DRAGON & DAMSELFLY DIARY
This year's sightings from S. Gloucestershire
2023
April
Wednesday 19th
The first damselfly of the year was Large Red Damselfly emerging from a pond in a private garden in Longwell Green.
Large Red Damselfly | Donna Harvey
May
Tuesday 2nd
Several Broad-bodied Chasers emerged from a small pond at Willsbridge Mill today.
Broad-bodied Chaser | Donna Harvey
Sunday 7th
This years first Beautiful Demoiselle was spotted along Siston Brook at Willsbridge and in the Oldbury Power Station environs Large Red, Azure, Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselfly were all noted.
Beautiful Demoiselle | Donna Harvey
Azure, Blue-tailed and Common Blue Damselfly | Heather England
Monday 15th
Red-eyed damselfly, the first of the year, was noted in a private garden at Wickwar today.
Saturday 20th
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly, the first of the year, were once again noted at a withheld site near Winterbourne.
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly | Vic Savery
Monday 22nd
Broad-bodied Chaser and this years first Four-spotted Chaser emerged at Oldbury Power Station today.
Four-spotted Chaser | Heather England
Tuesday 23rd
Lots of dragons on the wing this afternoon at Western Distribution Park, Severn Beach. Including Emperors, Four-spotted Chasers, one or two Hairy Dragonfly and many Black-tailed Skimmers.
Friday 26th
The first Banded Demoiselle of the year was seen on Oldbury Pill and nearby at Oldbury Power Station; Emperor, Broad-bodied Chaser, Four-spotted Chaser and Hairy Dragonfly.
Banded Demoiselle | Heather England
Sunday 28th
A female Scarce Chaser was spotted along the R. Avon adjacent to Cleeve Wood, Hanham.
Scarce Chaser | Donna Harvey
June
Wednesday 7th
The first Common Darters of the year were logged at Oldbury Power Station today as well as the first Ruddy Darter; that was at Wickwar.
Common Darter | Heather England
Ruddy Darter | Paul Sadley
Friday 16th
An excellent days 'dragging' down on the coast! Two male Red-veined Darters on the old Orchard Pools plus Lesser Emperor.
Red-veined Darter | Vic Savery
Saturday 17th
Orchard Pools, Severn Beach; Female Red-veined Darter from this morning (four males and a female) along with Black-tailed Skimmer, Broad-bodied Chaser, Emperor & lots of damselflies.
Red-veined Darter | Lee Gardiner
Monday 19th
Orchard Pools, Severn Beach; At least three male Red-veined Darters at the corner pool, plenty of Small Red-eyed Damselfly (the first of the year) at Western Approach Pool plus at least one Hairy Dragonfly.
Tuesday 20th
Orchard Pools, Severn Beach; Male Lesser Emperor, Red-veined Darter, Common Darter and immature Black-tailed Skimmer.
Lesser Emperor | Vic Savery
Wednesday 21st
Several Emerald Damselfly, this year's first, were on the wing at Wickwar.
Emerald Damselfly | Paul Sadley
Monday 26th
Fantastic news on the Odonata front! S. Gloucestershire's first ever record of Willow Emerald Damselfly was logged at Orchard Pools, Severn Beach around 19:00 today!
Willow Emerald Damselfly | Vic Savery
Tuesday 27th
Kingsgate Park, Yate: 20+ Small Red-eyed damselfly, 1+ Red-eyed Damselfly, seven Emperor, two Four-spotted Chaser, 6+ Black-tailed Skimmer and lots of Common Blue Damselfly.
Thursday 29th
Orchard Pools, Severn Beach: Dragonflies; Southern Hawker, Emperor, probable Lesser Emperor, Broad-bodied and Four-spotted Chaser, Black-tailed Skimmer, Red-veined, Ruddy and Common Darter. Damselflies; White-legged, Azure, Common Blue, Small Red-eyed and Blue-tailed.
