Our weekly series of blogs focussing on our 70 species to spot at Minsmere challenge continues with a look at one of the dragonflies on the list: the common darter. As their name suggests, this is one of the commoner species seen of dragonfly, especially in late summer and early autumn. In fact, during September it's one of the commonest species on the reserve, with clouds of hundreds of these small dragonflies flying above the reeds and along the woodland rides.
Male common darters are red, while the females and freshly emerged adults are dull yellow-green. They can be seen from late June onwards, and become increasingly common through August and September. Numbers then decline through October, but some will still flying into November, or even December on sunny days.
Male common darter on bramble, photographed in October
The very similar ruddy darter has largely finished flying now. Males tend to be darker red and be narrower bodies, but the best way to distinguish them is the leg colour. Ruddy darters have red legs while common have a yellow stripe on the leg.
Common darters seem to like resting communally on the benches
There are also still good numbers of the larger migrant hawker dragonflies around, as well as a few southern and brown hawkers and willow emerald and blue-tailed damselflies. The warm sunny weather has also been good for butterfly watching over the weekend, with good numbers of small coppers, large whites and red admirals and a few brown argus, speckled wood and comma butterflies. There's also still several hornets in the woods.
It's been a great couple of days for birdwatching too, especially on the Scrape. The juvenile red-necked phalarope is still present on East Scrape, and was often seen close to the hide today as the wardens were cutting the bank vegetation with a tractor-mounted mower. Up to five little stints were also still on East Scrape today. Pick of the waders today were five golden plovers, a little ringed plover, common sandpiper, spotted redshank and several ruffs. Other species included black-tailed godwits, avocets, ringed plovers, dunlins, snipe, redshanks and lapwings.
Golden plover by Paul Chesterfield (rspb-images.com)
Hundreds of teals and gadwalls have been joined by increasing numbers of wigeons and shovelers, and the first couple of pintails of the autumn. Although they favour the Scrape, some of the ducks did move out to Island Mere today while the cutting was being undertaken.
Island Mere produced several sightings of bitterns, kingfishers and marsh harriers, a very showy otter mid morning, several hobbies and excellent views of bearded tits. In fact, bearded tits seemed to be everywhere, with regular reports from East Hide, Wildlife Lookout, North Wall and the Konik Field too. Cetti's warblers are also widespread, but much more likely to be heard than seen.
Offshore, the last two days have seen an excellent passage of brent geese, especially in the morning. Skein after skein were watched flying slowly, close to the coast, heading to the Essex estuaries or Sussex and Hampshire harbours of the winter.
Further evidence of migration came in the shape of a lovely firecrest in the Sluice Bushes, a couple or wheatears in the dunes, a female redstart near East Hide yesterday and increasing numbers of goldcrests, robins and meadow pipits. We're expecting the first redwings any time too. Starling numbers also seem to be increasng, with 4000 seen over the Scrape at 6.30 pm last night, before ehading towards the reedbed.