Last Flights Table

First Flights Table

Display records page.

October 1^st 2019 - Short report on our new breeding species - Willow Emerald.

July 17^th 2019 - Reports on the Parsonage Moor and Packington Park Field Meetings.

June 30^th 2019 - Parsonage Moor and Dry Sandford Pit Field Meeting..
June 8^th 2019 - Packington Park Field meeting.

July 14^th 2019 - Keeled Skimmer at Bubbenhall Meadow and Red-veined Darters seen at Earlswood Lakes and all early and mid summer species flying.

Keeled Skimmer at Bubbenhall Meadow 13 July.
Red-veined Darters at Earlswood Lakes 4 July.
All early and mid-summer species now flying.
Some interesting observations by Darran Rickards..
Synchronised emergence of Four-spotted Chasers revisited. A beautiful hypothese destroyed by evidence.

May 29^th 2019 - Thirteen species now flying.

Hairy Dragonflies at Alvecote Wood.
Ten further species flying since 20^th May.
Synchronised emergence of Four-spotted Chasers. See P.S.

May 10^th 2019 - More early fliers.

First flying Large Red Damselflies
Broad Bodied Chaser at Newton Cutting.

May 10^th 2019 - More early fliers.

First flying Large Red Damselflies
Broad Bodied Chaser at Newton Cutting.

April 9^th 2019 - First adult of 2019. A Banded Demoiselle at Ladywalk N.R. 30^th March.

April 2019 - Report for 2018 published in the BDS Darter journal.

Table of Latest Dates Recorded in Warwickshire

Species	Date 2019	Latest before 2019	Site for 2019	Recorder 2019
Azure Damselfly.	5.8.2019	15.9.1969	Outspan, Leamington Hastings	Kay & Peter Reeve
Banded Demoiselle.	21.9.2019	3.11.1995	Avon, Barton	Mick Schilling
Beautiful Demoiselle.	12.8.2019	3.9.2012	Brandon Marsh	David Freeman
Black-tailed Skimmer.	19.10.2019	23.9.2016	Sun Rising Natural Burial Ground., - S11	David Orr
Blue-tailed Damselfly.	28.9.2019	12.10.1990	Avon, Barton	Mick Schilling
Broad-bodied Chaser.	22.7.2019	31.8.1992	Sutton Park	Richard Orton,Sutton Pk.Grp.
Brown Hawker.	29.9.2019	27.10.2014	Arrow, Wixford	Mick Schilling
Common Blue Damselfly.	23.9.2019	17.11.2011	Bubbenhall Meadow	Jim Timms
Common Darter.	29.10.2019	6.12.2009	Brandon Marsh	Jim Timms
Emerald Damselfly.	20.9.2019	2.10.2015	Bubbenhall Meadow	Jim Timms
Emperor Dragonfly.	27.8.2019	12.10.2012	Marsh Lane Nature Reserve, Hampton in Arden	Kay & Peter Reeve
Four-spotted Chaser.	29.7.2019	1.9.2009	Sutton Park	Richard Orton,Sutton Pk.Grp.
Four-spotted Chaser.	29.7.2019	1.9.2009	Frakton Ponds	Kay & Peter Reeve
Hairy Dragonfly.	3.6.2019	5.7.2016	Dost Hill, RSPB Middleton Lakes	Member RSPB team
Keeled Skimmer.	13.7.2019	3.8.2009	Bubbenhall Meadow	Ian Harris
Large Red Damselfly.	16.7.2019	31.8.1983	Outspan, Leamington Hastings	Kay & Peter Reeve
Migrant Hawker.	29.10.2019	20.11.2014	Brandon Marsh	Jim Timms
Red-eyed Damselfly.	17.9.2019	15.9.2012	Brandon Marsh	Jim Timms
Red-veined Darter.	5.7.2019	20.8.2001	Earlswood Lakes	Mick Schilling
Ruddy Darter.	28.9.2019	25.10.2011	Confidential location	Kay & Peter Reeve
Scarce Chaser.	15.7.2019	27.7.2016	Avon, Barton	Mick Schilling
Small Red-eyed Damselfly.	17.9.2019	30.9.2015	Brandon Marsh	Jim Timms
Southern Hawker.	28.9.2019	12.11.2015	Avon, Barton	Mick Schilling
Southern Hawker.	28.9.2019	12.11.2015	Brueton Park, Solihull, Malvern & Brueton Park LNR	Nick Wood
White-legged Damselfly.	13.9.2019	19.9.2015	Charlecote Park	Mick Schilling
Willow Emerald Damselfly.	28.9.2019	First County Record	Confidential location	Kay & Peter Reeve

If you have any later dates for 2019 or later times for previous years please let me have them.

