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Shropshire Dragonfly Watch BlogKeeping an eye on the dragonflies flying in Shropshire

Common Darter male

The purpose of this blog is to keep dragonfly enthusiasts up to date with dragonfly activity throughout the season. This way we should all know first hand what’s on the wing in Shropshire.

 

All are very welcome to be part of this seasonal diary. Get in touch via the  contact form with sightings and photographs so I can post them on the blog. Even if you’re new to dragonflies and not sure what you have photographed please send it in and get involved in the 2025 Shropshire Dragonfly Watch.

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A hot and busy weekend…

Well the sun came out and with it a host of dragon and damselflies! The first Common Blue Damselflies were seen on 8th May at Whixall Moss and a few days later photographed by Tim…
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May 13, 2024
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Banded Demoiselles on the wing…

Gareth Lambe has been spotting Banded Demoiselles on the River Meese at Pickstock, just noth of Newport. Beautiful Demoiselles were also in and around the vegetation and a good number of Azure Damselflies. Let's see…
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May 10, 2024
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The tricky end of damselfly ID…

Pictured left we have the teneral female Blue-tailed Damselfly photographed by Tim Walters at Pam's Pools on 4th May. Clearly not much sign of colour yet but some of the markings are still visible including…
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May 8, 2024
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Three more species on the wing…

And finally the sun came out! ...and with it came 3 more species on the wing. Beautiful Demoiselle was seen on Dowles Brook in the Wyre Forest and also seen at Hodnet Hall where Dave…
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May 7, 2024
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White-faced Darter on the wing…

Stephen Barlow reports White-faced Darters are starting to emerge at Whixall Moss and he spotted his first of the year on the Shropshire side on 28th April. Four-spotted Chasers are also out and about along…
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April 29, 2024
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Four-spotted Chaser on the wing…

Just when we thought things were underway the temperature seems to have really put the breaks on dragonfly sightings...until now! Mike Sokolowski was lucky enough to spot a single Four-spotted Chaser on Whixall Moss on…
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April 26, 2024
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Large Reds on the wing at Whixall..

Stephen Barlow reports around 12 Large Red Damselflies also seen on 12th April at Whixall Moss including the female pictured here. Reportedly they took a fair amount of hunting down in fairly windy and dull…
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April 15, 2024
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Shropshire flight season launches!

Finally some sunshine..and yes the first Shropshire damselflies are on the wing...well damselfly! A single Large Red female seen at Jan Shields pond in Hanwood. This weekend is supposed to be relatively spring like so…
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April 12, 2024
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Watching & Waiting…

April is here and that usually means the emergence of our first Large Red Damselflies. The earliest ever Shropshire record was April 8th so it's worth keeping an eye out (in between the endless rain)…
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April 3, 2024
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Common Darters still about

Jan Shields has sent in some lovely Common Darter photos from Whixall Moss on November 5th. All individuals are pictured basking in the autumn sunshine. The female (pictured left) is over mature and so darker…
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November 8, 2023
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Late records still coming in…

A number of you are still sending in records in late October and most recently Stephen Barlow sent in this image of a female Black Darter basking on the notice board at Whixall Moss on…
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October 24, 2023
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Black Darter at Dolgoch Quarry…

So far the mild weather has meant a reasonable number of dragonflies are still about and it's worth keeping a close eye on them. Nicole and Gareth Lambe were observing Common Darters and Migrant Hawkers…
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October 13, 2023
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Windy but warm…

Wild but warm weather is resulting in a good number of sightings in between the downpours. Julian Cartwright has photographed a nice selection of our autumnal species on Magpie Hill near Titterstone Clee Hill. Our…
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September 20, 2023
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The hour of the Migrant Hawker…

With a burst of incredibly hot still weather I've been checking a few sites and the hawker most frequently encountered seems to be Migrant Hawker. Geoff Hall has been recording at Wildmoor Pool on the…
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September 7, 2023
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Few and far between

Having been spoilt at the start of the summer with sustained hot weather leading to good numbers of dragonflies on the wing, it now seems sightings are few and far between. I'm still seeing a…
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August 22, 2023
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Up close to Southern Hawker…

Geoff Hall has sent in this great inflight photo of Southern Hawker seen at Brokenstones just north of Woolston. Though I haven't ever taken a photo like this, I have been lucky enough to have…
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August 17, 2023
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Beware the Emperor…

Tim Walters LRPS has sent in this fabulous composite image illustrating the behaviour of an Emperor towards an Emerald Damselfly at Pams Pools near Bridgnorth. The images are ordered left to right and it's fascinating…
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August 16, 2023
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Snapshots of summer…

Having got so used to stable weather earlier in the year we now have to grab the sunny opportunities when they appear! Julian Cartwright has photographed Common Darters on Clee Hill both in tandem and…
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August 8, 2023
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The joy of Darters…

As we head to late summer the Darters are often recorded and Jan Shields has been enjoying Ruddy Darter and Common Darter at Mousecroft Pool. At first glance these males are similar, but the Ruddy…
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July 25, 2023
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Migrant Hawker on the wing…

In between the downpours Migrant Hawker has taken to the skies. Martin Barnes spotted this immature male in Whitchurch on 16th July which is an early sighting for this late summer/autumnal species. Migrant Hawkers are…
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July 20, 2023
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Dodging the showers

Well it seems like ages since I have posted thanks to all the much needed rain (currently replenishing my pond!), but between the showers dragons and damsels are flying when they can. Chris Shaw has…
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July 14, 2023

Species recorded in 2025…

Large Red Damselfly

5th April

Common Blue Damselfly

22nd April

White-faced Darter

24th April

Four-spotted Chaser

24th April

Broad-bodied Chaser

27th April

Azure Damselfly

28th April

Blue-tailed Damselfly

28th April

Beautiful Demoiselle

28th April

Common Clubtail

5th May

Banded Demoiselle

6th May

Red-eyed Damselfly

16th May

White-legged Damselfly

16th May

Emperor Dragonfly

16th May

Black-tailed Skimmer

19th May

Norfolk Hawker

21st May

Variable Damselfly

21st May

Golden-ringed Dragonfly

29th May

Emerald Damselfly

30th May

Downy Emerald Dragonfly

31st May

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly

4th June

Common Darter

6th June

Black Darter

11th June

Common Hawker

13th June

Ruddy Darter

14th June

Keeled Skimmer

14th June

Brown Hawker

15th June

Southern Hawker

28th June

Small Red-eyed Damselfly

29th June

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