Migrant Hawkers at last

Mark Piper reports the first Migrant Hawker at Brampton Wood on 25 July, north of Desborough. Looks like the Northants set is complete for 2012 baring any unusual migrants in the remainder of the flying season.

Small Red-eyed Damselflies

"Normal" Red-eyed Damselfly

Small Red-eyed Damselfly

Small Red-eyed Damselfly







I took a chance and visited Higham Ferrers Pits this lunchtime and was rewarded with several Small Red-eyed Damselflies on the main fishing lake and also on the nature reserve lake. They mingled with "normal" Red-eyes and Common Blues. Also seen were the usual damsels, Brown Hawker and a pair of Ruddy Darter in cop and then ovipositing.

Darters, Emerald Damselflies and a very old Broad-bodied Chaser

Very old female Broad-bodied Chaser

Newly emerged male Ruddy Darter

Mature male Ruddy Darter

Male Emerald Damselfly

Well, what a change! Temperatures have soared this week and brought out good dragonfly activity. Over the last few days I have visited Pitsford Reservoir Nature Reserve and Finedon. Ruddy Darters and Emerald Damselflies are around in good numbers and today saw a synchronised emergence of at least 10 Ruddy Darters at Finedon. Of pedrhaps greater interest was a very old female Broad-bodied Chaser, showing some signs of male pruinescence. This is a very good late date for this species and a good indicator that dragonflies can still survive and live for a long time despite of the poor weather. In many respects, good weather is known to shorten the flying season - dragonlfies often die because their wings become too tatty and they can no longer fly.

Still no Migrant Hawkers recorded, which is late. Normally they appear towards the beginning of July.

Beautiful Demoiselles



Male

Female

I made my regular trip to the Tove at Towcester to see the Beautiful Demoiselles. At Northampton Road, the park was flooded and I couldn't get close enough to the River to see any. Moving on to Green's Norton was more successful with 20 adults, and equal numbers of males and females. A single White-legged Damelfly was also present.

Scarce Chasers at Wadenhoe

I managed the only 2 hours of warm sunshine this weekend and spent it at Wadenhoe watching the Scarce Chaser. There were about 40 males and 3 pairs mating. One male was surprisingly young, still showing orange colouration, He was quite obliging allowing me to get a good in-flight shot.

Darryl visited the Nene and Harper's Brook around Thorpe Waterville and Aldwincle and saw many more. The poor weather does not seem to have dented activity or numbers too much which is pleasing to see.

Elsewhere, Doug recorded the first Emerald Damselfies at Fermyn Woods Country Park and Ruddy Darter at Castle Ashby ponds.