7
Some observations of Dragonflies 1998
On the 18th of May whilst walking along the bank of the River Chelmar at Standford
Mill, 1 recorded my first dragonflies of the year. On many of the pieces of floating
vegetation drifting slowly along the river there were Blue-tailed damselflies drifting
along with them. In total 1 found fifteen Blue-tailed damselflies along with three Banded
demoiselle, four Large red damselfly and a single Common blue damselfly.
The 19th May brought sunny and hot conditions as a trip to Lawford Lane near Writtle
revealed a few dragonflies. A dazzling one hundred and six Banded demoiselle
frequented the banks of the River Wid as it runs parallele to the lane. A single White-
legged damselfly was found amongst the grass on the bank of the Wid and I obtained very
good views of its identification characteristics.
On the same day my dad and I visited Hyland's Park and recorded fourteen Red-eyed
damselflies on the fishing pond outside of the Writtle belt. We both observed the Red-
eyed damselflies nearly in the middle of the pond hovering fairly low over a large patch
of Broad-leaved pondweed. I've found at other sites where Red-eyed damselflies occur,
they all seem to be in similar habitat - still freshwater ponds with floating pond weed and
Broad-leaved pondweed.
Another trip to Lawford Lane on the 29th May produced eight Blue-tailed damselflies,
four Common blue damselflies and two Azure damselflies.
Lawford Lane on the 28th May was still in pretty good form for Banded Demoiselle with
over eighty-one present along the river. White-legged damselfly numbers had increased to
two females and one male. The male was showing an abdomen with water colour washed
out blue and prominent broad white legs with a thin black line running down their centre.
Along the Dengie coast on the 30th May I located a hawking Emperor dragonfly to
reward my four mile bike ride along the sea wall.
On the 20th June my dad and I observed four Black-tailed skimmers, one Broad-bodied
chaser, six Blue-tailed damselflies and six Banded demoiselle with a sprinkling of Azure
damselflies.
Lawford Lane on the 21st June produced a single male White-legged damselfly with a
brilliant one hundred Banded demoiselle. Bearing in mind that these dragonflies were
frequenting only a half kilometre strip of the River Wid it was a good number. Most of
the Banded demioselle appeared to have been loafing males that resided in the grass.
A trip to Roxwell Pit on the 22nd yielded two sluggish Common darter clinging on to the
heads of crops trying to soak up what sunlight there was.
At Standford Mill along the River Chelmer on the 24th produced a single Brown hawker
along with four Emperor dragonflies and three Common darter.
Another bike ride along the Dengie coast on the 28th produced two Southern hawker,
sixteen Migrant hawker, two Common darter and three Emperor dragonflies.
A warm day at Pengy Mill on the 18th August saw mild conditions which lured out 21
Migrant hawker, two Ruddy darter, four Common blue damselflies, four Black-tailed
skimmers, twelve Common darter and a lone Southern hawker.
Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 28, February 1999