Back for the Summer Season on the Isle of Wight.

The weather conditions were much improved on  yesterday's with long sunny spells and lighter winds.An early afternoon visit to Bouldnor Forest ponds was rewarded with a first of the year sighting of Lestes barbarus, the Southern Emerald Damselfly.At the larger of the two breeding scrapes,now almost dry, an immature male and female were seen.Both did not seem to be tenerals as they were flying around in the reeds of the scrape and not fluttering weakly to the cover of the marginal vegetation as I have observed last season.

First Black-tailed Skimmer on Show.

It is at this time that I would expect to see the first Southern Emerald Damselflies emerging from the Bouldnor site at Yarmouth.However no sightings were made today and as long as the colony is still there, the first damselflies must appear in the next few days.

As a consolation I recorded my first Black-tailed Skimmer of the year at the ponds.This female was the only one of this species on show.

White-legs Under Pressure.

On a holiday to the Greek Island of Meganisi last week there was time to spent an hour or so in Nydri on Lefkada.A visit to a favoured site for dragonflies was a disappointment as the area has succumbed to development with many lots fenced off and up for sale.The result was that only one male Scarce Chaser was recorded along with several White-legged Damselflies.

Numbers Rocket at Shalfleet Stream.

A week ago the first Beautiful Demoiselle appeared at Shalfleet and today in warm sunny weather the count had reached at least 30 on the short stretch of streambank that I walk.Of course many were immature but some displayed adult colouring. 

 

Broad-bodied Chasers Out in Force.

It was a lovely sunny spring day at Bouldnor ponds yesterday and the Broad-bodied Chasers dominated.At this collection of small ponds adult male Chasers were very active and their numbers were into double figures.Two ovipositing females were recorded along with a semi-mature male seen in the scrub.I also disturbed a teneral female Broad-bodied Chaser in the long grass at the edge of one pond which hastily made for the trees.

  

Beautiful Demoiselle on Show.

Despite several visits in the last week or so to Shalfleet Stream no Beautiful Demoiselles were sighted.However,today under mainly cloudy skies the first demoiselle of the season was seen in a particularly sheltered location away from a persistent wind. This immature male gave me a brief glimpse as he waited for passing prey.

Second Time Lucky..

A second Azure Damselfly made an exit from our small container pond today.This female fared better than the other Azure of a few days ago which was found floating in the same container.It will not be long before this species is out in numbers as it is one of our most common damselflies.