Another year, another National Dragonfly Week, yet they always find a way to be different.
To compound matters, rather than start the week with a bang, I was working. Admittedly on the correct island for maximum chances of dragonflies (Hoy), but working nevertheless. Kindly, my partner was more than happy to wander off searching for dragons and damsels on my behalf (into 40+mph winds), and found a very respectable six species, including the first Common Hawker and Black Darters of the year. After work and before return ferry, we managed a quick check of some other water bodies in the north of the island, but only found one Blue-tailed Damselfly and two Emerald Damselflies.
The following day was much calmer and brighter, which meant that there could be no excuses for not heading out into the hills in search of Odonata. The site I needed to check had been reported by several other naturalists as being very low in water levels, so there was an amount of trepidation about the venture.
From Happy Valley, we wandered up Russadale along a rough but delightful path, accompanied by many Common Blue and Meadow Brown butterflies. Valerian, Slender St John's Wort and Eyebright were all in bloom, bees were buzzing and all seemed right with the world. Happy sigh.
The wander back down the hill helped to raise spirits a little. I found several pupae of Magpie Moths, the blaeberries were ripening nicely, and the Rosa rugosa was looking splendid.
I will leave you with a bit of footage of a pair of Common Blue butterflies mating. But please, do not try this at home.
For 2021, NDW straddles the change in Covid levels, but here in Orkney we were already in Level 0 and the chances of more than 15 people turning up for a dragonfly walk on a small island are fairly minimal. No, what we're contending with are the effects of a cold Spring and a dry Summer (not hot, you may note, but definitely dry). A graphic produced by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency last week, showed Orkney with the lowest soil moisture reading in the country. Orkney?! Dry?! What the actual?!
To compound matters, rather than start the week with a bang, I was working. Admittedly on the correct island for maximum chances of dragonflies (Hoy), but working nevertheless. Kindly, my partner was more than happy to wander off searching for dragons and damsels on my behalf (into 40+mph winds), and found a very respectable six species, including the first Common Hawker and Black Darters of the year. After work and before return ferry, we managed a quick check of some other water bodies in the north of the island, but only found one Blue-tailed Damselfly and two Emerald Damselflies.
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| An out-of-focus newly-emerged Emerald Damselfly |
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| It was a relief to see a pool with plenty of water in it |
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| Can you spot the exuvia on the twig? |
The following day was much calmer and brighter, which meant that there could be no excuses for not heading out into the hills in search of Odonata. The site I needed to check had been reported by several other naturalists as being very low in water levels, so there was an amount of trepidation about the venture.
En route, the pond at Happy Valley in Stenness was given a quick check. It did contain a bit of water, which was very muddy it has to be said, presumably as a consequence of dogs chasing sticks if the amount of branches in and around the pool was anything to go by. However, there were some Blue-tailed Damselflies here, maybe about twenty, with evidence of breeding in the form of exuviae and a pair mating.
From Happy Valley, we wandered up Russadale along a rough but delightful path, accompanied by many Common Blue and Meadow Brown butterflies. Valerian, Slender St John's Wort and Eyebright were all in bloom, bees were buzzing and all seemed right with the world. Happy sigh.
Sadly, upon reaching the disused quarry, as predicted the pools were gone, though amazingly we did find one Blue-tailed Damselfly, who must've been wondering what had happened to his world. I have never been able to walk across the bed of this pool without getting wet feet.
I will leave you with a bit of footage of a pair of Common Blue butterflies mating. But please, do not try this at home.
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