Headlines:
Oct 24th Red-veined Darter in Co. Wexford
3rd August Emperor in Armagh
18th July Lesser Emperor in Armagh
Downy Emerald Glengarriff Woods
14th July Lesser Emperor and Red-veined Darter at Knock Lake Co. Dublin
5th July - Lesser Emperor in Kildare, Red-veined Darter in Wexford, Emperor in Louth
2nd July - Red-veined Darter Symptrum fonscolombii confirmed in Co. Cork
17th June - Lesser Emperor in Cork and possible Red-veined Darter
June 3rd - Downy Emerald Cordulia aenea in Kerry

I have regularly seen both species during the first few days of November at this site in recent years (sometimes a little bit later), but I think this is the largest number I have seen on a November day. There were probably at least a few others in other parts of the park (which is too large to cover completely in 2 hours). Weather in October was very mild but cool, though dry, northerly winds set in one the last day and have lasted until the present, though it has been bright.

This is the latest (by a couple of months) that I have seen the species in Ireland.

Andrew Malcolm also reports Common Darters (one of which landed on his head) and Migrant Hawkers in Co. Waterford (I believe in the Clashmore area) on 20th October.

In the west of Co. Waterford Andrew Malcolm reports several Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta (including mating and oviposition behaviour, which was photographed) and several Darters including some Common Darters and a Black Darter at Clashmore on 3rd and 9th October.

Rather belatedly, here are my Odonata observations in the Republic of Ireland (mainly the west from Kerry to Limerick and a few midland counties) during the 14 day period from 31st July to 13th August and 3rd-10th September 2006. 1 or more species were recorded from Longford, Kildare, Offaly, Roscommon, Westmeath, East and West Mayo, South-east Galway, North-east Galway, West Galway, Clare, Limerick, and North and South Kerry.

Highlights were:

(1) 14 or 15 species (8 or 9 Anisoptera and 6 Zygoptera) were seen. Apart from a few Banded Damselflies at 1 site in Kerry in September, I failed to see any Calopteryx species, any Pyrrhosoma nymphula or Coenagrion puella; otherwise I saw all the species one might expect to see in the localities I visited (as I was not in the south-east I did not cover the main localities where the Migrant Hawker might be expected, though there was a probable record from Limerick.

(2) The highlight was a probable male Migrant Hawker at Dohyle Lake near Rathkeale, Co. Limerick, on 9th September; I saw the prominent area of blue at the base of the abdomen which also appears in a photograph of this species (E-mailed privately to me) which was taken by Laurence Morgan at Lough Money near Downpatrick, Co. Down, on 16th September (this together with records from the same site by David Nixon on 30th August & 15th September constitute the 1st confirmed records from Northern Ireland); see http://www.iol.ie/~wicklowweather/dragonfly/odonatanews.htm. I believed at the time I had also seen 1 there in August 2003 but after seeing Black-tailed Skimmer (not present on 9.9) doubts entered my head. This is as far as I know the only site in Limerick where the Migrant Hawker has been seen, though another "new" colonist, the Emperor, has been seen at Griston Bog near Ballylanders in the south of the county.

(3) Scarce Emerald lived up to its name of being scarce (though the hot weather in June/July may have caused the peak to be earlier than normal) as very few were seen though this included 1 at a site in East Mayo which may be a new one.

(4) Black-tailed Skimmer was seen at 2 spots on the shores of Lough Conn, West Mayo; these may or may not be new sites though I think not a new vice-county record. A specimen (which was a rather dark grey and probably an old female) seen near Lough Ree, Co. Roscommon, on 10th August had some red blotches on the right wings, reminiscent of paint markings but whether someone had tried to mark and release a specimen I do not know; perhaps it had landed on wet paint! Unfortunately the video footage relating to this is defective as bands have appeared across the image, though parts can still be seen.

The Keeled Skimmer was also seen at 2 different sites on the same lake and several were also seen on Achill Island, West Mayo though I believe it has been recorded here before.

