Geoff Hall has been out looking for butterflies on the less travelled part of the Long Mynd and happened across 4 Keeled Skimmers on a wet flush area. This is 1km away from another flush where they have been known to breed for a number of years and it would be great if this represents another successful breeding area for this rare species. Geoff has also photographed Small Red-eyed Damselfly on 19th June at Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre. This is a very early record for a species that flies in Shropshire typically in mid August! Julian Cartwright also saw this species even earlier on 17th and a record has just come in for 1 individual seen on 15th June at Prees Heath Common Reserve. This is a new site for this species which has only been recorded in Shropshire since 2019. I’ll hopefully post the photo once I get permission.
These sightings are a reminder that ridiculous weather is really speeding things up so keep your eyes open for late comers even now and certainly have a good look for Keeled Skimmers if in wet flush habitats. And I can’t forget to mention the wonderful Brown Hawker is also on the wing- seen by Steve Oates at Bromlow Callow on 19th June.
