Friday 17 May 2013

16th May 2013. Lower Moor Farm.

After a week of miserable weather conditions brightened up today and a trip to the Cotswold Water Park [after a tip off by Chris Beard [thanks Chris!] was very fruitful. Near the dipping ponds were 2 male and 1 female Downy EmeraldCordulia aenea followed by 5 more [3 males and 2 females] emerging along the boardwalk [a repeat of last year]after Rosie Ray called us having 'staked' them out! Chris Beard LH image; Steve Covey RH image. At this location there were also several Large Red Damsels emerging on the side of the boardwalk - as well as many elsewhere on the reserve. A further search in the vegetation around the dipping ponds turned up a number of Common Blue Damselflies Enallagma cyathigerum from very teneral to immatures. Image Steve Covey. At the pond edge I found a fresh 4-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata perched near it's exuvia. Image Steve Covey. Finally, after Chris had disturbed one earlier, I managed to find a freshly emerged male Broad-bodied Chaser Libellula depressa which was perched in a useful photographic location. The sun had gone in by now and it welcomed the warmth from my finger! LH image Steve Covey; RH image Chris Beard. So 4 new species for the year [BB Chaser for VC7 and the rest for the county as a whole] was a very welcome result for a brief period of 'proper' Spring weather... My thanks go to Rosie and Chris for their companionship and tracking skills!

Thursday 9 May 2013

6th May 2013

Derek Jenkins, Furzley Pond and VC8 come up trumps again with another first for the year! This time it's a freshly emerged Broad-bodied Chaser. No photos I'm afraid though. This disparity between first emergences in the South and the North of the county show just how big a county Wiltshire is!! Given the forecast through the weekend I doubt any Anisoptera will be forthcoming in VC7 until at least early next week...but keep looking:o)

Wednesday 8 May 2013

Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella) ♀ .

A visit to Roves Farm in the hopes of getting an early Broad-bodied Chaser turned up a very teneral Azure Damselfly instead! 2nd species of the year....

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) ♀.

More sightings of Large Reds. I found 6 freshly emerged at King Charles Pond in Blackmoor Copse on 2nd May and Peter Sketch found 4 at the meadow pond at Ravensroost Wood on 6th May. But still no sign of other damselfly species or any dragonflies yet...

Thursday 2 May 2013

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) ♂.

1st May 2013.
I also found my first odonata of the year in the shape of 3 teneral Large Red Damselflies. This was at the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust's [WWT] reserve of Lower Moor Farm in the Cotswold Water Park [CWP]. Also saw and photographed my first male Orange tip of the year :o)

Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) Female

Wednesday 1st May 2013. Damian Pinguey takes the honours for first odonata in VC7 for 2013. Several were seen at 'Chippenham Pond'. Including a semi mature male which must have emerged a few days ago..!