(5) Ruddy Darter and Brown Hawker were widespread, even being seen in some acid habitats which did not look particularly suitable for breeding; equally Common Hawker was widespread even in limestone habitats.

On a warm sunny if rather breezy day, 8th September, a Common Darter (2 others of which were seen on the nearby dunes) was seen flying south over the sea at Inch on the Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry; single examples of butterfly species (Red Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, though interestingly none of the c. 10 Clouded Yellows seen on the dunes) were also seen doing the same (to the south or west).

Full report with list of records on separate page

I was down at Tacumshin Lake, County Wexford on 3/9 and had Common and Ruddy Darter and Migrant Hawker in good numbers at the east end of it. I also had 2 male Emperors, both in pristine condition, at the nearby quarry pond (my latest date for the species ever) as well as Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta, Common and Ruddy Darter. Also 3 male Common Blue Damselfly there, were of note.

On Saturday 16/9 just gone I was at Glendalough, and had 4+ male and 1 female Common Hawker, 12+ Black Darter including 2 copulating pairs, 20+ Common Darter and 10+ Emerald Damselfly at the west end of the upper lake. A Clouded Yellow butterfly was a welcome autumnal sight there too.  Also 1 female Keeled Skimmer, 1 male Common Hawker and 15+ Common Darter noted in the boggy area adjacent to the lower lake.

I went back today and almost immediately saw a small blue hawker at the same spot. For the next hour, I saw it periodically, always in flight.

I then went to the North end of the lake and walked along the track towards the sewage works. About 100m from the end of the track (Grid J533458) I saw another hawker which alighted at knee height on the vegetation along the side of the track.For the next 15 minutes I was treated to superb views of a pristine male Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta, down to distances of 2 feet. The distinctive yellow 'golf tee' was seen well.  I got lots of photographs, unfortunately they are poor but some will serve as record shots.  About 6-8 each of Ruddy and Common Darter were present as well as a few Common Blue Damselflies.

This is a brand new species for me and I am now satisfied that what I saw on 30th August, was this species. The one seen in flight from the carpark earlier today was definitely this species too.

A July visit for possible Emperor or Lesser Emperor dragonflies (now both confirmed this year for the first time in Northern Ireland, at separate sites in Co. Armagh; see http://www.iol.ie/~wicklowweather/dragonfly/odonatanews.htm) drew a blank although there were some Ruddy Darters.  

A visit here last Saturday (26th) was brief as it was rather late in the evening and I was also deterred by an inquisitive bull (which has been present on all my visits from last year), so all that was seen were a few Ruddy Darters.  

On 29th August, which after some earlier heavy showers was mostly bright though breezy in the afternoon, I visited South Down and saw several examples of what may be Migrant Hawkers. The trouble is, at at least one site, there were definitely a number of Common Hawkers also present; I caught a male and a female and also saw 2 females, one ovipositing, in a pool in the nearby quarry, where there was also a male Emerald Damselfly.  

The first dragonfly I saw here (along the track just off the road at Carrick Little east of Rourke's Park in the Annalong Valley, Mourne Mountains (J3622), seemed noticeably small (either a female or immature male). Further on up I saw what looked like a male Migrant Hawker, and caught it with the net but the momentum of the bag immediately blew it out again immediately before I could examine it. I had seen it or another on several occasions and the "jizz" seemed right (size, more noticeable blue, flight pattern, etc), however I cannot be certain. There was a Clouded Yellow, a Red Admiral, and some Silver Y moths (also a 2nd brood Holly Blue there) indicating migration and several Common Darters. There was a fairly good shelter from the wind along the forest tracks.  

There were also a possible male A. mixta at Mourne Park (J277153) near Kilkeel (along the edge of the wood not far north of the Golf Club) with a female which I video'd which however seemed to be juncea, also 1 or 2 Common Darters; I hoped for possible Holly Blue, but had to be content with a Wall Brown. I also looked at the lake in Mourne Park there but no Odonata were seen though there were 2 Buzzards and a Jay and.  

