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Dragonfly Diaries

  • pmh0606617
  • May 17
  • 3 min read

Updated: Jul 8

This year I have decided to set myself the target of trying to photograph all the species of Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies) recorded in Cheshire during 2025. This blog will be updated at periodic intervals with progress.


Downy Emerald


The table below lists the regularly recorded Odonata species in Cheshire; as I see each species they will be coloured red; images will appear with the relevant text below.


UPDATE

21 May - 15 species seen; 14 photographed

28 June - 21 species seen; 21 photographed


British name

Scientific name

Willow Emerald Damselfly

Chalcolestes viridis

Emerald Damselfly

Lestes sponsa

Banded Demoiselle

Calopteryx splendens

Beautiful Demoiselle

Calopteryx virgo

White-legged Damselfly

Platycnemis pennipes

Azure Damselfly

Coenagrion puella

Variable Damselfly

Coenagrion pulchellum

Common Blue Damselfly

Enallagma cyathigerum

Red-eyed Damselfly

Erythromma najas

Small Red-eyed Damselfly

Erythromma viridulum

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Ischnura elegans

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly

Ischnura pumilio

Large Red Damselfly

Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Southern Hawker

Aeshna cyanea

Brown Hawker

Aeshna grandis

Common Hawker

Aeshna juncea

Migrant Hawker

Aeshna mixta

Emperor Dragonfly

Anax imperator

Hairy Dragonfly

Brachytron pratense

Common Clubtail

Gomphus vulgatissimus

Downy Emerald

Cordulia aenea

White-faced Darter

Leucorrhinia dubia

Broad-bodied Chaser

Libellula depressa

Four-spotted Chaser

Libellula quadrimaculata

Black-tailed Skimmer

Orthetrum cancellatum

Black Darter

Sympetrum danae

Ruddy Darter

Sympetrum sanguineum

Common Darter

Sympetrum striolatum

May

My dragonfly year didn't really start until May - most of April was spent overseas, a limiting factor that would keep occurring during the year as I spend time as a Guest Lecturer with Fred Olsen Cruises.


Early spring species have been the target for May with regular visits to the River Dee looking for Common Club-tail; I made four visits in the first half of May without success (on 13; 14; 16 and 18 May), visiting Churton, Stocklach, Farndon and Alford. The visits though did produce Banded Demoiselle and Beautiful Demoiselle, plus my first Emperor of the year. Anderton Nature Park and the Dragonfly Pond, were also regular fixtures during the month and produced many of the commoner species, including Hairy Dragonfly. Visits to Delamere Forest on (on 13 and 16 May) allowed me to photograph White-faced Darter, once extinct in Cheshire, but now the subject of a successful reintroduction scheme. Another species with a restricted range in Cheshire is the Downy Emerald, which occurs in areas around the Whitegate Way and Delamere Forest. A visit to Hogshead Wood on 18 May, produced large numbers of Downy Emerald and also my first Black-tailed Skimmer of the year.


On 21 May I joined Lee Wilkinson at Shocklach church for another attempt at Common Club-tail. At last success with a male and female found hawking and resting up on hedgerows along the footpaths. Several Broad-bodied Chaser were also present and a fleeting Black-tailed Skimmer.



Common Club-tail


Hairy Dragonfly


Four-spotted Chaser


Broad-bodied Chaser


Black-tailed Skimmer


Downy Emerald


White-faced Darter


Blue-tailed Damselfly


Common Blue Damselfly


Azure Damselfly

Large Red Damselfly


Red-eyed Damselfly


Banded Demoiselle


Beautiful Demoiselle


Top Row - The River Dee at Farndon and Aldford

Middle Row - The River Dee at Churton; Delamere Forest; Anderton Nature Park

Bottom Row - Hogshead Wood



June

Due to work commitments in Lincolnshire and cruise travels in June, it looked as though the photo-challenge was almost a non-event. Free weekends coincided with poor weather. However the Odonata gods shined on my on the last weekend in June. A visit to Tatton Park on 27 June for a Lesser Emperor seen in the week was met with failure and although Brown and Southern Hawkers were seen, they refused to settle for the camera. My luck was much better the following day when I made a morning visit to Newchurch Common and Shemmy Moss. The sheltered paths yielded Southern Hawker, Ruddy Darter and Common Darter, whilst Shemmy Moss held Emperor, Black Darter and Emerald Damselfly (amongst others). Three or four Brown Hawkers all refused to land though!


On 29 June I visited Anderton Nature Park in the afternoon. A patrolling Emperor eventually settled and fell to the camera, as did a Brown Hawker along the canal.


Southern Hawker


Brown Hawker


Emperor Dragonfly


Black Darter


Ruddy Darter


Common Darter


Emerald Damselfly


Shemmy Moss


July

With limited time in July, I only had time to visit Anderton Nature Park and Delamere Forest at the start of the month before heading back to Iceland for 10 days. Although no new species were added, plenty of photographs were taken.

Teneral Common Darter


Black Darter

 
 
 

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