best part of the day: migrant hawker

10-09-23 A new dragonfly in the area! Richard posted photos on Saturday evening of Migrant Hawkers and I was right on his case. Where did you see them? "Aberlady - check out iRecord." I dislike iRecord as it has in the past been un-user-friendly and a pain. However needs must. I should probably use it more often and record all the stuff I see, but then there are a million things I probably should be doing, and not time for everything. And mostly I try not to carry a smart phone when I'm having fun. I regard this blog as my alternative contribution to citizen science.

the 2 ponds near Aberlady

The early September heatwave was fast coming to an end and it looked like the last day of decent weather was Sunday 10th. I weighed the options and decided to cycle there. A bus would be easier, a train quicker, but I'd get an hour of workout in either direction on the bike. On google maps it seemed like entry to the area was off the southbound Haddington road which left the road and then ducked under the same road. Although in real life you could easily access the area from the West side - a farmers dirt trail went round the caravan park.

I really stomped the cycle, so was a little surprised it wasn't faster than the time before, taking a full hour to get to Aberlady and a couple of minutes to emerge on the other side and find the off-road. (It was only on the return journey, doing the whole distance in 59minutes that the wind direction became clear.)

The point that Richard had marked on iRecord was obvious. Unfortunately there was a muckle great generator and pump taking water from the pond to water the fields next door. It was making quite a racket and did not add to the bucolic bliss.

chugga-chug

I parked my bike next to the generator and had a small exploration of the pond-side. Unfortunately it was waist deep in thistles and tall grasses and did not easily allow access. As I was wading through the jaggy undergrowth I felt what I thought was a thistle barb penetrate my t-shirt at the top of my ribs under my right arm. I am used to this, brushing through jaggies, but the volume suddenly turned right up from 2 to 9 and I realised something had stung me. I made some flapping gestures and the red hot needle pain eased for a second then reappeared on my left calf. It was not as painful as the first sting, clearly it had used max venom on the first penetration, but it was still noticeable. I looked down and saw a wasp and wondered what I'd done to upset it.

I later googled after hearing a couple of other folk had been stung by wasps: it is the end of the wasp season and they are more prone to stinging folk. There seemed to be a variety of reasons put forward why they interact more with people in a negative fashion at this time of year. I get the feeling they know they are up for the high jump and are living life to the fullest - may as well try out that stinger before they hand in their dinner pail. What's the point of having a gun and never firing it! But it's just a theory. Another is they are out of food and hangry. Hence bad behaviour around August/September picnics.

common darter on generator

Just at the point I was getting stung by the wasp Richard appeared. It was uncanny. Not unlike the shopkeeper in Mr Benn. The wasp escaped in the confusion, otherwise I might have slapped some sense into it. By the way, I had a red circle and raised lump under my arm for a week. It grew from pound coin size to £2 coin size and larger then faded. We are now T plus 2 weeks and there is still a faint trace where the wasp syringe was inserted. The one on my calf itched for a few days but disappeared more quickly.

Richard smiled and said I wouldn't catch him wading into the undergrowth. He had photographed the migrant hawkers very close to where the generator was chugging away. However he also recommended the smaller pond East of the larger pond. We walked over towards it before he (shopkeeper-like) disappeared again. I hoped the smaller pond would provide sufficient dragonfly entertainment, and that maybe the farmer would move his water-pump to another spot meantime. Or just turn it off. (Spoiler alert: he didn't!)

There was a small tortoiseshell and admiral on the creeping thistles near the smaller pond. I stopped to photo the ST as they are sadly thinner on the ground than in previous years, to the extent they are almost rare. Certainly worth stopping briefly for a picture. The red admiral, not so much! They are having a tremendous late Summer season and are ubiquitous.

the small pond

Richard had told me that the East side of the pond was preferable and I could see where he or others had fought through the undergrowth and stood, waiting for dragonflies to appear. Access round the edge was tricky. Steep sides and a dooking if you weren't careful. I eventually settled at the North East corner which was beside some reeds and looked like it had potential. It was next to a steep side but a small flat platform next to the water provided a base.

