MAMMAL: Roe Deer at Brockholes Wetland, Lancashire

September 26, 2010:
Being close to the Ribble and with much woodland and scrub both on the site and nearby, this wetland is a haven for a number of mammal species which sometimes includes Roe Deer. Intensive construction work on the new facilities is carried out on weekdays so that not many animals have been seen lately but on this quiet Sunday afternoon, one at least was inspecting the new developments.



It took quite an interest in the brightly coloured notice-board and seemed reluctant to leave until spotting a long lens aimed in its direction 150 metres away.

DRAGONFLY: Brown Hawker and Migrant Hawker at Mere Sands, Lancashire

September 16, 2010:
On a cool blustery early autumn day with little sun, it was rather rather surprising to see Brown and Migrant Hawkers flying. They mainly kept to the more sheltered areas at the tree margins but were inclined to settle onto vegetation more frequently than normal. This was especially noticeable for the Brown Hawker as these seem to fly for ever and are rarely seen settled except when ovipositing. Common Darters were also flying as well as Comma, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood butterflies.



Brown Hawker, female (both above), Migrant Hawker, male (both below)

DRAGONFLY: Southern Hawkers (Aeshna cyanea) near Silverdale, Lancashire

September 9, 2010:
A small sheltered pool near Silverdale has several species of dragonfly including Common Darter, Black Darter and the rather scarce Ruddy Darter. Here also are Southern Hawkers but despite having made several visits to the site in the last few weeks, I had failed to get a photo of any at rest. Today, whether it was the temperature, the cooler weather conditions, or the time of day, several males settled obligingly, only spending short periods in flight or buzzing an onlooker, and much preferring to perch at the pool edge on the reed-mace, willow-herb, meadowsweet or bramble.

DRAGONFLY: Southern Hawkers and Common Hawkers near Burnley, Lancashire

September 2/3, 2010:
A small isolated wooded pool close to the Pennine moorland had at least three species of Hawker flying today. The conditions were ideal for dragonflies, windless and very warm in the sheltered hollow amongst the trees. A female Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) attempted to oviposit (below) onto a desiccated log well above water-level and repeatedly changed position in trying to find an acceptable site.





Males also patrolled the area (below), regularly buzzing any observer whilst a Brown Hawker (Aeshna grandis) was seen ovipositing on floating weed but this was on the far side of the pool and out of camera range.


[A patrolling Southern Hawker]

Common Hawkers (Aeshna juncea) were also flying and a bonus came when one settled on the trunk of a nearby pine. At first photographed at long range, it was soon possible to approach extremely closely and even then it didn’t fly, only doing so later to pursue a male which had invaded its territory. Seen against the rough bark of the tree, it was well camouflaged and presumably it knew that.




[Common Hawker]


[The dragonfly pool with a light mist rising]

Several Common Darters (Sympetrum striolatum) were also seen as well as numerous Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria) butterflies. Thanks are due to Allen Holmes for details of this site.

DRAGONFLY: Ruddy Darters and Common Darters in Lancashire

August 19, 2010:
In this area of north-west England the Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) is quite frequent, especially in the lowland areas, but the confusingly-similar Ruddy Darter (Sympetrum sanguineum) appears much more scarce. The Ruddys have moved into the county in fairly recent times and are slowly spreading northwards through Cumbria.

The males of both species are red and quite similar to each other and so also are the yellowish females. Fortunately, both species perch readily and allow a close view to be obtained.

The male Ruddy Darter especially, is perhaps most easily distinguished from the Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) in having jet black legs (yellow-striped in the Common), by the presence of a conspicuous black line running down the sides of the frons (absent in the Common), having deep red eyes and frons, a blood-red (not orange-red) more waisted abdomen and a rufus thorax.



[Ruddy Darter, male, both above: the completely black legs, the dark line running down the side of the frons and the deep red eyes and abdomen, can be seen]



[Common Darter, male, both above: the yellow-striped legs, the absence of a dark line running down the side of the frons, the paler more brown eyes and the orange-red abdomen, can be seen]

Ruddy Darters appear to favour sheltered vegetation near choked ditches and pools where the males will perch and often return to the same place if disturbed. Ruddys are also noticeably smaller than Common Darters and are more prone to hover. The Common Darter has a tendency to rest on artificial surfaces as well as on vegetation but this doesn't seem to occur anything like so much with the Ruddy Darter.

Thanks are due to Allen Holmes for helpful discussion on some taxonomic points.

