Steve Preddy

Excellent, thanks, I’d appreciate that. I’ll be there Dec to Jan with @andyfmears.bsky.social

Thanks Shaun. Is that the same as Napo Wildlife Centre or are these different?

Where did you connect with Zigzag and Agami Shaun?

Thanks Martin, I thought that was the answer - it just seemed very early for a juvenile to be migrating, so wondered whether I had misremembered the tertial feature.

Hi Martin, were you able to age this Pied Fly?

A Lesser Emperor at Wentwood reservoir this evening along the west shore. #gwentdragonflies

This is pertinent: www.erikkleyheeg.nl/ruddy-shelduck

A male Scarce Chaser was seen and photographed on Tuesday just southwest of Magor Marsh: a first record for the county. #gwentdragonflies

Another one of those has to be on the cards at some point. Julian just has to intercept the next one off Burnham on Sea prom before it decides to have a nap on a driveway in Brean.

Just over 30 years since @julianthomas19.bsky.social and I saw it. Where did that time go? And who’d have thought that after all the effort involved to make it to Hermaness, a twitchable mainland bird would turn up a couple of decades later.

The highlight of a day of dragonflying on the Gwent Levels today was a copulating pair of Variable Damselfly on Pont-y-cw-cw reen near West Usk lighthouse, a new site for this species.
w3w.co/scrubbing.ru...

#gwentdragonflies

///underway.reworked.chickens This is the what3words address for a 3 metre square location near Hirwaun, Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Cefn Cadlan Dotterels still present this afternoon chilling out at

w3w.co/underway.rew...

Botany peeps: it’s way too early for Fairy Flax (Linum catharticum) to be flowering, isn’t it? If so, I’ve got some head scratching to do over a plant that I’ve found by the River Usk in Newport this afternoon.

The first Monmouthshire dragonfly newsletter of the year is now in your inbox if you’re on the mailing list. If you’re not, and would like to be, please get in touch.

Caroline, the main problem with this proposal is that it would have allowed the teaching of creationism in schools by the backdoor. This was pointed out to Mary on multiple occasions.

Green Hellebores (Helleborus viridis) in flower in woodland near Lower Kilcott in the Cotswolds in South Gloucestershire yesterday.

The Path to American Authoritarianism What comes after democratic breakdown.

"U.S. democracy will likely break down during the second Trump administration, in the sense that it will cease to meet standard criteria for liberal democracy: full adult suffrage, free and fair elections, and broad protection of civil liberties"
www.foreignaffairs.com/united-state...

LGBTQ+ Survey

Hi Polly, the link above is to a page on LinkedIn which links to the survey. The survey itself is at:

app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/bathreg/lg...

I was surprised Patrick didn’t mention this too, as he’s one of the better environment journos. He’s on here @patrickbarkham.bsky.social and might like to comment.

Congratulations Jonnie and Alex. To amuse you, this is how the job ad for two of your predecessors was written: from BB, as recently as Aug 1980.

Help make lead history Lead has been poisoning our wildlife and communities for decades – but now we have a chance to turn things around. With a crucial review into lead ammunition finally at an end, will you join me in c...

There’s an opportunity to bring about a ban on lead shot in the next few weeks. You can support a ban by emailing Steve Reed, the environment secretary, at the page below.

Please also share here and on other social media. Thanks.

act.wwt.org.uk/page/160992/...

The latest Monmouthshire dragonfly recording newsletter is now available, including updates on various species including… small red damselflies.

If you’re not on the mailing list but would like to be, drop me a message.

#gwentdragonflies

The latest Monmouthshire dragonfly recording newsletter is now available, including updates on various species including… small red damselflies.

If you’re not on the mailing list but would like to be, drop me a message.

#gwentdragonflies

A Firecrest at Fourteen Locks, Newport just now

///chefs.blaze.first

#gwentbirds

For a thing I’m doing for the British Dragonfly Society, does anyone have photos of Common Hawker (Aeshna juncea) taken in any of the following counties: Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Sussex, Orkney and Dunbartonshire. Thanks in advance.

I’m watching a male Southern Hawker & a male Common Hawker in territorial squabbles over a pond at Cleddon Bog. This is the only known site in the eastern half of Monmouthshire/Gwent for Common Hawker. Thanks to Barbara Heys for re-finding after an 8-year gap #gwentdragonflies

Can anyone help me track down any of the following? I’ve received records from them and need more info before I can add them to the British Dragonfly Society database.

Thanks. Steve (Monmouthshire county recorder)

Stephen Axe
Simon Bowles
Jennifer Earl
Jon Thobroe
Paul Treen

To get there take the track from
///landed.squirted.stilted and bear right, past the barrier and downhill.
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The highlight was a large number of Brown Hawker (still a localised species in the county), in a hunting swarm with Emperor, Southern Hawker and Common Hawker. Small numbers of Red-eyed Damselfly were also present (I’ve not recorded this before in the north of the county.). 2/3

I spent some time this afternoon at an excellent dragonfly site near Ebbw Vale. It’s a pond called The Cardi, and it’s not far from Waun-y-pound but I think it’s an even better site.

///moon.flagpole.eruptions

#gwentdragonflies

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