Sightings and News for June 2001

Total species recorded during the 2001 season is 19

Club-tailed Dragonfly (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)

Banded Demoiselle (Calopteryx splendens)
Large Red Damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula)
Emerald Damselfly (Lestes sponsa)
Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma najas)
Common Blue Damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum)
Blue-tailed Damselfly (Ischnura elegans)
Azure Damselfly (Coenagrion puella)
Variable Damselfly (Coenagrion pulchellum)

29.6.01
At Nunsmere (56Z SJ590687) Richard Hargreaves saw plenty of Common Darter and Azure Damselfly to be seen. Nearby at Abbotts Moss (56Z SJ595686) 3 or 4 Emperor Dragonfly were flying along with Four-spotted Chaser.

Rob McHale visited Fearnhead (69F SJ643910) again and saw a male Common Hawker and a Broad-bodied Chaser. On the Basford/Gresty Brook (75G SJ723526) he recorded 5 male and a single female Banded Demoiselle.

26.6.01
Yet another Black-tailed Skimmer record, this time from Paul Hill who was at Neumann's Flash (67S SJ664753). He also recorded the first Common Hawker of the year at Little Budworth Common (56X SJ583661).

Rob McHale found a male Broad-bodied Chaser at Fearnhead (69F SJ643910).

Allan Brandon has sent details of a number of visits to sites in Chester District. Most notable were the records from a pond at Carden Park (45M SJ456542) where he found adults and exuviae of five dragonfly species:- Brown Hawker, Emperor Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer and Common Darter. Damselflies present were Large Red Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, and Azure Damselfly whilst a nearby stream yielded plenty of Banded Demoiselle.

24.6.01
David James photographed two dragonflies at Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) today. One was Broad-bodied Chaser and the other turned out to be a male Black-tailed Skimmer. This is the first confirmed record for this species at the site. Also present were Red-eyed Damselfly, Emperor Dragonfly and lots of emergent Common Darter.

At Moore Nature Reserve (58S SJ578858) Andy and Alison Dutton along with Mike Mulholland recorded both Black-tailed Skimmer and Broad-bodied Chaser

23.6.01
From Lindow Common (88F SJ834812) Paul Hughes reports a male Emperor Dragonfly entertaining watchers at the lake for several hours

20.6.01
Mike O'Kell called at Caldy Nature Park (46H SJ424649) where a male Broad-bodied Chaser was flying. This species has been recorded here for several years.

Richard Hargreaves reports Hairy Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Red-eyed Damselfly and Azure Damselfly from Billinge Green Flash (67V SJ682713)

18.6.01
Allan Brandon also visited several sites including Gull Pool (66E SJ602687) where he saw a couple of Downy Emerald. There was also two adults including an ovipositing female at Shemmy Moss (56Z SJ595688).

17.6.01
Emma Broad saw the first Brown Hawker of the year on the Whitegate Way adjacent to Gull Pool (66E SJ602687). Sadly there are still no sightings of White-faced Darter to report.

At Hatchmere (57L SJ553721) Variable Damselfly was flying along with Blue-tailed Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly and Four-spotted Chaser.

14.6.01
The ponds at Dairyhouse Meadows (67S SJ663757) continue to yield good numbers of insects. Paul Hill visited today and saw Emperor Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Broad-bodied Chaser, Large Red Damselfly, Red-eyed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly and Azure Damselfly.

13.6.01
I visited Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) in the morning and found several Common Darter emerging. The local Grey Wagtail was benefitting well from this species judging by the pile of wings by his perch. I saw the bird take one insect as it took its first flight. There were also surprisingly large numbers of Banded Demoiselle present along with plenty of Red-eyed Damselfly.

6.6.01
At Anderton Nature Park (67M SJ651751) Bryan Roberts had a good day recording on the saline pond near the river Weaver. His haul was 8 species:- Emperor Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Banded Demoiselle, Large Red Damselfly, Red-eyed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Azure Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly.

At Blakemere Moss (57K SJ554711) David Kitching saw good numbers of ovipositing Large Red Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Azure Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly. The shoreline of the flooded area had several Four-spotted Chaser on territory.

The first Southern Hawker of the year was emerging at Fearnhead (69F SJ643910) where it was seen by Rob McHale.

5.5.01
Rob McHale reports 20 exuviae and a teneral adult Four-spotted Chaser from a pond at Fearnhead (69F SJ643910). Also present were Azure Damselfly and Blue-tailed Damselfly.

4.6.01
Banded Demoiselle was on the wing on the Crow Brook in Nether Peover (77B SJ715732) today reports Rob McHale.



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.

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© David Kitching 2001

Last updated 4.7.2001