Of course several "probables" do not make a definite. Hopefully though someone can confirm the Migrant Hawker in Northern Ireland this year; the most northerly definite record was at Knock Lake near Balbriggan, Co. Dublin, where I saw a number of specimens on 11th September 2005.  

I saw about 13 species of Odonata in the Republic of Ireland during 31st July-13th August including Scarce Emerald damselfly (1 site each in Mayo and Clare, former possibly new), Black-tailed Skimmer (Clare, West Mayo including 2 sites on Lough Conn, East Mayo and Roscommon), Keeled Skimmer (West Galway and West Mayo), Ruddy Darter (Clare, South-east Galway, West and East Mayo, Roscommon, Kildare), and Black Darter (West Galway), etc. I hope to give fuller details soon.  

Since coming back the only other Odonata of note have been a female Keeled Skimmer near Killevy Castle, South Armagh (the first I have confirmed in Co. Armagh this year despite several visits), and 8 Banded Damselflies (6 males and 2 females) on the River Bann at Dynes Bridge near Portadown, both in Co. Armagh on 17th August.

The following day I started from the picnic area across the road from the native woodland and followed a forest track up to a small mountain lake,Lough Aclearig W 021 792 (Alt. 280m). Along the way a spotted 4 more common hawkers, plenty of keeled skimmers and common darters. At the lough itself was plenty of Common blue damselflies (Enallagma cyathigerum), Blue tailed damselflies (Ischnura elegans) and a good number of Emerald damselflies incl. many tenerals (Lestes sponsa). Unfortunately the rain closed in soon after so I made my way back down to the car.

I do not know whether this is a new site; there is a 1990-1999 record for this 10 x 10 km. Grid Square (J43) in the Dragonfly Ireland book. I have only been at this site in early October previously which is probably too late for Ruddy Darter.  

Several Emerald damselflies, a male Variable Damselfly and 2 Blue-tailed Damselflies were seen; at Ballydugan Lake near Downpatrick a Common Blue and a Blue-tailed damselfly were seen. Observations at both sites were curtailed by heavy showers and it is still raining as I type this, although the recent rain in Northern Ireland is very welcome from the point of view of vegetation, preventing fires and also topping up bog pools, etc.

30 July 2006, Keenan's Cross Pond: Male Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator (first site record), ovipositing pair of Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata, some Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum, large number of Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum and some Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans

24 July, Moneycrookroe: 3 Common Hawker Aeshna juncea, 1 Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator, about 12 Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum coerulescens, small number of Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata, great many Emerald Damselfly Lestes sponsa and usual blues and reds.

23 July, Cappoge Bridgeover R Dee on old N1: Over 40 Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens, mostly males counted from bridge.

The 2 reports of adults was one by Kim Tyner today perched on the sea-saw in the garden. It was definitely a hawker, brown in colour and much smaller than Emperor. The other report was yesterday in a neighbouring field by David Nash and Gerry Sharkey during the previously mentioned DNFC visit. The rest of group had moved on, so missing out on sighting.

Previously, during brief sunny spells after a cloudy morning the DNFC members saw a number of Emperor Anax imperator inc an ovipositing female, a Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum, a number of Ruddy Darter Sympetrum sanguineum, a good view of a fresh looking Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata, along with a couple of older specimens, plenty of Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum, lesser numbers of Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans and a single Emerald Damselfly Lestes sponsa.

On 16/07/06 I had 1 male Common Hawker (A.juncea) on Mullins Hill above Killiney Golf Course and I visited a quarry pond in a private garden near Dalkey Village and had 2 male Brown Hawker (A.grandis) and 1 male Common Hawker (A.juncea). Also 3+ Common Darter (S.striolatum) including a pair & 6+ Blue tailed Damselfly. On 17/7 I had 1 male Common Hawker again on Mullins Hill.

