Anceps.

Although the Scarce Chaser tends to dominate the streams and ditches around the town of Nydri on the Ionian Island of Lefkada,there is another dragonfly that shares this habitat.In the southern Balkans the Keeled Skimmer subspecies anceps is dominate, where the adult male may be all-pruinose.Unlike the Keeled Skimmers of northern Europe anceps frequent streams and ditches whereas its northern cousin prefers boggy acidic runnels.
A great surprise to me was also the sighting of a male Southern Skimmer Orthetrum brunneum, a species very similar to the Keeled Skimmer but differing in several features. 

A male Southern Skimmer

Immature male

Immature female

Beach Blues.

Although the dazzling  colour of the male Scarlet Darters was obvious along the stream that flowed,at least during the winter months, across the beach into the bay  at Chrysi Ammoudia on the Greek Island of Thassos,there are also other dragonflies to see here.Not least,the powder blue of the mature male Keeled Skimmers which, in this part of Southern Europe are the subspecies anceps. These skimmers tend to restrict themselves to the dense reeds just a short distance upstream away from the beach.They are a common sight here  and are seen in any small area of cleared reeds and  small pools.

On the other hand a very similar skimmer,the Southern Skimmer Orthetrum brunneum,is a species of more open ground.It is another common dragonfly in Southern Europe although until last week I had never seen one in the field. In the  summer months where this stream opens onto the beach a  large pool is formed,pictured below, and it was on the sandy bank of the pool that a male Southern Skimmer was spotted patrolling the waters edge.

It's Always Worth Taking a Closer Look.

The Southern Skimmer,Orthetrum brunneum can be quite common in Southern Europe although here in the UK it is unrecorded.Breeding has taken place in the Channel Islands and the species is gradually spreading northwards through France.

This Skimmer is very similar to the Keeled Skimmer and in Greece where I regularly holiday it can be tricky to separate it from the anceps subspecies of the Keeled.However there are several minor differences which are not obvious in the field.Careful study of any photographs seems to be the best method,especially to a non-expert like me.So a close look at two photos from last August taken on the Greek Island of Thassos identified this as a probable immature male Keeled Skimmer.
It looked a good candidate for a first Southern Skimmer for me.However, although this individual has several double cells in the right place on the outer wings for a Southern Skimmer,so too can the Keeled,usually in fewer numbers.Other features are necessary to confirm which species it is such as abdomen shape and the markings on the thorax.Therefore unless it 'ticks all the boxes' identification is not always certain.  

  

Orthetrum brunneum or Orthetrum coerulescens?

Or to laymen like me a Southern Skimmer or Keeled Skimmer.Both very similar,especially in the Mediterranean regions where the male Keeled Skimmer is all blue in colour as is the male Southern.

However there are several differences which can separate the species on close inspection.

The following photos were taken on a recent trip to Lefkada,Greece and show male and female Keeled Skimmers sp. anceps.