Dragonfly Diaries

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.

Willow Emerald Damselfly

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

4 August - 23 species seen; 22 photographed

27 August - 24 species seen; 24 photographed

British name	Scientific name
Emerald Damselfly	Lestes sponsa
Willow Emerald Damselfly	Chalcolestes viridis
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

August

Time for looking (and photographing odonata) during August is very limited - I am away guest lecturing on Fred Olsen cruises from 7 August almost until the end of the month). Storm Floris in early August didn't bode well for any photography, but on 4 August we ventured to Dunham Massey. The rain had cleared and the clouds had vanished, although the wind hadn't calmed much. However the pond off Smithy Drive, held several Common Blue Damselflies and amongst the Red-eyed Damselflies, a single male Small Red-eyed Damselfly, our target for the afternoon.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly

Mating Red-eyed Damselflies

Red-eyed Damselfly

Although I've come across Migrant Hawker when I have been out, so far none have landed or flown close enough for photos.

Returning home (from yet more cruise lecturing) on 27 August, Julia and I ventured to Maw Green Tip in Cheshire and soon found ourselves looking at two male Willow Emerald Damselflies perched on Weeping Willow and Leylandlii. A gentle breeze and poor light made photography challenging.

Male Willow Emerald Damselfly

Male Willow Emerald Damselfly

With much brighter and calmer weather on 28 August I made a return visit and spent a couple of hours photographing 6 male Willow Emerald Damselflies. I'd paired the R6 MkII with the Canon EF180mm f/3.5 L Macro, adding the Godox macro twin flash unit.

Leylandlii and Weeping Willow favoured by the Willow Emerald Damselflies

August ended with a trip to Burton Mere Wetlands. The Dragonfly Pond in the garden area turned up trumps with two male Migrant Hawkers patrolling and battling.

Male Migrant Hawker

Male Migrant Hawker