April Sightings and News

Total species recorded during the 2007 season is 7

30.4.07
At lunchtime at Newchurch Common (66E SJ607690) there were three teneral male Downy Emerald and abundant Common Blue Damselfly and Large Red Damselfly. From Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) Pete Leicester reports that Blue-tailed Damselflyare now flying. The sighting of seven species before the end of April is unprecedented and the season appears to have moved forward by four weeks in the last twenty years!

28.4.07
A single Hairy Dragonfly was flying around Newbridge Pool (66P SJ653556) today, reports Peter Shaw.

27.4.07
Three Common Blue Damselfly were seen today by Pete Leicester at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751).

26.4.07
The first Azure Damselfly of 2007 was recorded along with plenty of Large Red Damselfly at Handforth (88R SJ872831) by Barry Shaw. At Newchurch Common (66E SJ607690) there were plenty of the latter species and a single female Common Blue Damselfly. Meanwhile Mike Gough reports three Blue-tailed Damselfly from a garden pond in Great Sutton (37T SJ378761) and Neil Friswell saw a male Hairy Dragonfly flying along a ditch near Aldford (45P SJ448582).

Female Common BlueDamselfly at Newchurch Common 26.4.07. Not the best picture but the only one before it flew off. Photo © David Kitching 2007

25.4.07
There were several Large Red Damselfly seen today on marlpits at Churton (45I SJ430565) .

21.4.07
Mat Bingham called at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) where he found one teneral Four-spotted Chaser and three exuviae.

19.4.07
At Shemmy Moss (56Z SJ595687) Bryan Roberts found teneral Large Red Damselfly flying. Meanwhile Pete Leicester saw a single Four-spotted Chaser flying over Butterfinch Bridge (67S SJ661753) in the Northwich Community Woodlands.

Female Large Red Damselfly at Shemmy Moss 19.4.07. Photo © Bryan Roberts 2007

Teneral male Four-spotted Chaser at Anderton Nature Park 17.4.07. Photo © David Kitching 2007

17.4.07
More Large Red Damselfly adults and exuviae reported today from Lindow Common (88F SJ833811) by Trisha Thompson and Barry Shaw, Handforth (88R SJ872831) by Barry Shaw and Little Budworth Common (56Y SJ584661) by Dave Walters. Two more were seen at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) along with a freshly emerged Four-spotted Chaser. This is by a long way the earliest ever Cheshire record for this species.

Teneral male Four-spotted Chaser at Anderton Nature Park 17.4.07. Photo © David Kitching 2007

16.4.07
I searched unsuccessfully on Friday for damselflies at Newchurch Common (66E SJ607690) but today there were plenty of teneral Large Red Damselfly in the sheltered places. Let the season begin!

Female Large Red Damselfly at Newchurch Common 16.4.07. Photo © David Kitching 2007

13.4.07
From the Weaver Parkway (66P SJ658690) it is reported that Dave Wright found a teneral Large Red Damselfly.

If you have made any Odonata observations in Cheshire and would like to share them with others or wish to take part in the recording scheme please email me. Good quality photographs of Cheshire Odonata for use on the news pages are also very welcome.

Back to Cheshire Dragonflies