Dragonflies on Dartmoor
This is the diary of previous special events, courses, field trips and holidays.
The background colour of the date is used to show different types of meeting. Green is used for BDS and BDS Local Group organised field meetings and events, Blue where the BDS will have a stand or speaker(s), but is not responsible for the event itself (please follow any given links for further details) and Yellow for other dragonfly events. These last are listed for information only, using information as it was provided to us. The BDS is not directly involved in these events and therefore all details are solely under the control of the individual event organisers. We suggest you contact these organisers direct or follow the given links to confirm details.
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Sunday 29th July 2012Smallhanger, SW Dartmoor, Devon
Dave Smallshire Tel: 01626 853393; Email davesmalls@btinternet.com
10:00 a.m. by the ford at Drakeland Corner (SX572589), finishing early afternoon. Best reached from the A38, taking the B4316 turn-off to Plympton, heading first towards Sparkwell then Hemerdon; Drakelands lies at the end of the no through road beyond Hemerdon.
A joint Devon Group/Devonshire Association meeting. A wide range of species at this threatened site, including Small Red and Scarce Blue-tailed Damselflies, Common Hawker, Keeled Skimmer, Black Darter and maybe Red-veined Darter and Fairy Shrimp.
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Sunday 29th JulyWicken Fen NNR, Lode Lane, Wicken, Cambs
Dragonfly Day at Wicken Fen
Wicken Fen, Lode Lane, Wicken, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 5XP
Lots of activities on offer from the BDS, Dragonfly Project and National Trust throughout the day including walks, larva feeding demonstrations, making model dragonflies, pond dipping and lots more. Join us from 10am on-wards in the Dragonfly Centre and out on the reserve.
Charges may apply for the reserve and some activities. -
Sunday 29th July 2012Birkdale Sandhills Local Nature Reserve, Lancashire
Dragonfly walk
Phil Smith Email philsmith1941@tiscali.co.uk
13.00 hrs Ainsdale Discovery Centre, Ainsdale-on-Sea (SD297127). Turn left from Shore Road just before the beach entrance. About 1.5km walk from Ainsdale Station (phone 01704 872596 to organise pick-up from station). Access to a gated carpark will be arranged.
We will visit one of the best areas for dragonflies on the Sefton Coast. High probability of Ruddy Darter and Emerald Damselfly, etc. Extremely rich flora will compensate if adverse weather conditions
prevail.
Total walking distance about 3km (2 miles). Undulating terrain with rabbit-holes. Walking boots recommended. -
Sunday 29th July 2012Boltby Forest, North Yorkshire
Boltby Forest and Boltby Reservoir
Keith Gittens, 07968 840623
Meet at the entrance to Boltby Forest Drive were parking is possible, SE502872 - 10.30am
Bring packed lunch, binoculars and wear appropriate footwear.
Joint meeting with the Cleveland Naturalists Field Club. A walk to investigate some recently dug ponds in Boltby Forest and Boltby Reservoir.
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Saturday 28th July 2012Kineton, Warwickshire
Defence Munitions, Kineton, Warwickshire
Peter Reeve (01926 632400) email: peter@reeve60.org.uk. Contact number on the day only: 0790064079.
10.45 for 11.00am. Details of where to meet will be supplied after registration.
It is essential to register with the leader at least 10 days before the date of the visit. Attendee names and car registration numbers must be supplied. Bring strong footwear and a packed lunch.
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Saturday 28th July 2012Dragonfly Centre, Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire
Dragonfly larva identification - advanced
Contact: For more information or to book please ring 01733 204286, or you can e-mail courses@dragonflyproject.org.uk
Wicken Fen, Lode Lane, Wicken, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 5XP
The aim of the course is for participants to further their dragonfly larva ID skills and gain a deeper understanding of the anatomy, physiology and ecology of this important stage in the life-cycle. The course consists of classroom work, one-to-one guidance and fieldwork looking at habitats, larvae, and exuviae. PLEASE NOTE You must book for the courses we offer as the number of places is necessarily limited - so please book as soon as you can to avoid disappointment. Course led by Henry Curry and Henry Stanier
Lunch: There is an excellent café adjacent to our special classroom, but feel free to bring your own packed lunch and drinks
Price: the cost of each course is £30.00
Booking: for more information or to book please ring 01733 204286, or you can e-mail courses@dragonflyproject.org.uk -
Saturday 28th July 2012Dragonfly Centre, Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire
Dragonfly Safari
The Dragonfly Project www.dragonflyproject.org.uk or ring 01733 204286, or e-mail courses@dragonflyproject.org.uk
Booking is not required, but please give us a call if you have a group of more than 10 people..
Our Dragonfly Safaris are all about finding out more about dragonflies.
How to find them How to identify them Where do they live? What do they eat? What eats them? Where do they lay their eggs? How long do they live? What is a larva? What does a larva eat?
A Safari lasts about two hours, during which we'll take you to some of the best spots around Wicken Fen to see dragonflies. We'll show you what dragonflies are there and help you to identify them. For the last half-hour, in the Wren Building, we'll give a demonstration of their underwater life with live dragonfly larvae shown through a microscope and TV screen. -
Sunday 22nd July 2012Gwydyr Forest, Snowdonia
Snowdonian dragons and damsels
Allan Brandon, 01492 651066 allan@rowenconwy.wanadoo.co.uk
Mine car park NGR SH 773 589 at 10.15 am.
Please bring a packed lunch. Wellington boots are strongly recommended. There won’t be much walking involved but some of it will be across boggy, hummocky terrain. Dogs are not encouraged. Close-focussing binoculars will be useful.
Field trip to the Gwydyr Forest, a Joint meeting of the Clwyd Birders, Mold NWWT Group and British Dragonfly Society. The aim of the trip is to acquaint wildlife enthusiasts with the dragonflies and damselflies, both common and rare, which inhabit the bogs and lakes of Snowdonia. We will first visit Cors Bodgynydd, in particular Llyn Tyn-y-Mynydd, to see the typical bog species, including Keeled Skimmer and Black Darter, and one of our rarest damsels, the Scarce Blue-tailed. The nearby small reservoir of Bodgynydd Bach should offer a range of more open water species and a chance to see the stream-breeding dragonfly, the Common Golden Ringed Dragonfly. We then move to explore a privately owned Llanrhychwyn lake.
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Sunday 22nd July 2012Morden Bog, Wareham, Dorset
Dragonfly Walk
Tel: 01202 694113
The small car park at SY9232 9039 Grid Ref: SY9232 9039 Time 10.30am
A gentle 5+ mile trek along gravel tracks around the bog, taking in a series of interesting ponds. With good weather, we should find between 9 & 14 species. Bring footwear for walking and wet bits plus a picnic lunch and a drink plus close-focus binocs if you have them. Walk led by Adrian Bicker.
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Saturday 21st JulyWoolmer Pond, Cranmer Bottom Pond and Cranmer Flash, Hants
Dragonflies on the ranges
Bill Wain 01420 472329; on the day: David Hepper 07768 452365
10:30 at the car park off the A325 at SU 7852 3196
Lunch, binoculars, wellies or walking boots
All these sites are on MoD ranges near Bordon. No loos. Expect to see a wide range of heathland species and raptors especially hobbies.
Caution! We have a booking with the MoD but there is a slim possibility that the ranges will be shut due to unscheduled army exercises. Please check the BDS Web Site for emergency changes to our plans for the day.
An open meeting of the Hants, Surrey, Berks Group.