Not That Scarce

I'm easing myself gently back into a work routine and as I don't want to take things too quickly I had today off. My morning was spent wandering around a very busy Barnwell CP while in the afternoon I spent a bit of time around Weldon. Blue skies and sun were the order of the day so it was great for dragon and damselflies.

Emperor and Black-tailed Skimmer.

Several Emperors were my first certain ones of the year and they were present at both sites, an ovipositing female at Weldon posed for pictures. Hairy Dragonflies on the other hand continue to frustrate, at least half a dozen were seen at Barnwell but none decided to land where I could see them. All three chasers were seen with Scarce being the commonest, at least nine were present. With sightings so far this year at three sites including two new ones it's shaping up to be a good year for them. Four-spotteds were present at both sites while Barnwell had three Broad-bodied Chasers including an immature male. Weldon had two Black-tailed Skimmers around the pond and I was able to get my first photos of the year. Six species of dragon in one day is my highest total of the year.

Scarce, Four-spotted and Broad-bodied Chasers.

Damsels fared rather well too and both sites had Banded Demoiselles, Azure, Common Blue. Red-eyed and Blue-tailed, Barnwell in particular had high numbers of all of them. My decent run of luck with Variables continued with the sighting of a male at Mill Lake Barnwell, there were probably more but I didn't spend too much time looking. Two White-legged Damselflies were seen at the pocket park in Weldon and a similar number of Large Reds were seen around the pond.

Variable and White-legged Damselflies.

Not too many butterflies were observed though there appeared to have been a good emergence of new brood Small Tortoiseshells at Barnwell and also a fresh Comma at Weldon. Only one other butterfly was noted and that was a Small Heath at Barnwell.

Small Tortoiseshell and Comma.

Best bird today was my first ever record of Raven at Barnwell, they don't appear to have expanded into this area in any great numbers yet. A singing Cetti's Warbler and a female Cuckoo were the only other things of note.