July Sightings and News

Total species recorded during the 2011 season is 23

Common Club-tail (Gomphus vulgatissimus)
Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense)
Common Hawker (Aeshna juncea)

Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea)
Brown Hawker (Aeshna grandis)

Emperor Dragonfly (Anax imperator)
Four-spotted Chaser (Libellula quadrimaculata)
Broad-bodied Chaser (Libellula depressa)
Downy Emerald (Cordulia aenea)
Black-tailed Skimmer (Orthetrum cancellatum)
Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum)
Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum)
Black Darter (Sympetrum danae)

Beautiful Demoiselle (Calopteryx virgo)
Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens)
Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula)

Emerald Damselfly (Lestes sponsa)
White-legged Damselfly (Platycnemis pennipes)
Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma najas)
Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)
Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella)
Variable Damselfly (Coenagrion pulchellum)

28.7.11
Mat Bingham spotted a couple of Brown Hawker at Vale Royal Locks (67K SJ640703) today.


Female Brown Hawker ovipositing at Chester 26.7.11. Photo © Don Pawlett 2011

27.7.11
Whilst walking around Danes Moss (97A SJ907706) I spotted two Common Hawker including one that appeared to be sitting on exactly the same tree as the one that Bryan Roberts photographed on July 23rd!


Male Common Darter at Chester 26.7.11. Photo © Don Pawlett 2011

26.7.11
Chester Business Park (46B SJ400633) was visited by Don Pawlett today and he found Emperor Dragonfly, Brown Hawker and a single male Ruddy Darter. Across the road adjacent to the Park & Ride (36W SJ388629) there were more Emperor Dragonfly, Brown Hawker, and also a male Common Darter. Meanwhile at Risley Moss (69Q SJ666918) Mat Bingham saw Black Darter and Emerald Damselfly.


Female Southern Hawker ovipositing at Warrington 25.7.11. Photo © Ken Cross 2011

25.7.11
Ken Cross reports a Southern Hawker ovipositing in seed trays near his garden pond at Callands (58Z SJ599887) in Warrington.


Male Emperor Dragonfly at Church Minshull 24.7.11. Photo © David Kitching 2011

24.7.11
A walk around the marlpits at Paradise Farm, Church Minshull (66K SJ645615) yielded several Emperor Dragonfly and Ruddy Darter, with a few Common Darter, and Emerald Damselfly. At Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) Mat Bingham saw Brown Hawker and Common Darter.


Male Ruddy Darter at Church Minshull 24.7.11. Photo © David Kitching 2011


Tandem Ruddy Darters at Church Minshull 24.7.11. Photo © Richard Gabb 2011

23.7.11
There have been significant improvements made over the last winter by the Wildlife Trust at Danes Moss (97A SJ907706). Bryan Roberts was pleasantly surprised to find this, and also to see several Black Darter and a male Common Hawker.


Male Common Hawker at Danes Moss 23.7.11. Photo © Bryan Roberts 2011

21.7.11
Phil Corley had a trip around a number of sites in north Cheshire and found plenty of action. At Moore (58S SJ578858) he saw Brown Hawker and Black-tailed Skimmer. The same species were at Rixton Claypits (69V SJ685907) along with Four-spotted Chaser, Broad-bodied Chaser, Brown Hawker, Common Darter, Emerald Damselfly. Moving on to Risley Moss (69Q SJ666918) where there were Black Darter and Southern Hawker

15.7.11
Don Pawlett visited the fishing lake at Walk Mill (46W SJ485638) and found Brown Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Common Darter, Azure Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly. The adjent River Gowy had plenty of Banded Demoiselle flying.


Black-tailed Skimmer at Tatton Park 12.7.11. Photo © Chris Storey 2011

12.7.11
At Tatton Park today Chris Storey found large numbers of insects flying. On Melchet Mere (78K SJ748810) there were Brown Hawker, Four-spotted Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Emperor Dragonfly, Emerald Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, and Blue-tailed Damselfly. On Tatton Mere (77P SJ755795) additional species were Red-eyed Damselfly and Banded Demoiselle. The ponds across Tatton Park (78L SJ754820) also yielded a male Broad-bodied Chaser and more Black-tailed Skimmer and Emerald Damselfly.

11.7.11
A Brown Hawker was feeding along the Macclesfield Canal at Bosley (96D SJ904661) this afternoon.


Female Brown Hawker with deformed wing at Tatton Park 12.7.11. Photo © Chris Storey 2011

3.7.11
Another report from Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) comes from Mat Bingham who saw teneral Common Darter and a Brown Hawker along with a few Four-spotted Chaser.

1.7.11
Pete Leicester was at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651753) today and saw Emperor Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Common Blue Damselfly, and Blue-tailed Damselfly. Meanwhile John Rayner spotted a male Banded Demoiselle at Ox Hey (98I SJ932862) near Hazel Grove.

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.

April 2011 Sightings and News Received
May 2011 Sightings and News Received
June 2011 Sightings and News Received
July 2011 Sightings and News Received
August 2011 Sightings and News Received
September 2011 Sightings and News Received
October/November 2011 Sightings and News Received

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© David Kitching 2011

Last updated 2.8.2011