I have only ever been to Stansted to catch a flight so the days plan to visit Stansted to look for Dragonflies was novel. Adjacent to the airport are a couple of small reservoirs perambulated by a convenient path and allowing investigation of the plentiful Ordonata inhabiting the site. Recently 2 species pushing northwards from the continent have been seen here and these were high on our wish list. The rarer species was one of the first Dragonflies we found hawking the edge of a pond, a male Lesser Emperor. A very smart and easily identifiable Dragonfly it was intent on patrolling the waterline but really hard to photograph as it whizzed past us.
The Emperors further along our walk were much more compliant, but then again there were many more of them to choose from including some ovipositing females.
There were Black-tailed Skimmers all over the place including some pairs in tandem.
The colonising species I was really keen to watch was Red-veined Darter, I have been looking for suitable sites and possible spots for these Darters over the past few years so to visit an inland colony was to be a real treat. Once we'd found the "right" edge of the lagoon the Darters became evident and we saw 20 or more before we left. They were stunning and eventually lead to some good photo opportunities, including female and a pair in congress, which settled all too briefly.
Our return around the pools led us back to the Lesser Emperor which was becoming more prone to landing in the vegetation now the heat of the day was over 35c, however we just couldn't get to see it settled and as it flew up high to catch some prey it looked like it was going to disappear into the woods, which it did except I saw it land and thought I could keep the spot firmly in my sights. With some extreme focus we did locate it sat up up in the low canopy. It revealed itself to be a very battered individual but none the less with digiscoping revealed what a smart Dragonfly this is, hopefully one to come from the Ely 10 in the next few years.
At the end of June we had a day trip out to Strumpshaw Fen where we saw the last of the Swallowtails and enjoyed an abundance of Norfolk Hawkers, a species which has graced Ely10 a couple of times now and is perhaps thriving along some hidden ditch nearby. a new species fro me was Red-tipped Clearwing which posed on some Sallow.
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