Blue Eyes.

 My last blog post about Dragonflies gave me a little inspiration, as I have probably been neglecting this group of insects recently. 

Last weekend I gained further inspiration, when Lisa and I were on Pevensey Levels, and I found a rare Lesser Emperor, as well as seeing a Norfolk Hawker.

3 years ago I found a breeding area for the gorgeous Southern Migrant Hawker, also known as the Blue-eyed Hawker, within walking distance from home, and with this recent extra interest I decided to go and have a look at the site to check if the dragonfly was still using the area. More of that later!!

It was back in 2017, when the Southern Migrant Hawker came on my radar. The only really reliable site for the dragonfly back then was in Essex at Canvey Island. I had never been to Canvey Island, and I had also never 'twitched' a dragonfly before, but when Matt said he was going to Canvey to see the dragonfly, and invited me along, well, it was not an opportunity to miss. We arrived so early, we had to wait a while to see the insect, as they were all still hiding at roost, but eventually some started to fly, and what a stunning dragonfly the adult male is!!

Male Southern Migrant Hawker. Canvey Island. 14/7/2017.

It was 3 years later that my next sighting of the species happened, and that was amazingly in my garden!! I was in the back garden, when I spotted quite a small dragonfly fly across the garden and land on the mass of Ivy that covers the fence. I knew it was different, and I had no idea at that moment what species it was. I ran upstairs to grab the camera and got back in the garden, but I stupidly hadn't made a mental note where the dragonfly was actually sitting. I panned the area and eventually spotted it. After taking a few images, I was then able to check the dragonfly books. I was amazed that it was a teneral (immature) Southern Migrant Hawker. Possibly the first sighting for Seaford? And it had chosen my garden!!

Teneral Southern Migrant Hawker. Seaford 6/7/2020.

This species when it emerges from it's larval underwater life into a dragonfly, it will leave the area where it emerged until it is fully mature. This means that teneral dragonflies can literally turn up anywhere within a few miles of the breeding area. I was so lucky that it chose my garden to rest. Even more amazingly perhaps was just last year, 2023, I had another one hunting for insects over the garden. My garden is obviously in the area that they mature in.

My next encounter came in 2021, when James and I were searching for Scarlet Tiger moths in Friston Forest. We were walking along a ride that held a few of the moths when we spotted a teneral Southern Migrant Hawker. Fortunately, it flew only a very short distance, and we were both able to get some nice photos of it. We did see several more of them over the next couple of weeks and it was clear then that the species was becoming more numerous in the Seaford area.

Teneral Southern Migrant Hawker. Friston Forest. 11/07/2021.

Only 4 days after seeing this one I then found another in a private wood near Ringmer that I survey for butterflies.

Just over a month later was the day that I found the breeding area for the species, close to home in the Cuckmere valley. This was a day that I will never forget, as it was a very sad day for me, as it would have been Penny's birthday, the first one since I had lost her in April. 

The local Lace Border had already tried to cheer me up when an extremely fresh individual had sat perfectly for me giving me what is still by far, my best photo of this stunning little moth. (maybe the moth knew that I needed to be cheered up, or maybe Penny's spirit placed it there for me)!!

 So to then find the breeding area of a rare dragonfly just 40 minutes later, I was in a much brighter mood when I got back home!! I also managed to get a few half decent flight shots. Of course by now the dragonflies were fully mature with the bright blue eyes that gives them their alternative name.

Male Southern Migrant Hawker. River Cuckmere 16/8/2021.

A week later I visited the site again and found a male at rest. Something that the mature adults rarely seem to do!!

Male Southern Migrant Hawker at rest River Cuckmere 23/8/2021.

What is probably my best image of a teneral then came in June 2023 along Cradle Valley when I was actually looking for Norfolk Hawkers, which had also by then reached this part of the country. I saw the dragonfly in flight and realised what it was before it landed this time. I was lucky that it landed head height, as after taking the photos it next landed much higher in the bush and well out of reach.

Teneral Southern Migrant Hawker. Cradle Valley 18/6/2023.

So, we now come to this past week, when I have had 3 sessions with the dragonflies at the local breeding area. Up to 10 males have been seen as well as possibly 3 females. Twice in tandem with males. It certainly is a challenge photographing them in flight as they are constantly moving about at high speed, only occasionally hovering in one spot for a second or two. Unless you are in exactly the right spot you have no chance. But, one did hover in the right area on each occasion, giving me the fighting chance I needed. There is still plenty of room for improvement, so fingers crossed for next time.

Male Southern Migrant Hawker in flight. River Cuckmere. 30/7/2024-1/8/2024.

After the final photos were taken, the weather clouded up and I started looking for them at roost as they had stopped flying. Eventually I found one sleeping on a Blackthorn bush.

Male Southern Migrant Hawker. River Cuckmere. 1/8/2024.

I have really enjoyed the days spent with this stunning dragonfly, and the challenge of photographing them. They have increased in number so quickly in the Seaford area, and it's well worth looking out for them in both their immature stage, right through to seeing them with those incredible 'Blue eyes'.