There was a big whiff of manure, due to the couple of shovelfuls of cow/horseshit dumped next to it. I was pretty sure a horse or cow had not tip-toed down the steep bank and shat next to the water. Which implied the farmer had maybe seen some wildlifer standing there taking photos and thought I'll discourage them with some stinky poo. That is the only reason I can think that it was there - I mean what other reason could there be? I really doubt any animal would negotiate the terrain.

silver Y in the rushes

On the upside I could see there were dragonflies buzzing about the corner. I thought I could see an exuvia hanging off the underside of a reed and was at full zoom trying to hold my camera still enough to get a decent shot, then realised it was just a dead leaf and let my held breath out, as I took my camera away from my eye. It was then I realised there was a dragonfly about 2m away RESTING on a reed! I quickly framed the beast in case it flew off and took a dozen shots all exactly the same. It looked nearly identical to a common hawker except it had the yellow golf tee between the lower wings that marked it out as a Migrant Hawker - my first ever! Superb!

I was really thrilled by this first encounter as the chances of a common hawker landing for a photo just next to where you are standing are slim to none. However each species is slightly different with Commons being worst for posing for pics; Southerns less bad and much more curious - they will hover in the air, giving you a good chance of in-flight shots; and Migrants being the most cooperative. They land frequently, often nearby, and will pose motionless, in a very obliging fashion. Which made me warm to them totally. Absolute opposite to the purple hairstreaks. Which I haven't had any interest in tracking down again since my first encounter with them back in July.

NE corner of the pond - migrants would land on reeds directly in front

Southern Hawker

After I had been there for 5 or 10 minutes I noticed a Southern Hawker buzzing around the area. It was larger than the migrants. My dragonfly laminate tells me they can be larger than Common Hawkers (only by a mm or 2) although they seemed about the same size. The slightly more fluro yellow/lime colour down their abdomens (changing into blue for the last segments) marks the difference. The Southern was not landing that I could see, although it hovered nearby and I nearly got photos!

It was difficult to tell how many Migrants were at this spot - several for sure as they would interact and chase each other. Slightly less aggressive than male Commons, which almost always try to assert dominance over each, and chase each other vigorously. These migrants seemed slightly more sociable. I was very pleased that several landed on the nearby reeds to allow photos. I had to move around on the limited grassy area and risked slipping into the water trying to get a better viewpoint. It wasn't as easy as Saltoun or Coulston ponds but it was worth it for a new species.

only female shot I got, when a pair flew up together (male in front)

I had been hoping to come across a female Migrant. The closest I got was when a male found a female (no doubt ovipositing in the depths of the reeds) and picked her up to fly off to mate away from the water. I shot off a few frames as they left the scene in a cellophane rattle of wings. I chased them up and over the edge of the pond but could not discover where they landed despite an enthusiastic search!

up, up and away

a 3.5 winged version

the smaller pond

I was very pleased to have nailed the Migrant photos at the first attempt and decided to call it a day. The weather was set to deteriorate later and I wanted to set off home before getting a soaking. (Just managed!) But first I went back to the larger pond. The generator was still pounding away but I put up with the noise for long enough to see a very similar set up to the other pond. Migrants were there in small numbers and there was one Southern Hawker constantly flying about, (maybe more). Interestingly no common hawkers at either pond.)

Given the many tragedies of global warming I shouldn't be just quite so pleased it is serving us in this cold country so well. Not only is it giving us warmer weather and more sunshine it is bringing more species over the border from England (and Europe.) This is the third new species of dragonfly I am aware of in a couple of years. Broad bodied chasers (possibly my favourites), southern hawkers and migrant hawkers. I had hoped to come across emperors, they have been seen locally. And Alan B even recorded a lesser emperor, although that was likely a singular immigrant. And various new butterfly species are arriving also. So it might be a little like fiddling while Rome burns (or while other people burn Rome because I don't have a driving licence or 4x4, or new-kitchen-every-10-years lifestyle) but I am greatly enjoying the benefits. Sucks to your gloom and doom!