BUTTERFLY: White-letter- and Purple Hairstreaks at Brockholes Wetlands, Lancashire

August 22 (and July 11), 2010:
The first decent weekend's weather for more than a month meant that many butterflies and dragonflies were on the wing on the Reserve. Six weeks ago, I was fortunate to obtain photos (above and below) of White-letter Hairstreaks (Satyrium w-album) there. Since then I had been hoping to get the chance to do the same with Purple Hairstreaks (Neozephyrus quercus). Boilton Wood at the Reserve's northern edge has both of these rather similar-looking butterflies and without doubt merits its SSSI status as a wild-life haven. White-letter Hairstreaks are closely associated with Elm trees (Ulmus spp.), especially Wych-elm, as this is their larval foodplant. Like many Hairstreaks they spend much time high in the tree canopy but will come down for nectar under favourable conditions. On this very warm sunny afternoon in July (the 11th), the weather was ideal, the bramble thickets below the trees were in full flower, and it was there that at least three of them were feeding on the brambles.




Being small, they were most easily located when in flight and needed to be watched carefully to find exactly where they had settled. Unfortunately, the subsequent poor weather appears to have curtailed their reappearance and it may be that this particular colony is only a small, somewhat isolated one. No doubt though, there will be several others elsewhere in these extensive woodlands.

Purple Hairstreaks (photos below) have a later and probably longer flight period. These are found amongst and close to oak trees (Quercus spp.) as this is their larval foodplant and, similar to the White-letter, they fly high in the leafy canopy and are also difficult to locate.




Today (August 22) they could be seen on two separate oak trees in warm but breezy conditions. It is interesting that they occurred in an almost identical situation to that of the White-letters although at a different place along the woodland's edge; they have in fact been seen in at least three separate places here recently.



When looking for both species this summer, even though conditions appeared ideal and the butterflies were known to be present, there were long periods of inactivity with none visible. Patience is needed to locate them.


[Typical habitat of both Hairstreaks, Brockholes]

BUTTERFLY: Holly Blues at Silverdale, Lancashire

August 16, 2010:
In brief sunny spells today a small number of Holly Blues (Celastrina argiolus) were flying. This is a site where I have seen them in the past and sometimes also earlier in the season when their larval food-plant is holly. By the month of August any of those flying are of the second generation and, perhaps strangely, the preferred food-plant now becomes ivy. Such behaviour is unknown in other British butterflies.



Here, males and females were associated with a short 50-metre stretch of sheltered, ivy-covered wall but unless it was warm and sunny they only settled briefly. Sometimes they would disappear from the site for long periods but would eventually return when the sun came out.



[Male, both above]


[Female]

The female differs from the male in having a dark grey border to the upperside of the forewing; in the male this is restricted to just a very narrow band. In the second generation female (as here) these dark markings become more extensive and can extend inwards from the wing edge. In exceptional years there may even be a third generation.


[Warm ivy-covered wall near Silverdale]

DRAGONFLY: Lancashire and south Cumbria dragonflies during a brief improvement in the weather

August 15/16, 2010:
Recently in north-west England, the weather has been very poor and there's been an apparent absence of dragonflies. Some warmth and sunshine on Sunday and Monday offered promise, however. At Brockholes Wetlands (Lancashire) on Sunday, many Brown Hawkers (Aeshna grandis) were flying. Unfortunately these never seem to settle enabling a photo to be taken although one female was seen ovipositing onto pondweed (Potamogeton sp) at one of the small pools.



[Brown Hawker ovipositing, Brockholes]

There was also a large number of Common Darters (Sympetrum striolatum) and, in contrast to the Brown Hawkers, these would usually perch accommodatingly. Many Common Blue Damselflies (Enallagma cyathigerum), several Migrant Hawkers (Aeshna mixta), a Southern Hawker (Aeshna cyanea) and an Emperor (Anax imperator) were also seen.



[Male Common Darters, Brockholes]

On an oak tree at the woodland’s edge there were Purple Hairstreak (Neozephyrus quercus) butterflies; these are often elusive and hard to see. Many of the commoner species visited flowers, especially thistles.


[Purple Hairstreak, Brockholes]

At Foulshaw Moss (south Cumbria) on the following day, the main interest was the Black Darters (Sympetrum danae) present in abundance which is often a feature of the site in late summer. Like their Common relative they were also approachable but not so was a solitary Southern Hawker which, although showing curiosity, never settled. Many Common Blue and Emerald Damselflies (Lestes sponsa) active amongst the fringing water plants.


[Pool at Foulshaw]



[Male Black Darters, Foulshaw]


[Emerald Damselflies, Foulshaw]


[Emerald Damselfly, Foulshaw]

Not too far away is the small secluded tarn at Barkbooth. Here an Emperor patrolled the water and there were also two very inquisitive Southern Hawkers and many of the same two species of damselfly as at Foulshaw.


[The small tarn, Barkbooth]


[An inquisitive Southern Hawker, Barkbooth]