Table of Earliest Dates Recorded in Warwickshire

Species	Date 2019	Earliest before 2019	Site for 2019	Recorder 2019
Azure Damselfly.	11.5.2019	28.4.2011	Marsh Lane Nature Reserve, Hampton in Arden	Jeff Rankin
Banded Demoiselle.	30.3.2019	4.4.2017	Ladywalk Nature Reserve	P Lichfield
Beautiful Demoiselle.	12.5.2019	30.4.2011	Morton Brook, Morton Bagot	R.E. Harbird
Black-tailed Skimmer.	18.5.2019	6.5.2011	Marsh Lane Nature Reserve, Hampton in Arden	Jeff Rankin
Blue-tailed Damselfly.	11.5.2019	22.4.2011	Avon, Welford-on-Avon	Mick Schilling
Broad-bodied Chaser.	1.5.2019	23.4.2011	Newton Cutting, Rugby, - S3	Steven Wright
Brown Hawker.	29.6.2019	8.6.2009	Sutton Park	Richard Orton,Sutton Pk.Grp.
Common Blue Damselfly.	15.5.2019	22.4.2017	Bubbenhall Meadow	Jim Timms
Common Darter.	28.6.2019	10.5.1982	Bubbenhall Wood	Jim Timms
Emerald Damselfly.	28.6.2019	21.5.2007	Bubbenhall Meadow	Jim Timms
Emperor Dragonfly.	24.5.2019	13.5.2011	Avon, Marcliff	Mick Schilling
Four-spotted Chaser.	15.5.2019	23.4.2011	Bubbenhall Meadow	Jim Timms
Hairy Dragonfly.	22.5.2019	26.4.2007	Wormleighton Reservoir.	Jon Bowley
Keeled Skimmer.	13.7.2019	1.7.2009	Bubbenhall Meadow	Ian Harris
Large Red Damselfly.	18.4.2019	11.4.2017	Bubbenhall Meadow	Kay & Peter Reeve
Migrant Hawker.	29.7.2019	18.6.1996	Sutton Park, Streetly Heath- S9	Richard Orton,Sutton Pk.Grp.
Red-eyed Damselfly.	11.5.2019	2.5.2011	Avon, Welford-on-Avon	Mick Schilling
Red-veined Darter.	4.7.2019	31.5.2017	Earlswood Lakes	John Oates
Ruddy Darter.	17.6.2019	10.6.2018	Wolston Fields	Kay & Peter Reeve
Scarce Chaser.	9.6.2019	29.5.2018	Avon, Barton	Mick Schilling
Small Red-eyed Damselfly.	6.7.2019	16.6.2017	Marsh Lane Nature Reserve, Hampton in Arden	Jeff Rankin
Southern Hawker.	1.6.2019	10.5.1982	Warwick, garden	M Buckley
White-legged Damselfly.	11.5.2019	14.5.2003	Avon, Welford-on-Avon	Mick Schilling
Willow Emerald Damselfly.	21.9.2019	First County Record	Confidential location	Kay & Peter Reeve

If you have any earlier dates for 2019 or previous years please let me have them.

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October 1^st 2019 - Short report on our new breeding species - Willow Emerald.

Click on image for next. Image 1 of 3 ; Willow Emerald 2019.

July 17^th 2019 - Reports on the Parsonage Moor and Packington Park Field Meetings.

Click on image for next. Image 1 of 2

On the hottest day of this year to date (32 °C) six of us set off from Dry Sandford Pit car park on the 600 yard walk to Parsonage Moor. We were not there long! After about an hour and a half all were back at the car park for shade and food. After lunch some set off to explore Dry Sandford Pit - a very nice nature reserve. The hot weather brought out the dragonflies and, except for Variable Damselfly, all the unusual species were seen. We just missed the Variable Damselfly which was seen the same day next door on Cothill Fen by a local recorder. The complete list of odonates found is: Small Red Damselfly Ceriagrion tenellum Southern Damselfly Coenagrion mercuriale Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum coerulescens Ruddy Darter (exuvia) Sympetrum sanguineum Common Darter (exuvia) Sympetrum striolatum The exuvia were identified by Jill Brook.

