Review of 2019 and 2020 - Dragonflies: Hawkers, Goldenrings and Darters

HAWKERS and EMPERORS (family AESHNIDAE)


 
Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta - Recorded at the meadows on 3rd August and 30th September 2019.  In between, recorded at a few other sites including my garden on 25th August.  Another in my garden on 21st August was, surprisingly, my only record in 2020.

Migrant Hawkers, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd August 2019

Southern Migrant Hawker Aeshna affinis - Having identified Britain's second ever record of this species (from a photo taken by someone else in Sussex and posted on Flickr) I thought it was high time I actually saw one myself, so took the opportunity to pop down to Thompson Common on 7th August 2020.  It was a little difficult to be sure about numbers as individuals did sometimes move between pools but I'm pretty sure there were 6 males, and one was in tandem with a female.

Southern Migrant Hawkers, Thompson Common, 7th August 2020

Norfolk Hawker Aeshna isoceles - 2 at Winteron on 19th August 2019 including one that appeared to be stuck in water when we found it.

Norfolk Hawker, Winterton, 19th August 2019

Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis - 1-2 recorded at the meadows on 29th July and 3rd August 2019 and on 3rd and 12th August 2020.  Also one at Foxley Wood on 11th July 2020 and 2 at Thompson Common on 7th August 2020.  One of the individuals at the meadows was at dusk, flying up and down the track right by where I was standing, but it was so dark I could barely see it let alone identify it.  I was carrying my net by my side (I was looking for moths) and couldn't believe it when the hawker flew straight into it without me even taking a swipe at it.

Brown Hawker, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 3rd August 2020

Southern Hawker Aeshna juncea - Just one at the meadows, on 29th July 2019.  Singles at Foxley Wood on 17th August 2019 and 10th July 2020; also one in the garden on 4th September 2020.


Emperor Anax imperator - A relatively good crop of records at the meadows in 2019 with 6 on 21st June and recorded up to 5th July.  In contrast just one in 2020, on 20th June.  Also recorded at Winterton on 19th August 2019 and Whitwell Street on 12th August 2020.  Lesser Emperor (and Vagrant Emperor) still elude me in Norfolk, not that I've put a great deal of effort into finding them.

Emperor Dragonfly, Winterton, 19th August 2019

-----------------------------------

GOLDENRINGS (family CORDULEGASTRIDAE)


Golden-ringed Dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii - This was the Odonata highlight of my trip to Mull, a species I've only seen once or twice before.

Golden-ringed Dragonfly, west of Tioran (Mull), 10th June 2019

-----------------------------------

CHASERS, SKIMMERS and DARTERS (family LIBELLULIDAE)


Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata - One on Mull and 3 at Winterton were my only records in 2019 but if that was bad I drew a complete blank in 2020.

Four-spotted Chaser, Winterton, 19th August 2019

Broad-bodied Chaser Libellula depressa - None.  I've yet to find this species at the meadows and didn't record any at all in 2019 or 2020.


Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum - One at the meadows on 21st June was welcome after I failed to find this species there in 2018.  However there was no repeat in 2020 and I didn't see the species anywhere else either.

Black-tailed Skimmer, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 21st June 2019

Ruddy Darter Sympetrum sanguineum - At least 30 at Winterton on 19th August 2019 and a similar number at Thompson Common on 7th August 2020.  After 3 at the meadows in 2018 it was a shame I couldn't find this species there in either 2019 or 2020.

Ruddy Darter, Winterton, 19th August 2019

Ruddy Darter, Thompson Common, 7th August 2020

Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum - Small numbers at the meadows between 29th July and 9th October 2019 and between 12th August and 11th September 2020.  Also recorded at Foxley Wood and Winterton in 2019, and in my garden on 29th August 2019 and 5th and 11th September 2020.

Common Darter, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows, 15th August 2019

That's it for the dragonflies - you can return to the Dragonfly index

Wissey and Welney

On Saturday 10th June I took a stroll along the river Wissey at Wissington.  There were lots of dragonflies in evidence including over 200 Common Blue Damselflies.  Among them were at least 12 Red-eyed Damselflies.

Red-eyed Damselflies, near Wissington, 10th June

There were quite a few Black-tailed Skimmers there too, but among them there were also at least 3 Scarce Chasers.  When I started getting interested in dragonflies in the mid 90s this species was restricted in Norfolk to one or two sites along the Waveney Valley but they've spread a lot since then.  Even so I wasn't expecting to see this species today.

Black-tailed Skimmer, near Wissington, 10th June

Scarce Chasers, near Wissington, 10th June

There were plenty of lovely Banded Demoiselles along the river too.

Banded Demoiselles, near Wissington, 10th June

I initially put this bee down as White-tailed Bumblebee but was surprised to see they are showing as quite range-restricted in Norfolk (maybe I've misidentified others - I thought they were common and widespread?).  Anyway, on closer inspection I think it is actually a Buff-tailed Bumblebee.  It was feeding on Russian Comfrey.

Buff-tailed Bumblebee, near Wissington, 10th June

I've recently been looking for various species of clearwing (moth) with the help of a set of pheromone lures, by far the easiest way to see most species in this elusive family.  Previously I'd only ever seen one clearwing, a Hornet Moth several years ago.  I'd had a couple of lures out this morning but put them away after deciding it was too windy.  A few minutes later I saw this drop down on to the grass - my first Red-tipped Clerarwing and without using a lure (the lures I'd had out earlier weren't for this species)!  Sadly I didn't manage to get a very good photo of it before it flew off.

Red-tipped Clearwing, near Wissington, 10th June

Not much else in the way of moths - just 2 Silver Ys.