Damselflies and Dragonflies in 2011

The appearance of this year's first (for me) Black-tailed Skimmer on July 11th prompted me to write an article half-way through the year about the damselflies and dragonflies of the area 'til now.

My first record of the year (or at least, the first photograph) is of  the Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans, in Wanstead Park on 23rd April. The next species was the Large Red Damselfly Phyrrosoma nymphula by Heronry Pond on 25th April. Of note is that this species is often the first to be observed of the year, and often in my garden.

Next came the Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella, which appeared in my garden on 4th May and by this time there were many Large Reds in the Park, plus the Broad-bodied Chaser dragonfly, Libellula depressa. On the 9th May, the Large Reds were busy mating and egg-laying in my garden pond - an annual occurrence. It was on this day that I was honoured to watch a larva of that species emerge from the pond, and watched it right through the process until it flew off. A video is available here.

The next damselfly species was the Small Red-eyed Damselfly Erythromma viridulum, on the Ornamental Waters in Wanstead Park on 10th May. These were conveniently perched - as they often are - on lily-leaves. The second dragonfly species appeared by Heronry Pond on the 16th May - the dramatic Black-tailed Skimmer Orthetrum cancellatum, in this case a female. Azure Damselflies were egg-laying on 16th May on the Heronry Pond, and by the 20th there were many Azure as well as Common Blue Damselflies, Enallagma cyathigerum.

A young Black-tailed Skimmer was hawking over the brambles at the base of "Bullet Hill, opposite Aldersbrook School, on 30th May, and there was a nice golden female in my garden on 2nd June. Also on 2nd June the lovely Banded Demoiselle damselfly Calopteryx splendens was seen by the Roding. In the garden on 21st June were Azure and Common Blue damselflies.

On 10th July a Banded Demoiselle was seen in Aldersbrook Exchange Lands, and on 11th July a male Black-tailed Skimmer was basking in the sunshine on the banks of Alexandra Lake on Wanstead Flats whilst two Emperor dragonflies Anax imperator were hawking over. There was also a male Emperor at the top of the Glade in Wanstead Park, and Red-eyed Damselflies Erythromma najus lily-bathing on the Ornamental Water. There were also some brown-bodied dragonflies which may have been Brown Hawkers, but I'm not sure.

So there it is with the dragonflies and damselflies up until now. That makes 10 certain. The list is as follows - in order of appearance!:

Blue-tailed Damselfly  Ishnura elegans

Large Red Damselfly  Pyrrhosoma nymphula

Azure Damselfly  Coenagrion puella

Broad-bodied Chaser  Libellula depressa

Small Red-eyed Damselfly  Erythromma viridulum

Black-tailed Skimmer  Orthetrum cancellatum

Banded Demoiselle  Calpoteryx splendens

Common Blue Damselfly  Enallagma cyathigerum

Emperor Dragonfly  Anax imperator

Red-eyed Damselfly  Erythromma najas

Paul Ferris, 12th July 2011

Update since 12th July

Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis: a few sailing around by 19th July, when I managed to photograph one for the first time.

Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum: a young individual by Heronry Pond on 20th July

Southern Hawker Aeshna cyanea: the first I had seen locally, in vegetation at the bottom of the hill opposite Aldersbrook School on 20th July.

Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta: the first noted by Shoulder of mutton Pond on 23rd September

On 27th September i Wanstead Park there were Common Blues as well as Migrant Hawkers. On 20th October, a Common Darter in Wanstead Park

Paul Ferris, October 2011