While we didn't have snow it was chilly and blew and rained at Packington. We arrived at 10.30am not expecting to see anyone but one hardy, or was it foolhardy, soul was in the car park. We walked along the bund at Park Meadow, saw nothing and went home.

Well almost nothing, Kay and Peter made a quick visit to Great Pool and recovered four very mangled damselfly exuvia – either Blue-tailed or Common Blue Damselflies, or a mixture, but beyond Peter's skill and patience to separate!

July 14^th 2019 - Keeled Skimmer at Bubbenhall Meadow and Red-veined Darters at Earlswood Lakes and all early and mid-summer species flying.

Well, more excitement. A little email from Ian Harris on 13th July with an attached image: I was at Bubbenhall earlier and found this, it just doesn't look right for Black-tailed Skimmer Can you help Quite right! It is not a Black-tailed but a Keeled Skimmer. This is the second vagrant of 2019, probably from somewhere more local than the Red-veined Darter. Think sites like Clee Hill,Shropshire or Parsonage Moor, Oxfordshire as a likely source. This is only the second confirmed sighting of the species in Warwickshire which makes it special. The first county record was made by Keith Warmington in 2009 at Baddesley, Nuneaton. Are there more vagrants yet to appear this summer? Yet more reason to get in the field and look for them!

Click on image for next. Image 1 of 4

John Oates sent this mail on 4th July: Thought I’d let you know that I saw at least 3 Red-veined Darters at Earlswood Lakes this afternoon. I saw 2 males, followed by a mating pair! They were along the Engine Pool dam. I’ve attached a few pics. The Red-veined Darter is our first vagrant of 2019 and a good one too. There are three of John Oates' pictures including one of a pair mating. The next day Mick Schilling visited Earlswood Lakes and saw three males. His picture of one individual is shown in image #4. This immigration is part of a country wide influx of the species that occurred at the time.

The first flights table tells the story. The last entry in the table is Small Red-eyed Damselfly seen by Jeff Rankin around the Dragonfly Pool at Marsh Lane NR. What is where can be found from the distribution maps for the species. These are links for the species accounts and the distribution maps Dragonflies and Damselflies. The only one of our breeding species still to be reported flying is the Migrant Hawker. It might well be flying now and if not it will be very soon. A report for the species is needed.

Click on image for next. Image 1 of 3

Shortly after the emergence commented on in Synchronised emergence of Four-spotted Chasers. a single Four-spot emerged on 1st June . This was then followed by a lengthening list of more emergences of Four-spots. In addition, a record for a Four-spotted Chaser in May 2017 has come to light. It was photographed and the image shown on the left. Date Immature adults Exuvia 20th May 2017. One mature adult. 26th May 2019 6 6 1st June. 1 1 5th June. 2 9th June. 4 4 16th June. 1 1 The data must be followed even though it destroys an elegant hypothesis. But our garden pond has compensated by producing many Southern Hawkers starting on 1st July and continuing. Are there more to come? We have collected 37 exuvia so far though though we have seen only a few newly emerged adults. When we look at 9am there are new exuvia but no emergents seen. We need to get up earlier. Images 2 and 3 show an emergent individual.

May 29^th 2019 - Thirteen species are now flying.

The count of Warwickshire flying dragonflies is now on the increase with thirteen species to date. More records will come in soon now that more people are out and about.

Click on image for next. Image 1 of 2

Keith Warmington photographed this male Hairy Dragonfly at Alvecote Wood on the 24th May. This was the first in the north of the county this year, although Jon Bowley's sightings were earlier. Jon saw 5 individuals at Wormleighton Reservoir on 22nd May. There must be more about at other sites - none have been reported at Napton Reservoir or Brandon Marsh although these are known sites for the species. There are other potential sites for the species in the county. Look for them at pools with well developed marginal reed beds, e.g. at Marsh Lane NR.

Ten further species flying since 20^th May.

See the Earliest Date table for the species. Two worthy of special mention are White-legged Damselfly and Emperor Dragonfly. Both were seen by Mick Schilling on the Avon, the first at Welford-on-Avon and the second at Marlcliff. The White-legged is our earliest ever record for the species and the Emperor - well, they are just big and dramatic! Look at the species distribution maps to see if they are in your area or better still get out and see what you find and report it.

