Saturday 12 May 2012

And they're off!

After a chores-y morning, I couldn't resist a half an hour's quality HESC time, so decamped to the reserve to check out the ponds for any emerging damsels or dragons.

The day was the warmest in a while, with a only a slight Northerly breeze, so I was delighted to discover a female Blue-tailed Damselfly, Ischnura elegans, in the small pond in the Centre garden.

Round by the pond dipping area, a few Large Red Damselflies, Pyrrhosoma nymphula, were emerging and several female Azure Damselflies, Coenagrion puella, were taking their maiden flights, all milky wings and ungainly landings. Whilst watching a Red and an Azure that were perched quite close together, my eyes were drawn to a much larger shape a bit further away. Another female, but this time a Hairy Dragonfly.

Brachytron pratense
At last, the Odonata flight season seems to be underway.

5 comments:

  1. will today's weather set them back again? or doesn't it quite work like that once there's been anough of a warming up?
    (...and weren't we just SOOO lucky yesterday for the bird survey?)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes and no. Those that are 'locked in' to the metamorphosis stage will have to emerge and take their chances. They can roost in vegetation and sit it out if the rain doesn't last for several days. Those that haven't committed yet will hang fire a bit longer. FoHESC and lucky with weather? Amazing, eh?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very nice picture of the Hobby bait

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hey, have a care, it's got hair. I thought you liked furry creatures?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So has Wayne Rooney(now)but it hardly makes it a thing of beauty. As George Orwell said four legs good, six legs weird.

      PS OK they can look pretty awesome

      Delete