2020,a Year to Forget & Remember.

 This year coronavirus  has dominated all our lives.The result of the pandemic regarding odonata for me has been to restrict my boundaries solely to the Isle of Wight.Any opportunity to seek the more exotic species abroad were dashed and even trips to mainland Britain were abandoned.

The season began on the 12th April with Large Red Damselflies emerging in the garden and an immature male Broad-bodied Chaser flew in on the 23rd of the month.In the middle of May there were good numbers of Beautiful Demoiselle at Shalfleet Stream.May is also the time that I turn my attention to Bouldnor Forest at Yarmouth for hopefully the first signs of the Southern Emerald Damselflies,Lestes barbrus. It was on the 25th when an immature female was seen and that was followed by sightings of several individuals well into June.However I must say that numbers were very small and after the last record on the 20th of the month no more were seen until a lone mature female on the 20th August.

The highlight of the season occurred at the end of July when,also at Bouldnor,a male Southern Migrant Hawker,Aeshna affinis, was spotted patrolling one of the almost dried up ponds.The following day the 31st July,it was again present and stayed in this location until the 11th August.Five days earlier on the 6th I noted two males vying over this now dry pond.

Immature male Broad-bodied Chaser

Female Beautiful Demoiselle

 

Immature female Lestes barbarus

   

           

Southern Migrant Hawker Defends Pond Against Rival.

At Bouldnor Forest ponds today the male Southern Migrant Hawker was patrolling his rapidly diminishing pond in spite of the attentions of another male.It would seem that this site has a very suitable habitat for this species as other ponds on the site have dried up too,save two that have a low water level and are guarded by  male Emperor Dragonflies. 

At the Southern Emerald  scrapes only a female Lestes sponsa was recorded and it is hoped that soon Lestes barbarus will return to breed.

Southern Migrant Hawker Still at Yarmouth.

A return visit to Bouldnor Forest,Yarmouth today discovered the male Southern Migrant Hawker patrolling the diminishing woodland pond. With the weather starting to cloud over at times, our male hawker began to slow down and hovering was the name of the game as he no doubt investigated me as I stood observing his movements.This was an opportunity to attempt a few flight shots and I was frankly amazed that some photos did this lovely dragonfly justice.

Southern Migrant Hawker Drops In at Yarmouth.

Very surprised and delighted to observe this male Southern Migrant Hawker patrolling an almost dried up pond at Yarmouth this afternoon.It is the first sighting of this species for me and I wonder if it is a first for the Isle of Wight.

The Southern Migrant Hawker,also known as the Blue-eyed Hawker, has spread in the last few years from the continent to breed in south-east England,especially around the Thames estuary.This particular individual may have crossed the English Channel in the last few days due to the southerly winds.