July Sightings and News

Total species recorded during the 2007 season is 24

Female Black Darter at Newchurch Common 31.7.2007. Photo © David Kitching 2007

31.7.07
Today at Newchurch Common (66E SJ607690) several Migrant Hawker were on territory with the occasional Brown Hawker. The meadow areas held several female Black Darter. Bryan Roberts reports Emerald Damselfly at a pond close to the airport at Norcliffe Farm (88H SJ825841). Stu Burnet walked the Macclesfield Canal (97J SJ928794) and saw a female Southern Hawker. Moving onto the Middlewood Way (97J SJ930792) there were Common Darter and Azure Damselfly. He also visited the Adlington Golf Centre (98B SJ912821) where he recorded Migrant Hawker and Brown Hawker with Blue-tailed Damselfly and Common Blue Damselfly

Female Emerald Damselfly at Norcliffe Farm 31.7.2007. Photo © Bryan Roberts 2007

30.7.07
Back at Aldford (45E SJ408590) today Neil Friswell saw three male Black-tailed Skimmer on the river mudbanks. Also present were over 100 Banded Demoiselle and a few Migrant Hawker, Southern Hawker and Brown Hawker.

Female Emperor Dragonfly just taking flight at Stapeley 29.7.2007. Photo © Bob Bradshaw 2007

29.7.07
At Shakerley Mere (77F SJ733708) Paul Hill sighted the first Migrant Hawker of the year. There were three flying along with two Southern Hawker and a single Emperor Dragonfly. At Aldford (45E SJ415596) Neil Friswell also found Migrant Hawker with Southern Hawker, Common Darter and Banded Demoiselle. Bob Bradshaw as at Stapeley Water Gardens (65Q SJ666513) and saw plenty of Common Darter and an ovipositing Emperor Dragonfly. Pete Leicester also saw a Migrant Hawker at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751).

Female Migrant Hawker at Aldford 29.7.2007. Photo © Neil Friswell 2007

28.7.07
A sunny afternoon and a nice looking pond at Bent Lane (86G SJ830623) where I would have expected to see several species but sadly the weather has taken its toll and all that were present were a few Blue-tailed Damselfly.

27.7.07
Along the Wirral Way (37D SJ310772) a pair of Southern Hawker were seen feeding at Cuckoo Lane Bridge. Mat Bingham also saw a Southern Hawker along the Weaver at Barnton (67H SJ628751).

Male Common Darter at Stapeley 29.7.2007. Photo © Bob Bradshaw 2007

26.7.07
Whilst fishing at dawn Pete Leicester saw a male Brown Hawker flying at the fishing pool on Raddel Lane, High Whitley (68A SJ612804). This is a very early time for a hawker to be flying. Dave Skingsley reports a male Banded Demoiselle at Crewe Business Park (75C SJ718550).

24.7.07
Seen feeding alongside Whitecroft Heath Road (87F SJ820713) this afternoon was a male Southern Hawker and at Catchpenny Pool (87A SJ813715) there was a male Brown Hawker.

22.7.07
Andy Harmer found plenty of teneral Ruddy Darter at Plumley Reserve (77C J708750). There were also several Azure Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly present. At Mere Farm Quarry (87H SJ826747) a single Common Blue Damselfly was seen.

Ovipositing Emperor Dragonfly at Moore Nature Reserve 19.7.2007. Photo © Richard Buxton 2007

19.7.07
Richard Buxton took advantage of a rare sunny day to visit Moore Nature Reserve (58S SJ578858) where he found ovipositing Emperor Dragonfly and Brown Hawker. Up in the hills at the ponds near Oakenclough (96P SJ958696) a sunny morning brought disappointment as the only odonata seen flying were a single Four-spotted Chaser and plenty of Common Blue Damselfly.

Ovipositing Brown Hawker at Moore Nature Reserve 19.7.2007. Photo © Richard Buxton 2007

Male Ruddy Darter at Dairyhouse Meadow 16.7.2007. Photo © David Kitching 2007

16.7.07
Cometh the sun and with it the reappearance of the Odonata. Alan Redley and Pete Leicester saw a male Emperor Dragonfly and a Brown Hawker ovipositing on one of the fishing ponds at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651752). Pete saw further Brown Hawker along the Weaver nearby. On another pond nearby (SJ651751) I found Blue-tailed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly and plenty of Common Darter. At Dairyhouse Meadow (SJ663757) there were Emperor Dragonfly, Brown Hawker, Common Darter, Ruddy Darter and Common Blue Damselfly. A Southern Hawker was feeding alongside the road at Winnington Bridge (SJ641748).

At Newchurch Common (66E SJ607690) there was plenty of action. Species seen were Southern Hawker, Brown Hawker, Common Darter, Common Blue Damselfly , Red-eyed Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Azure Damselfly.

Teneral male Common Darter at Newchurch Common 16.7.2007. Photo © David Kitching 2007

1-7.7.06 Dorset interlude
A few observations from a trip to Dorset.

3.7.07
Although the weather was poor Pete Leicester made a foray across the paths at Ashton's and Neumann's Flashes (67S SJ665748) where the more sheltered spots revealed lots of teneral Common Darter and single Ruddy Darter and Black-tailed Skimmer.

Male Common Darter at Newchurch Common 16.7.2007. Photo © David Kitching 2007

1.7.07
Bob Bradshaw watched five Blue-tailed Damselfly trying to survive emergence in the rain at Stapeley Water Gardens (65Q SJ666513) today. Three survived, one blew off into the water and the other was taken by a Water Boatman. Trish Thompson ventured out to Lindow Common (88F SJ833811) and found Emperor Dragonfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Common Blue Damselfly flying. A pair of Emperor Dragonfly were also recorded at a pond at Wilkins Lane, Styal (88H SJ831843) where she also counted fifteen exuviae. Ken Cross reports plenty of Blue-tailed Damselfly seen ovipositing in a garden pond at Callands (58Z SJ599887) with a male Common Darter emerging.

Freshly emerged Blue-tailed Damselfly struggling in the rain at Stapeley Water Gardens 1.7.07. Photo © R Bradshaw 2007

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.

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