First signs of autumn are already with us in the form of ripe blackberries, rowan berries and hawthorn “haws”. Soon other trees and bushes will follow.
Dr Phil Smith: Wildlife Notes June 2018
Reports of Red-eyed Damselflies at new localities in Merseyside led Trevor Davenport and me to visit the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Aintree where this distinctive species can be found perching on Fringed Water-lily leaves. We logged about 25 Red-eyes, including several pairs, as well as four other species of dragonfly in this exceptional month for these...
Dr Phil Smith: Wildlife Notes May 2018
The Met. Office reckoned it was the warmest and sunniest May on record; it was also dry with measurable rainfall on only eight days. Forecasts of torrential thunder-storms came day after day during the last week but all we got were a couple of brief showers on 30th and 31st. The duneland water-table therefore fell...
Red-veined Darters
Information and photo credit Dr Phil Smith, Red-veined Darter (Sympetrum fonscolombii) have been spotted at Ainsdale Sandhills Local Nature Reserve not farm from the Ainsdale Discovery Centre. This species is found infrequently. Largely considered a migrant but with some breeding populations in the UK, considered unstable by the British Dragonfly Society. Phil discovered three males basking on bare...