LLANERCH WOOD & PYSGODLYN MAWR

Friday 26/07/13 checked out the above for a couple of hours in the afternoon, at Llanerch wood I found alot of Common Blue & Blue-tailed Damselflies some still in tandem and ovipositing. On one of the pools there was an Emperor patroling plus three male and one female Black-tailed Skimmer also one male Broad-bodied Chaser. On the other pool just one male Black-tailed Skimmer and one female Common Darter.

 At Pysgodlyn Mawr nearly all the Damsels seen were Blue-tailed, there was still some Four-spotted Chasers flying around albeit rather tatty looking and some Black-tailed Skimmers one pair in tandem.

Garnwen, Maesteg.

My first Southern hawker of the season here today, also my second Goldring sighting (the first was last week).

Parc Cwm Darren Today

Not alot of Dragons on the wing today apart from a few Common Blue, Blue-tailed and Large Red Damsels there were no Dragons on the big lake. I did find 2 Female Keeled Skimmers in the butterfly meadow and 2 Male Broad-bodied chasers on the new dragonfly pond, there was also 2 Male and 1 Female Broad-bodied Chasers on the feeder stream near the top wooden bridge. Olso on the feeder stream there was a Male and Female Beautiful Demoiselle. I also checked out the lower pond and did not find any Dragons only Damsels.

I have not seen any Hawkers for a while now could the weather be too hot for them??

Ruddy Darter at Kenfig

(c) D. Carrington

David Carrington found this male Ruddy Darter male Wednesday 17th July 2013. It was situated at the west end of Long Pool Slack along the northern bridleway (SS 7908 8204). It's a dragon I'm very much hoping to catch up with this year, but Dave also noted that he saw only one - hopefully the first of many!

Recent sightings

(c) J. Driscoll

Jeff Driscoll took this photo of a male Beautiful Demoiselle along the riverbank adjacent to Penllergaer Valley woods lower lake, on Thursday 18th July 2013

(c) A. John

Alun John paid a visit to Crymlyn Bog on Wednesday evening 17th July 2013. Dragons noted on the wing by Alun included

Blue-tailed Damselflies
Emperor Dragonflies
Golden-ringed Dragonfly (pictured)
Broad-bodied Chasers

Sorry for Late Post

Sunday 14/07/13 Took a trip down to Bridgend to look at another pool but found you have to be an angler with the Glamorgan A.C. to get in there, NO PUBLIC ACCESS. The pool is at Treoes SS 94613 79116.

So carried on to Kenfig to pick up the Red-veined Darter and was not disapointed.

The place was awash with Dragons, at the first stile I saw Hundreds of Common Blue Damsels and a few Blue-tailed Damsels also Keeled skimmers, Common Darters,Broad-bodied Chasers, Black-tailed Skimmers and Emperors. I walked along the bank until I found the Red-veined Darters and carried on until I came to a pool behind the main lake and just behind the Bird hide SS 79911 81946, I was amazed at the number of Four-spotted Chasers and Broad-bodied Chasers flying around this pool, also some Black-tailed Skimmers and Emperors.

Once I came back down to earth I made the long walk back to the car and headed for home but stopped of at Parc Slip to see if there was anything about, apart from some Large Red Damsels, Common Blues and Blue-tailed Damsels on the pool by the visiting centre I only came across 3m and 1f Broad-bodied Chasers on a pool near the first bird hide SS 8777884144.

A GOOD DAY OUT.

Neath Valley Dragons

 At the Borrow Pits on Saturday (13/7/13) 3 Banded Demoiselles (2m + 1f) were observed on the small lake. Also here  Common Blue Damselfly (100+), Blue-tailed Damselfly (4), Emperor Dragonfly (1) and Golden-ringed Dragonfly (2)

 Today, a fortuitous crossing of paths with an immature male Keeled Skimmer, near Resolven.

Kenfig NNR

(c) M. Hipkin

 Paul Grennard made a visit to Kenfig Pool today. He found 12 Red-veined Darters including an ovipositing tandem. The RVD's were showing again from the east pool shore.

(c) A. John

Paul's tally today included 12 Red-veined Darters. Also Common Blue Damselfly (100+), Emperor Dragonfly (3), Black-tailed Skimmer (20+) and Common Darter (4)

Martyn Hnatiuk made a visit to the Kenfig Rivermarsh and took notable records of Keeled Skimmer (50+) and Black-tailed Skimmer (20+)

Red-veined Darters at Kenfig

 Following Dave Carrington's report, after Rupert Perkins' discovery, of 10 Red-veined Darters at Kenfig NNR, yesterday, I was keen to make the visit to have a look at them this afternoon. I was very pleased to find approx 10 in flight and at rest along the east shore.

 My visit, as per usual, was dominated by trying to get record shots, but a general feel for numbers would place c6 males along the shore next to the first field and c4 males along the shore next to the second field, if walking north-east from the first style in the south-east corner.

They seemed to prefer the stretches of shore that were most open i.e. where the exposed mud was widest and away from the taller edge-vegetation. Periodically they would fly right out over the open water and regularly become lost from view, however, they would regularly come back to the same open areas to rest after a few minutes or so.

Numbers of Common Blue Damselfly were also impressive with 100s, even 1000+ along the east shore. Otherwise c20 Black-tailed Skimmers and 4 Emperor Dragonflies were conspicuous.

Margam former opencast

A brief sortie onto the former opencast north of Cefn Cribwr saw six Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies - including a pair in tandem - at SS 8611 8370. Several Golden-ringed Dragonflies and plenty of Emerald Damselflies were also noted.

Llanilid former opencast

Good numbers of Black-tailed Skimmers were distributed over the site.

 More Keeled Skimmers noted today than I can previously recall here.

10 male Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies were by a shallow muddy pool on the till mound at SS 9897 8157. Had to take the picture with my phone camera, as the Coolpix couldn't handle it!

Also seen: Emerald Damselfly, Azure Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Large Red Damselfly, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Emperor Dragonfly, Broad-bodied Chaser, Four-spotted Chaser and Common Darter.

FOREST FARM

Quick call into forest farm and came across Three (M) and Two (F) Beautiful Demoiselle on the canal at the lock section, between the lock and the foot-bridge.

 

Over the foot-bridge and to the right is a small opening where I found a nice male Golden-ringed Dragonfly perched on a nettle. (ST 13818 80962).

 

Going out of area tomorrow, Newport wetlands.