Latest Sightings

Skimming a small stream surrounded by woodland. Bright turquoise body with blackish wings. It was a cold frosty morning and the canal and lake were frozen but not the stream. Saw it twice and noticed it because of the vivid colour. [This is a very surprising sighting. From your description this sounds like a male Demoiselle either Beautiful or Banded). Their flight season is usually from April to October. To see this insect at this time of year is unprecedented! – GHM, BDS]

The warden, Simon King, saw a female Common Darter by the pond at Testwood Lakes Centre on 28.11.20. Still two weeks to go to tie the VC11 record!

After a sharp overnight frost a Migrant Hawker flying at 11.00 in bright sunshine

A Southern Hawker was hunting in Dame’s Slough Inclosure (west of Lyndhurst) and a male Common Darter sunning itself to to the north east of Burbush carpark (south of Burley). Fairly late dates.

23 November 2020 at least two male Common Darters on open access land Walberswick. Seen flying and basking in sunshine early afternoon.

Common Darter seen at RSPB Lakenheath on Saturday 21st of November.

Male Southern Hawker seen in New Forest, Hampshire near Highland Water Inclosure
(SU 252094).

Three common darters in a sheltered spot at Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s Upton Fen and Marshes nature reserve. They were doing their usual trick of seeking warmth on fencing.

Shapwick NNR at least 2 Common Darters and 2 Migrant Hawkers

Male Red-veined Darter at Decoy Pond Shapwick NNR in sheltered sunny area by hide also present at least 10 Common Darters and 3 Migrant Hawkers

Around my garden pond, dipping its tail in the water and when it rained seeming to shelter in a rock crevice

Nov 13th Hatfield Moor a Southern Hawker
Nov 12th Potteric Carr 2 Migrant Hawkers
good numbers of Common Darters at both sites

Female Emperor flying around a pond at Ravensroost Woods in Wiltshire.

At least 20 Common Darters including some mating and a single Migrant Hawker at Shapwick NNR

Woops! the report i submitted earlier of 7 Common Darters and 1 Migrant Hawker, left out a sighting of 1 Willow Emerald Damselfly along Wicken Lode whilst canoeing in the area today.

2 female emperors and a common Carter at my meadow pond, south herefordshire

At least 2 Migrant Hawkers at Shapwick NNR

2 female emperors ovipositing (?) in the sunshine on a log in a garden pond south herefordshire

I was not expecting to see any dragonflies at this time of the year while taking a walk around Wicken Fen. So i was delighted to see 5 Darters on the wing. 3 settled on a fence and were positively identified as Common Darter males. Only obtained flight views of the other two. 1.pm-3.35.pm.

We spent Friday(6/11) and Saturday(7/11)looking for late flying Odonata mainly at Doolittle moss in Delamere forest. On Friday we saw single male and female Southern Hawkers and a total of six Common Darters. On Saturday we had a male Migrant Hawker and 2 Common Darters.

Found on its back, in mixed broadleaf woodland, held by surface tension to the surface of a wet log. I thought it was dead. I brought it home, glued it by the thorax to a culm of canary grass, and took some photos. I then brought it indoors to take some macro shots, and the animal started, very slowly, to move its legs, and then to flick its wings. I quickly detached the spot of glue (UHU) from the grass, leaving some on the base of the thorax, and put the specimen out in the conservatory to see if it would revive. But, by morning, it was definitly dead. Photo available on request.

Multiple Dragonflies, some in pairs and appear to be mating. Lincoln, a few miles north of Newark at a fishing lake.outside temperature 11.5 degrees.

Vagrant Emperor
In my garden.

Male vagrant emperor
In my back garden
Live on the Fylde coast near Blackpool

I believe it to be a Common Darter (but I may be wrong!) – landed on an oak log close to where I was gardening. It blended so well with the bark of the oak! I took a photograph on my phone. Time 2 p.m.
Place: My garden

At least 40 Common Darters and 2 Migrant Hawkers at Westhay SWT reserve

While walking around Wicken Fen during the early afternoon, i was pleased to see 2 Migrant Hawkers, 1 male and 1 female. Also 2 Common Darters seen. Again 1 male and 1 female. The sun made an all too brief appearance which may have helped, although the female Migrant Hawker and male Common Darter were flying in overcast conditions.

2 Emperors in garden in Petersfield

On the 18th Fairway Newtonmore Golf Course, Inverness-Shire

Two Emporers were spotted foraging around the edges of a flooded pond within the Tamar Valley woodland estate