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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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Black Darters at Whixall…

Daniel Johnson and Gwen Earlham have recorded the first early Black Darters emerging at Whixall Moss. 5 were seen in total and this photo (left) clearly shows the diagnostic black triangle on top of the…
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June 11, 2025
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Common Darter on the wing…

On the 6th June Tim Walter photographed this fairly fresh looking Common Darter. This close up enables us to clearly see the yellow stripe extending down the black legs - the most useful feature to…
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June 9, 2025
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Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly on the wing…

David Williams has sent in these great photos of Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly seen unexpectedly at Beckbury Meadows - a privately owned site on the River Worfe flood plain between Albrighton and Bridgnorth. This site is…
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June 5, 2025
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Southern Hawker possible sighting…

An anonymous record for Southern Hawker 2nd June has come into iRecord via Birdtrack which unfortunately I have no way of verifying, but please do let me know if you definitely see this species on…
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June 4, 2025
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Time to look for emeralds…

In between the threatening clouds on Saturday I was checking a privately owned site near Shrewsbury and saw 2 male Downy Emerald Dragonflies. I did my best to get a photo, but even with my…
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June 2, 2025
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River species on the move…

Mark Priest visited Shrewsbury in search of Clubtails to find they had emerged and were no where to be seen. He was rewarded however with White-legged Damselflies. This photo of a female (left) beautifully illustrates…
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May 29, 2025
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Beware the water boatman…

Mark Underwood has been monitoring the pools at Pole Cottage on the Longmynd and seen much ovipositing by Large Red Damselflies. On the whole this appeared to be going well, but closer inspection of the…
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May 27, 2025
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2 more species on the wing…

Tim Walter has seen Black-tailed Skimmers at Pam's Pools near Bridgnorth and sent in these lovely photos of a female ovipositing (and reflection) and in flight. I was lucky enough to see my first skimmers…
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May 22, 2025
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Norfolk Hawker in Shropshire…again!!

I returned to Isle Pool near Shrewsbury today and to my amazement saw 2 Norfolk Hawkers! Both were too distant for my camera so I have posted here a reminder of their appearance using a…
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May 21, 2025
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Exuviae – the best records you can make…

It's not very often that the exuvial records outnumber records of adults! Thanks to Nicole Matton discovering these 4 exuviae on the walls of an ornamental pool at Lilleshall Hall we now have 5 exuviae…
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May 19, 2025
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3 more species on the wing…

Friday 16th May saw the emergence of 3 more species. Jan Shields saw White-legged Damselfly (female left) on the River Severn at Frankwell and Red-eyed Damselflies were seen near Berrington and by myself in Pontesbury…
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May 18, 2025
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Hairy Dragonfly almost in Shropshire…

Stephen Barlow has seen a number of Hairy Dragonflies at Marbury Big Mere - just outside Whitchurch, but over the border in Cheshire. Stephen's photo illustrates the broad yet tapering antehumeral (shoulder) stripes of the…
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May 14, 2025
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A time of plenty…

Numbers of dragons and damselflies are building with all this hot weather, and with them come the predators! Ron Kinrade  has been viewing blackbirds taking their share (left) on his pond in Hemford though some…
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May 14, 2025
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Great weather for Demoiselles…

Some of you are heading to the River Severn in Shrewsbury in search of Clubtails and also finding good numbers of Banded Demoiselles. Jan Shields has sent in this male (left) illustrating the dark band…
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May 13, 2025
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The hour of the Clubtail…

I'm always amazed how some species can emerge on mass at a similar time. On the same day Stephen Barlow was viewing Clubtails in Shrewsbury Paul Roughley was photographing emergents and exuviae much further upstream…
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May 7, 2025
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Clubtails emerging in Shrewsbury…

Common Clubtails were reportedly seen yesterday emerging from the River Severn in Shrewsbury and today Stephen Barlow has sent in this photo of an individual emerging. You can clearly see the old tracheal linings as…
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May 6, 2025
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Cooler temperatures slowing things down?

I had thought there would be a flurry of activity over this weekend but I think the cooler temperatures have really held things back a little and I still have no dragonflies emerging from my…
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May 5, 2025
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Large Reds just emerging on higher ground

Paul Thomas has sent in some lovely photos of Large Red Damselflies on Brown Clee Hill where the higher altitude means things are only just getting underway. The photo (left) shows the exuviae beneath the…
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May 2, 2025
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3 more species on the wing!

It's going to be a busy week! Yesterday Tim Walter sent in the first records for  Blue-tailed Damselfly (left) and Azure Damselfly (below left) both seen at Pam's Pools near Bridgnorth. Beautiful Demoiselle was also…
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April 29, 2025
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Broad-bodied Chaser on the wing…

Hopefully I'll post the evidence of Broad-bodied Chaser shortly -seen in Minsterly on 27th April which is the second earliest sighting ever of this species in Shropshire! In the meantime Stephen Barlow has photographed 1…
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April 28, 2025
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Signs of life on Whixall Moss…

Stephen Barlow has sent in the first records this year of White-faced Darters and an 'in-flight' Four-spotted Chaser at Whixall Moss. He photographed this emergent White-faced Darter (left) and one other low down in the…
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April 25, 2025

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

Migrant Hawker

24th July

Willow Emerald Damselfly 

30th July

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