July
Saturday 1st
Kingsgate Park, Yate: Emperor, Black-tailed Skimmer, Common Darter and Small Red-eyed Damselfly. Mangotsfield: Southern Hawker.
Small Red-eyed Damselfly | Chris Teague
Thursday 13th
A single male Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly at a private site in Winterbourne this evening.
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly | Vic Savery
Friday 21st
This year's first Brown Hawker was found on Chipping Sodbury Common today.
Sunday 23rd
Lesser Emperor at Orchard Pools, Severn Beach late afternoon (at least one possibly two males seen) plus Ruddy Darter at Western Distribution Pools.
Lesser Emperor | Vic Savery
August
Tuesday 1st
Migrant Hawker and Lesser Emperor at Orchard Pools, Severn Beach still today.
Lesser Emperor | Allan Chard
Friday 4th
Black-tailed Skimmer and Lesser Emperor still present at Orchard Pools, Severn Beach this evening.
Wednesday 9th
An immature Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly at an undisclosed site at Winterbourne today.
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly | Vic Savery
Friday 11th
At least one male and two females were recorded for the first time on a small pond near Lagoon II at Oldbury Power Station on August 11th. This is the first sighting of this species in S. Glos since they were first discovered in 2014! Also from OPS today; Southern Hawker, Emperor, Broad-bodied Chaser, Common and Ruddy Darter.
Southern Migrant Hawker | Heather England
Sunday 13th
Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly still present at an undisclosed site in Winterbourne today.
Tuesday 15th
Two males and a female Southern Migrant Hawker still present on a small pond near Lagoon II, Oldbury Power Station today.
Wednesday 16th
A juvenile Red-veined Darter was present at Orchard Pools, Severn Beach today. Nearby, Ruddy Darter and Emperor at Western Distribution. At Oldbury Power Station: Ruddy Darter and Southern Hawker.
Juvenile Red-veined Darter | Vic Savery
Thursday 17th
A female Southern Hawker was seen in a private garden in Longwell Green today. In Kingsgate Park, Yate; Three Brown Hawker, Migrant Hawker, five Ruddy Darter and a Small Red-eyed Damselfly.
Sunday 20th
Male Southern Migrant Hawker was seen briefly by the Dragonfly Pond at Oldbury Power Station today, but no further sign for the rest of the afternoon. Other species were Common Darter, male and female Emperor and Migrant Hawker.
Tuesday 22nd
Male Southern Migrant Hawker showing very well at Pond at Oldbury Power Station but no sign of the female. Perching readily in left hand side reeds. Also female Emperor, Southern Hawker, Migrant Hawker and Common Darter.
Wednesday 23rd
Up to four Lesser Emperor and good numbers of Migrant Hawker around Orchard Pools and Western Distribution, Severn Beach. At Oldbury Power Station a female Southern Migrant Hawker was still on show along with four Migrant Hawker, two Southern Hawker, Common Darter and lots of Small Red-eyed Damselfly on the lake by the road.
Migrant Hawker | Vic Savery
Thursday 24th
A brief look at pond at Oldbury Power Station revealed a Southern Migrant Hawker still present patrolling at the back of pond. Also two Southern Hawker, Common Darter and Migrant Hawker.
September
NOTED ON THE WING THIS MONTH: Migrant Hawker, Brown Hawker, Common Darter, Ruddy Darter, Small Red-eyed Damselfly.
Saturday 2nd
Red-veined Darter continued at Orchard Pools, Severn Beach and a Willow Emerald Damselfly was found in Kingsgate Park, Yate just the second ever record for South Gloucestershire!
Red-veined Darter | Vic Savery
Willow Emerald | Mark Coller
October
NOTED ON THE WING THIS MONTH: Migrant Hawker and Common Darter.
November
NOTED ON THE WING THIS MONTH: Migrant Hawker and five Common Darter on Willsbridge Millpond on the 20th.