Friday 29 April 2011

Record of sightings


I'm planning to record my Dragonfly and Damselfly sightings here, in an attempt to improve my identification  and understanding capabilities , so any comments or corrections will be gratefully received.
Most of the sightings will be from the North East of England but I hope to add others as we travel further afield




Blue-tailed Damselfly - Ischnura elegans

Male, first sighting at Woolsington Ponds on the 03/05/11

Blue-tailed Damselfly













Common Blue Damselfly - Enallagma cyathigerum
These first sightings were at Big Waters 26-28/04/11

Female drab form                                                                              Male immature



















Azure Damselfly - Coenagrion puella

Immature male at Big Waters 28/04/11                        Male at Big Waters 28/04/11




















Large Red Damselfly - Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Large Red Damselfly female - earliest sighting at Havannah LNR,  21/04/11
Large Red Damselfly male - earliest sighting 26/04/11 Big Waters NR outlet stream
                                        




Common darter - Sympetrum striolatum

Male - 2010
Female - 2010                      










As the name suggests I have found these to be the most prolific of Dragonfly, first seen locally early June 2010, and specifically at -
Druridge Ponds on the approach pathway to the Budge Hide and the main hide.
Kibblesworth Brick ponds.
Big Waters around the outlet stream and the raised boardwalk.
Banks Pond.
Cragside lakes.
Shibdon Pond raised boardwalk.
Woolsington Ponds.

Four-spotted Chaser - Libellula quadrimaculata

Female











The first Four-spotted Chaser I saw was 16 June 2010 at Banks Pond although there were earlier sightings by others. I subsequently  also saw them at -
Kibbleworth Brick ponds.
Woolsington Ponds.
Big Waters around the outlet stream.
First 2011 sighting 2/06/11 at Kibblesworth although they were reported there 2 weeks earlier

Southern Hawker - Aeshna cyanea

Male




Female, this one appears to be half way between immature and mature colouring




Both were seen at Big Waters between the lake and the outlet stream in mid July10

Black Darter - Sympetrum danae
My sightings of these were restricted to Cragside on 02/09/10  and Fen Bog, North Yorks on the 22/09/10.
Although they can be see at lower elevations, the largest density of these dragonfly can be seen on higher ground
Male



Female




Brown Hawker -Aeshna grandis
We saw lots of these stunning dragonfly whilst on a visit to Leeds and inparticular around the Leeds - Liverpool Canal and Rodley NR on the 07/08/10. It would appear that this area is considered nearing the most northerly for this species.


Male



Female




Common Hawker - Aeshna juncea

Male
Only had one sighting in 2010 and this was whilst visiting Vindolanda site 01/09/10

Black-tailed Skimmer - Orthetrum cancellatum
Saw a number of these at Weetslade Country Park from 29/06/10 around the perimeter of both ponds

Male



Emperor Dragonfly - Anax imperator
These seem to be quite widespread with confirmed sightings at Banks Pond , Kibbleworth Brick Ponds on the 27/07/10

Male













Banded Demoiselle- Calopteryx splendens

Only one sighting location at Bellasis Bridge Northumberland on 16/06/10.
First 2011 sighting 3/06/11 at Bellasis Bridge of both male and female. Later 2011 sightings at Big Waters.

Male