A New Dragonfly - Scarlet Darter

With a number of the rare Scarlet Darter being seen at Silverlake in Dorset and more importantly, a dragonfly I have never seen, I was getting quite tempted by all the photos being posted online, but initially didn't take the bait. With more photos then posted and the fact that there were a few of them at the site, I finally decided that there would be a good chance of seeing them and maybe even a few photographic opportunities. With sunny, hot weather forecast for today, I left home at 05:30 and after a few traffic issues, I duly arrived at the site around 09:45. A quick snack and drink and I then made the short walk to the lake which I must say, looks incredible. A scan through the binoculars produced dragonflies and damselflies everywhere and I can certainly see why this habitat attracts the wildlife it does. There were already a handful of enthusiasts on site and I passed a few that had already seen them. I spoke to a few locals who gave me some information and then made my way slowly around the lake checking the likely areas for a very bright red darter. It wasn't until I had walked quite a way that I suddenly disturbed a bright darter which made its way back out over the water. This was my first encounter with a Scarlet Darter and I needn't of worried as the next couple of hours produced at least 4 SCARLET DARTER (4 males and an ovipositing female). They were quite tricky to find when perched so I employed the tactic of finding one out over the water and then tracking it for a while as it flew out over the land and come to rest. It was then a case of trying to creep in to capture a few shots and appreciate the stunning colours and shape of this rare dragonfly. With some patience and fieldcraft, I was able to obtain a good selection of photos and in the end, had an amazing time seeing a new dragonfly. It certainly made the drive worthwhile! Whilst not looking for Scarlet Darters, there were Small Red eyed Damselfly, Common Blue Damselfly, Blue tailed Damselfly, Black tailed Skimmer, Keeled Skimmer, Emperor Dragonfly, 2 Lesser Emperor and Common Darters. A super day watching a super Darter and one that I will not forget in a hurry. 

Scarlet Darter (Crocothemis erythraea) - male