, sheltering in the ferns or along the wooded edge. Even the forest rides were devoid of insects.

Being the best day of the weekend, Saturday was devoid of rain (except the odd spot or two), overcast and threatening a sunny spell. Unfortunately the latter wasn’t enough to raise the temperature to a comfortable level for good activity.

Good indicators are the amount of Large Red, Azure and Beautiful’s enjoying the stream along the length of Ober Water, and considering the previous days flooding I for one was apprehensive. so we were surprised to find the levels had dropped overnight to allow the usual access.

Surprisingly our first sighting of anything was a male Scarce Blue-tailed, just the one, but convenient as this was a ‘lifer’ for our guest.

Further downstream we did see the odd Beautiful, a few teneral White-legged, a pair of Large Reds in tandem and a few scattered Azures.

Moving on to Silver Stream, it proved rather barren on the walk up with the full force of the wind blowing from the heath. All but given up, Sue, who had waited near the road called out she had found a Small Red damselfly – a first this season.

Unfortunately this poor individual had began its new life by flying straight into a spiders web. Although rescued, it hadn’t had time to mature enough to prevent irreparable damage to its wings.

A first sighting for this season marred by the cruel reality of mother nature. She did provide a few Southerns for us to get our teeth into though.

We finished the day at Crockford. Still providing several male & female Broad-bodied Chasers.

the odd Keeled Skimmer,

a few Southern, Large Red and Beautifuls. The highlight came with a first sighting this season of the Common Darter, but our individual wouldn’t allow a decent opportunity for a photograph, being stuck up in a tree and reluctant to move.

So despite the weather we came up trumps. Sure, a Golden-ringed would’ve rounded the day off nicely, but I’ve learned to become grateful with anything during this typical British summer.