16^th July in Fermanagh at Lough Alaban. Quite a few Pyrrhosoma nymphula, Ischnura elegans and Lestes sponsa. An Aeshna grandis was also present. No Coenagrion were seen. Surprising result as I would have expected lunulatum still to be on the wing at this its highest Irish site and largest colony in N. Ireland

18^th July Finally hit the jackpot at Craigavon North Lake. A fine male Anax parthenope. A nice birthday present!!

I have been there daily in the last few blisteringly hot days, swimming the dogs and suspected I saw an Anax there yesterday, but lacking binoculars could not see anything on it. This was confirmed today as it was seen patrolling off the shore of the North Lake in the area the calm water created by the dense beds of water weed, occasionally coming close along the shore. The flight was exactly as I have seen in parthenope before, low with abdomen arched above thorax and on a circular loop, rather than the to and fro, high beat of imperator. Its regular route extended several 100 metres along the shore from south to north then out to island and back again. This was varied according to circumstance but was reasonably predictable. Once it was interrupted by Black-headed Gull which lunged at it, but missed.

Best access point is from the Lurgan end of the lake, where the road goes over the railway bridge and straight down to the shore of the north lake. Also present at the lakes were Aeshna grandis and the usual clouds of Enallagma cyathigerum

My refurbished garden pond has attracted its old complement of odonates (Ischnura elegans, Coenagrion puella, Libellula quadrimaculata, Sympetrum striolatum, Aeshna grandis), and paid host to a male Calopteryx splendens briefly on the 14^th July. This was first seen flying along the road in front of the house, flipped into my garden and hung for a few hours. The River Bann lies about 500m away so is the presumed source. My dragonfly-eating sparrows tried once to capture it unsuccessfully. The same sparrows caught the only Sympetrum seen emerging this year.

On same date, 5 Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo & a Common Darter along River Clodiagh (S4015) east of Clonea Power.  

15 July 2006, Clodiagh River at Curraghmore Estate (S4515) and Portlaw:  31 Beautiful Demoiselle Calopteryx virgo, 4 Common Hawker Aeshna juncea and a Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis.

16^th July Arklow Ponds: Quiet enough up to 11.30am when I had to leave. Two Brown Hawkers Aeshna grandis and male & female Emperor Anax imperator. This is the first time I’ve actually seen Emperor ovipositing at this site. There were also several Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum, Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans and Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella

On the way I stopped at Killevy Castle near Slieve Gullion Forest, Co. Armagh. I saw a Brown Hawker (not a typical habitat for the species, though I have seen it here before, and also Hairy Hawker, to which the same remarks apply). Also seen were 2 Common Hawkers, but no definite Keeled Skimmers (a brief glimpse oa medium-sized dragonfly could have been this or a Common Darter).   Not much more than an hour later (due ot the excellent new M1 Motorway starting near Dundalk, Co. Louth) I was at Balbriggan Lake in North Dublin where (as in July 2005) I met Peter Doyle of Dublin who had been there since late morning. His observations as shown on http://www.iol.ie/~wicklowweather/dragonfly/odonatanews.htm are shown below and more or less coincide with mine (no male Anax sp. were noted) although I failed to see the Red-veined Darter or any Black-tailed Skimmers at this time or on a 2nd visit in the late afternoon. I did however see 1 or 2 Ruddy Darters (1 female caught and identified) and a Common Darter during the first visit, and a Ruddy Darter during the 2nd. Unfortunately I managed at best to get only 1 distant shot of a Male Emperor at rest on vegetation on either visit, perhaps because because they were too lively due to the hot sunshine. Since the Emperor has recently been recorded in Co. Louth (see also below) within a few miles of the border within Northern Ireland, perhaps it may be worth looking for it in lakes in Co. Down, including the lake at Carrickanab near Clough where I believe I may have seen a Migrant Hawker in October 2005.

