I visit the small BBOWT reserve of Decoy Heath in most years and have been there many times in the past decade. This is a hidden gem of a place for dragonflies and damselflies at which 23 breeding species have been recorded historically. So with my evolved and hence motivational butterflying being on pause for a short while after the weekend, I opted to make my first visit of 2019 on the fair weather Monday of 3rd June.
There are three good sized ponds here, between which lies an area of regenerated scrubby heath on what was formerly a landfill site. I made my way first to the closest pond to the parking area (SU 61396 63487) on the road between Silchester and Padworth Commons. This “shady pond” (pictured below) in a wooded area is perhaps the most reliable for Downy Emerald, my day’s prime target. I have only ever gained three acceptable pictures of that species and each new season set out to try for some more.
Decoy Heath location one: the “shady pond”
The task is seldom easy since “Downies” patrol the same circuit over and over again and only usually settle away from the water. And though one or two were visible out above the surface as I approached things at once became more difficult still as Four-spotted Chaser were also present. I was pleased to capture an individual (below, left) in teneral colouring, but immature or not it was no less aggressive than all of it’s kind. But the real boss here was the right hand FSC, and needless to say any Downy that came near was at once chased off.
I therefore decided to re-acquaint myself with the rest of the reserve then come back with my chair to stake things out and seek my chance. The route taken passed another wet spot that I will call the “seasonal scrape” (below left). This is an area of shallow surface water which dries out in high summer but can be rewarding for odonata at this earlier time of year. Not much was flying there now with Four-spotted Chaser again the main interest.
As I moved onward some larger dragonflies escaped my approach. These I took to be Hairy Hawker and a probable Common Goldenring, both of which I have encountered at Decoy Heath in past years. A little further on was the “second pond” (above right), by the reserves’s north-eastern boundary and a road just beyond. And now it hit home that all was not quite as I remembered things at this favourite site, due to the extent of habitat management work carried out since my previous visit around 12 months ago.
In recent years it had become more and more difficult, indeed scratchy to move around Decoy Heath. But now, as I had been noticing up until this point, invasive scrub has been reduced by possibly 50 per cent or more. All this has given the “second pond” a more open aspect, with the possible consequence of reducing it’s attractiveness to Downy Emerald. This was indeed one of the three locations of my past pictures (below), but today (3rd June) there were none to be seen, this being a dragonfly that in my experience prefers shadier habitat.
So what was on the wing here? Not surprisingly Four-spotted Chaser were again the most numerous, but the biggest boss of all, Blue Emperor was also imposing its effortless and ever regal authority upon proceedings. I cannot recall ever having watched this pond without being granted such an audience with the Emperor, and these were now my first records for 2019. Teneral Black-tailed Skimmer is possibly one of my favourite dragonflies in its attractive yellow and black early colouring, and I came across them several times in more open areas of the heath, always low to the ground (below).
Teneral Black-tailed Skimmer
My immediate reaction upon taking in the extent of the restoration work was to wonder if the third pond in the north-eastern part of the reserve might now be accessible. This had been impossible to reach for a number of years and on the one past occasion when I had reached the water views over it were very restricted. But historically this is a site where the iconic Brilliant Emerald has been cited and I am acquainted with two senior Oxon birders who have observed that special dragonfly there.
First though hunger pangs intervened and I returned to my car for a lunch break. My chair wasn’t in it so I shelved the plan to stake out location one and moved on to seek out the third “hidden pond”. Indeed a fairly discernible path led through a formerly overgrown area to the water’s edge, and from there it was possible to view much of this large enclosed pool. This has been achieved by a superb piece of site management work that serves to rejuvenate this idyllic spot and hopefully might reveal some of its hitherto secrets.
Decoy Heath location four: the “hidden pond”
Downy Emerald was indeed here, having been missing from the “second pond” earlier, as were more bullying, territorial Four-spotted Chaser. No picture opportunities were forthcoming though, not unusually so the only Downy images I have captured this season remain flight studies (below) from a site at Abingdon, Oxon. Today I remained in the atmospheric hidden location of my finding for some time enjoying the tranquillity and solitude on offer, before continuing my second circuit of Decoy Heath.
Downy Emerald at Barton Fields, Abingdon
The main interest now, other than more Black-tailed Skimmer, was one of the site specialities White-legged Damselfy. I regard this as one of the most enticing of the blue species because of the variety of subtly different colour forms it is possible to detect in the field. The individual at the top of the following sequence is the bluest-toned I have ever come across in England, and this was followed by several paler variations. A probable teneral was also present at the “hidden pond” though I am open to correction.
White-legged Damselfly (male)
Lastly I made it back to the first “shady pond” where finding a passably comfortable log pile to recline on I relaxed for a while as originally planned. The surroundings here were shared with many Azure Damselfly and some Large Red Damselfly (pictured below), but the Downy Emerald now seemed to be less active and at no time co-operative as earlier. Eventually as conditions became more overcast even the four-spotted enforcers were no longer on view and so I made my way home.
Through May, Clubtails at Goring aside, I had concentrated my dragonflying on two sites at Abingdon in Oxfordshire. Radley Lakes is where I now go each season to try for better pictures of Hairy Hawker, but still I am never quite satisfied. Here Orchard Lake (SU 51935 97052) is a good location for capturing mating pairs pictorially, since they often do so in scrub on the pond’s northern shore. This image (below) is from 23rd May.
Mating Hairy Hawkers
The start of each new Odonata season also affords the opportunity to study and take pictures of different damselfly colour forms. Advancing my knowledge of this group while boosting my picture collection in the process was one item on my home wildlife agenda for 2019, and these new season experiences are presented in the next post herein.
Ramblings and Scribblings 