Hairy Dragonflies hit a new Yorkshire high

It wasn't so long ago that seeing a Hairy Dragonfly in Yorkshire involved going to a specific site and hoping that your luck was in and you would see one. It was probably close to extinction in Yorkshire, with those that did occur being so site specific, and inconspicious, that it was almost impossible to see one. Recently, thanks to the efforts of Paul Ashton at Broomfleet Washlands, East Yorkshire, it became known the species had a toehold in East Yorkshire, and in the last two years I've been fortunate to discover the species in number along Leven Canal with counts of 60+ in both 2010 and 2011.

Despite the lacklustre start to the 2012 Odonata season, and following Saturday's Yorkshire record count of Azure Damselfly at nearby Tophill Low NR, I decided to walk and count Leven Canal for Hairy Dragonflies. Expecting good numbers in the sunny weather, I admit was surprised to not only set a new county record total for the species, but to break three figures, as the final total amounted to a minimum of 193 individual Hairy Dragonflies!!! Yes... 193 Hairy Dragonflies! A count almost three times as high as the previous site, and Yorkshire, record!!! Please bear in mind that only around six or seven years ago seeing one was a major record!

It wasn't only Hairy Dragonflies that were apparent in good number. Sometimes you just hit the right day for a good numbers, and a total of 219 Four-spotted Chasers will probably be up there among the higher counts of the species at a single site in the county. The majority appeared to be fresh individuals. though some appeared worn, and despite the weather, have probably been out for a prolonged period.

There were also plenty of Red-eyed Damselflies along the length of the canal, with a count of 679. The majority of these were adults on lilypads, though there was a good number of tenerals coming off, including this one below.

Red-eyed Damselfly was once considered the signature species of Leven Canal... I think all that changed as this has now become the site to see Hairy Dragonfly in Yorkshire... if you can find them!

Despite 2012 being the earliest ever start to an Odonata season in Yorkshire... my guess is this weekend the 2012 season really kicked off.

The day of the Azure

Possibly the first sunny day I've had out in England since March provided a fantastic day of Odonata at Tophill Low NR, East Yorkshire, certainly the best day number wise ever with over 5,600 individual damselflies and dragonflies noted by Doug Fairweather and myself.

A new VC61 site record, and possibly a Yorkshire site record, was set for Azure Damselflies with 5,250 individuals noted. This total being more than double the previous VC61 record of 2,319 on May 21st last year. The period 20th May-31st May appears to be the time for the highest numbers, the record prior to 2011 being of 1,280 individuals logged at Tophill Low on May 23rd 2009.

Good numbers of other species on the wing included 54 Four-spotted Chaser (above), spread across the site, 8 Red-eyed Damselflies, 134 Large Red Damseflies, 135 Common Blue Damselflies and 95 Blue-tailed Damselflies (below)

Morel boosting

May has been a rather awkward month for finding things. Partly due to the weather and partly due to the fact I was busy doing other things.

However, May did spring a surprise when Doug Fairweather discovered this Thimble Morel at Tophill Low NR, East Yorkshire at the start of the month. Much time has been spent looking for this species over the years, it has perhaps only been recorded on less than five occasions in the site's history.

After the first records last year, Adela reaumurella has been seen throughout May. This one of the 20 or so individuals found across Tophill Low last weekend.

The weather has held the Odonata season back compared to past years. A few mature Large Red Damselflies were seen last weekend, though little wanted to fly in the cold.

Now with better weather, no doubt more to see which will mean I can blog a little more!

Battling the weather

Despite the earliest start ever to an Odonata season in Yorkshire, the weather seems to have held things up slightly, with nothing more than 30 Large Red Damselflies on Saturday at Tophill Low NR, East Yorkshire.

Everything found was either a teneral or emerging, with no sign of any mature individuals. 

The poor weather is also keeping the moth numbers down. Very little in the traps over the weekend, with only a couple of Muslin Moths new for the year.

For the latest Tophill Low NR bird news, click here

Odonata Atlas of the Algarve

Now online for viewing, the Odonata Atlas of the Algarve.

A huge task, put together by Nuno Dos Santos Loureiro, who was kind enough to ask for my input of records. He is working hard trying to piece together everything.... a huge task given the area, species diversity and length of the flight season.

The link I've attached sends you to Demoiselles, and the rest of the species can be found by clicking on the menu bar.

http://nsloureiro.pt/dragonflies/atlas-das-odonata-no-algarve/calopterygidae/

A Red-viened Darter... something you can't miss during the Algarve Odonata season.

Odonata 2012.... the Yorkshire flight season begins

Hardly the weather for Odonata to be emerging, but looking pays dividends. A search around the ponds today at Tophill Low NR, East Yorkshire yielded 3 Large Red Damselfly exuvae. Having searched the same area yesterday and found nothing, it came as a surprise to find a wing, then an exuvia directly underneath it. Unfortunately, this one met its demise soon after emerging, but two more found in close proximity obviously had made their maiden flights. However, during a search of the area, I failed to find any tenerals, but given the strength of the wind, they could have been blown anywhere!

The exuvae finds constitute the earliest ever evidence of the species of species taking to the wing, a day earlier than 2011, when the species was found emerging in the same place.

While searching for Large Red Damselflies, this Four-spotted Chaser larva was encountered.

So 2012 starts with a surprising new record. How many other people's eyes will be opened to the possibilities of setting new records for Odonata in the cold?

The start of an invasion?

One record of a scarce visitor is more than enough to keep most of the Tophill Low NR listers in East Yorkshire happy... provided they see it!

Avocets are pretty scarce, I think maybe only two records in last the decade, so having already had one in 2012, the arrival of another two yesterday was a bit of a shock. Having managed to expand to various sites locally, is the vicious wetland bully trying to get a toehold here and try and take over the site? For now, it remains an unusual occurence, but time will tell whether it becomes a regular...  and just how many might take over the southern end of the site, scaring off any much-needed for the list species sought by regulars!!!

Avocets at distance on a grey day... even the Mallard looks concerned by the potential of a quiet life being transformed by these ASBO seeking bullies.

Other than the Avocets, it was a quite day's birding with the weather horrible at times. A small passage of Hirundines the only suggestion of it being mid-April.

The cold weather affected the moth trapping with very little trapped overnight despite four lights being set. Two Water Carpet the only moths of note.