The first Brown Hawkers Aeshna grandis were noted on 4th (June)at Screen Hills and at Culleton's Gap, Raven N.R.. There were 27 Four-spotted Chasers at just one pool in Raven N.R. on 4th. Hairy Dragonflies were seen at a number of locations in the early part of the month and there was a spectacular count/showing of literally 100s of this species at Tacumshin Lake on 8th. The 'first of the year' Emperor Dragonfly was seen at Tacumshin Lake on 7th. There were 46 counted in Screen Hills on 9th and a number of other localities had specimens in the second week - 3 at Raven Point on 11th. The first Common Darters were noted in Raven N.R. on 10th.

On 4th July in Co. Fermanagh Brad Robson reports a Common Hawker and 2 Four-spotted Chasers at Pettigoe Plateau, and 13 Banded Damselflies at Sillees River Bridge north of Derrygonnelly.  

Concerning Enda Flynn's interesting record of a mature male Keeled Skimmer at Moneycrookroe near Omeath, Co. Louth, on 2nd July, in 2005 I saw at least 1 (male) among flushes at some altitude on Clermont Mountain on the Armagh/Louth border (though on the Armagh side). I think there is a record of the Keeled Skimmer near Castlebellingham in the 1980s and an older one for around Clogherhead, both Co. Louth.  

In 2005 I only saw a single Keeled Skimmer on 1 or 2 occasions only at the only known breeding site for Keeled Skimmer in Co. Armagh (Killevy Castle on Slieve Gullion) and I did not see any there on 2nd July, though it had clouded over by the time I got to the site in late afternoon. The site is small and thus vunerable, as are many sites for this species.

5 July 2006, Moneycrookroe, Cooley, Co Louth: Conservatively about 15 Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum coerulescens were present in the flushes at the northern end of the site, although the most seen together was two mating pairs and three attendant males. While scanning the pools from here I saw three large hawkers near the middle. By the time I extricated myself from the flushes and reached them, only one was showing, a male Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator. It returned to patrol the bay were I was standing about every 5 minutes, there was no sign of the others. At least 100 or more Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata were present, every bay and flush seemed to have a dozen or so, with more spread along the grass and heather. The usual damselflies were also present in large numbers.

4 July: Glack Bog, Ardee, Co Louth: there were a few Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata and Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula in some rapidly drying drainage ditches.

4 July Mapastown Bridge, River Glyde, Road N52: Over 30 Banded Demoiselle Calopteryx splendens, mostly males, were counted from the bridge looking downstream.

Nothing new seen at the other sites checked.

A single male Red-veined Darter Symptrum fonscolombii resting on the ground out from the "High Car Park", seen very well through telescope. At 17.30.
Relevant features noted on this individual include :
Noticable red veins to leading edge and base of all wings, deep red abdomen which was slighlty wasted, pale blue underside to eyes, yellow behind eyes with black edge to the back of the blue on the eyes, honey coloured pterostigma with thick black border, yellowish stripes on legs. Quite worn, with chunks taken out
of both left wings.Thick black stripes to sides of segments 7 and 8? of abdomen, also present on upper surface of these same segments.

A single male Emperor was also flushed from a ditch in the same area at about 19.00.

Spent about an hour from 2 til 3 o'clock walking around the "scirpus marsh" otherwise known as field 13, at the north end of the reserve. Weather was slightly overcast, yet warm with a light breeze.
Checking the newly created scrapes and widened ditches i saw : 4 Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata ( 3 territorial males and 1 ovipositing female), 1 Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula, numerous Azure Damselfly Coenagrion puella and Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans, with copulating and ovipositing seen by both of these species.

While searching through the drier part of the marsh for resting Libellulidae i came across : 3 more Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata, 2 teneral Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum, 1 mature male Ruddy Darter Sympetrum sanguineum and a *possible* male Red-veined Darter Symptrum fonscolombii (enticing views of this individual were had using binoculars, but i could not relocate it for closer inspection to confirm its identity.)