Synchronised emergence of Four-spotted Chasers.

Click on image for next. Image 1 of 4

A very interesting synchronised emergence of Four-spotted Chasers was observed at our garden pond on 26th May. It was cloudy and breezy and reasonably warm,about 18 degC. The first image shows one of them. Six individuals emerged, probably in the late morning. They were first noticed when one was blown into the water off the sedge leaf it was emerging on. Its wings were fully formed and it tried to fly , unsuccessfully. It was helped out and put on a safe perch from which it flew later. None were seen before or after 26th. (But see Post Script.) Further searching located five more individuals, mostly close together in a patch of sedge (on the RHS side of the pond as viewed in the image at the hut end, see image 2). One individual was on the LHS of the pond nearer the camera. By evening four had flown - one was seen taking its maiden flight. The remaining two were still there at 9am the following day and flew during the morning - again, one was seen on its maiden flight. These are the only records of Four-spotted Chaser at the pond which was constructed in October 2016. The eggs or larvae could possibly have come in with introduced plants but it likely they were the result of a single batch laid by female in 2017 or 2018. Images two and three show the pond now and the site just before its construction in October 2016. Image four is a picture of an unusual visitor to the garden on the 25th May. An immature male Beautiful Demoiselle. The closest recorded breeding site is about five miles up the river Leam which itself is about a mile from the bottom of the garden. It may be that there is/are a breeding site(s) closer that are not yet discovered. Perhaps it is time to look for possible local sites. P.S. Pure synchroneity destroyed! A single Four-spotted Chaser emerged this morning, 1st June on the front LHS of the pond as viewed in the image .

May 10^th 2019 - More early fliers.

There now three species flying: Large Red Damselfly, Broad-bodied Chaser and Banded Demoiselle. The first two species are dealt with below. Another Banded Demoiselle was seen by Mick Schilling on the Avon at Welford on 30^th April.

Click on image for next. Image 1 of 3

During the warm spell in the middle of April Kay and Peter Reeve visited Bubbenhall Meadow on two occasions On the afternoon 18th April at least eight Large Red Damselflies were seen. Kay photographed the male and female shown. On the second visit two days later two more were seen. They were all newly emerged. A smattering of other records for Large Red Damselfly have come in. On the April 21st Sabina George spotted one at Leek Wooton and Richard Harbird one at Morton Bagot. Mick Schilling recorded them at Wixford on the Arrow on 30th April and 6th May. Kay and Peter are also pleased to say that several emerged from our garden in May. At Bubbenhall Meadow there are a variety water bodies, some large pools and some smaller ponds. The ponds are particular good for still water species. This in no small measure is due to their management by the WWT team, led by Geoff Litterick. They have been doing a splendid job. A photograph of Middle Pond shows what a good dragonfly pond is. It is kept open to the south, on the left of the picture. All scrub is cleared annually in that direction allowing the sunlight to reach the water. To the north and east there is good protection from winds - it is a sun trap. Hence the early records. There are two other similar ponds close by.

Broad Bodied Chaser at Newton Cutting, 1^st May,

The first county record of a dragonfly is for a Broad-bodied Chaser. It was seen at Newton Nature Reserve by Steven Wright on 1st May. It is a fairly early record, the equal forth earliest since 2000. The reserve is a Newton and Biggin LNR and considerable work has recently been undertaken by volunteers, with the help of funding from Aviva, to improve it for wildlife. The Aviva project webpage gives some information about the reserve, follow the link.

April 9^th 2019 - First adult of 2019. A Banded Demoiselle at Ladywalk N.R. 30^th March.

A very early sighting for Warwickshire of Banded Demoiselle on 30th March at Ladywalk NR by P. Lichfield. For a photo go to the Twitter feed on the Ladywalk NR website.
The Ladywalk site is surrounded by industrial plant that discharges warm water. It is noted for its early Banded Demoiselle records in Warwickshire - 5th May 2018 and 4th April 2017.
This is the earliest ever sighting of an adult in Warwickshire.

April 2019 - Report for 2018 published in the BDS Darter journal.

The BDS publishes the "Darter" every year. It is a communication journal for the county recorders. Below is article supplied to the journal for Warwickshire, VC 38. It is slightly different from the published copy - some editing was done.

Banner artwork by Joan Sharrett