Dave Smallshire

Back to Cockwood today as my views of a distant 'orange-billed' Tern weren't great and certainly inconclusive on 03/12. But today though distantly perched it did one circuit our way and gave great in-flight scope views. A few quick shots with a 400mm lens. Happy I've seen Lesser Crested Tern👍

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@smallshire.bsky.social @britishdragonflies.bsky.social

2 pairs of Common Darters egglaying in the newly-restored Serpentine lake at Stover today!

An introduction to dragonflies and damselflies Learn about the life cycles and habitats of dragonflies and aids to identification. Then participate in a field study of adult dragonflies.

I am leading a course next year on behalf of Kent Wildlife Trust 'An introduction to Dragonflies and Damselflies'. See below for further details. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/events/intro...

BDS Journal - British Dragonfly Society Image: Broad-bodied Chaser by Bruce Hyde

The latest BDS Journal is available online, where you can also access previous issues 👉 british-dragonflies.org.uk/bds-journal/

This is unfortunate the Sparrowhawk. It only flew a couple of feet, but out of view. It flew to our fence, but dropped the dove on the floor. I couldn't see the hawk, but when I went to look at the dove, the hawk flew from nearby past my face! Magpies found the dove and removed it in no time!

After hearing loud thump on my study window, I discovered a young Sparrowhawk sitting on pondweed in the middle of my pond. What was even more surprising was that when it took off it pulled a Collared Dove out of the water beneath it!

\o/ Available now on Talking Bat Podcast \o/
Excellent interview with Dave Smallshire @smallshire.bsky.social chatting about his life journey
Once you finish listening to Dave, why not check out all the other brilliant people we have spoken to in the series batability.podbean.com/e/talking-dr...

Female Southern Hawker ovipositing in our garden pond today.

One of the most incredible WTF!! moments I have witnessed in 41 years birding Belvide. 8 White-rumped Sandpiper on the north shore between 4pm-5.30pm. Just short of a British Record of 11 on the outer Hebrides. Thought I'd lost the plot when I saw them. Still pinching myself. #UKbirding

A Southern Hawker egglaying at my pond surprised me by flying up, landing on my tee-shirt and testing me as an oviposition site! As I fumbled to try and get my phone out for a photo, she flew ... and landed on my wrist! I know Southern Hawkers are inquisitive, but that's ridiculous!

A triple birthday whammy in my S Devon garden this morning: Green Woodpecker, this Sparrowhawk (went off to chase a sparrow) and just now my first Hummingbird Hawk-moth of the year. Good things always come in threes!

07/08 Start P 1100-1600: Wilson's Storm-petrel (also another more distant or same bird), 23 European Storm-petrels, 691 Manx, only 7 Balearics!! (record no's further N), 22 Sandwich terns, 2 Common Terns, 14 Fulmar, juv Yl Gull, 5 Med Gulls, Turnstone, Redshank, 20+ ABF Tuna, 15 C Dolphins

Highlight of the year at my pond: Southern Hawker egglaying into rotten wood. Check out that ovipositor! Pondwatching is great!

Very privileged to have received a complimentary copy of the fifth edition of 'Dragonflies of Britain and Ireland' and to have some photos published in it too. Published in the UK from the 2nd September 2025. Looks brilliant. @britishdragonflies.bsky.social @smallshire.bsky.social

Looks good to me

Another great reason to keep the dead elm at the bottom of my garden: first Green Woodpecker (juvenile) in the garden for over 20 years - and that was in the same tree!

Male Fossa Knifetail (Nesocordulia fossa) - type specimen; in fact the only known specimen!

Delighted to have my image of the type specimen of the newly-described Fossa Knifetail (Nesocordulia fossa) in a paper describing 6 new Nesocordulia from Madagascar in 2016. We saw at least 3 of these, including Fossa and Crabshear Knifetails found by K-D Dijkstra on the same day in Mantidia NP!

You should visit Belvide (Staffs) on wet day in May. Estimates of up to 3000 taking non-biting midges. Birds flying low over the dam will part your hair!

Common Darter: male not yet fully coloured

Male Blue-tailed Damselfly

Today's sudden heatwave brought in the first 2 Common Darters of the year to my garden pond in south Devon, joining Azure and Blue-tailed Damselflies. Emperor came to egg-lay briefly and Southern Hawker back on territory at 18:20! #PondWatch @BDSdragonflies

Dragonfly Week - British Dragonfly Society

🌟Dragonfly Week is here!🌟 Looking for a fun and relaxing way to enjoy nature with the family? Head to your nearest pond, slow down, and see how many dragonflies & damselflies you can spot.

👉 Visit our website for free resources, family-friendly events, and identification help.
🔗

Surprised to see a male Golden-ringed Dragonfly perched over my garden pond in south Devon this morning - only the second to do so in 35 years! Should be at running water, but they do wander widely. #PondWatch
@BDSdragonflies

My pond: 5m x 3m

My neighbour's pond (with Southern Hawker exuvia): 1m x 0.5m!

For 30 mins at 5 pm the first territorial Southern Hawker of the year appeared at my garden pond in south Devon, joining a meagre 2 Azure Damselflies. I've only had 1 Southern Hawker emerge so far, but my neighbour's tiny pond has had 6! #PondWatch @BDSdragonflies

Survey of Stover CP yesterday in mostly cloudy but hot weather produced 17 species. Highlights were Lesser Emperor, Downy Emerald and Scarce Chasers.

Nice to see some rare UK insects in N Bohemia on last week's Naturetrek tour: Chequered Skipper and Wart-biter Bush-cricket. An American Mink peering out of a riverside woodpile was perhaps not so welcome!

Emeralds in N Bohemia on last week's Naturetrek tour: Downy (surprisingly common), Brilliant and Yellow-spotted (hard to make out the orange-yellow spots on a mature male!), and by contrast a beautiful immature Small Bluetail.

Some more highlights from last week's Naturetrek tour to N Bohemia, Czechia: Lilypad, Yellow-spotted and Small Whitefaces, and a newly-emerged Green Snaketail.

Personal highlight of last week's Naturetrek Dragonflies of North Bohemia (Czechia) tour: male Dark Whiteface (Leucorrhinia albifrons), which performed brilliantly on our final day. Images show adult male, emerging male and teneral male (x2). More to follow when images processed!

" Sunrise at the allotments this morning before it gets too hot to work, I was greeted by these two "

- thank you Penny Smallshire ‪@anaspenelope.bsky.social‬ for sharing ! #FoxOfTheDay

Delighted to find 10+ male Scarce Chasers at Decoy CP, Newton Abbot, today. None seen last year, but 3 males in 2023.