Hairy Dragonfly Emerging

I went back to Southfield Farm Marsh again hoping to photograph some of the Large Reds. They were still playing hard to get and I didn't manage a single shot. However, I did find this emerging Hairy Dragonfly. Sorry about the poor picture - she was so low down among the reeds that this was the best I could get without ruining my work clothes (not great to go to a 1400hrs meeting covered in smelly pond mud!). I have seen Hairys here before, but never been able to prove breeding until now. I bumped into someone who told me that our friend John Showers, who was busy Hoverfly hunting, had seen an Azure Damselfly here earlier. I didn't see it though. Looking at the BDS Hot News page, this is the first Hairy seen this year and with the Azure we have the highest number of recorded species so far this year!

First Large Red Damselflies

Great weather on Saturday prompted a search at Yardley Chase , but nothing was seen except one Emperor larva basking at the water's surface. At lunchtime today, I walked to Southfields Farm Marsh SSSI near work and found 2 emerging Large Red Damselflies. Neither stayed to be photographed but flew straight into the trees surrounding the pond. The weather looks to be getting better during the week, so I will return and see if more are about and I can get that first photo.

Dragonflies Appearing in the South

After a harsh winter, the dragonflies are beginning to appear around 1-2 weeks later than in recent years, with Azure Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly seen in Essex and elsewhere. Northants is normally 2-3 weeks after the first sightings, which may mean we are slightly later than normal too. Good weather between now and end of April may change this, so keep an eye out!