Noddle Hill NR, Foredyke Green and Wilberforce Wood

As part of the Hull Dragonfly challenge I headed to Noddle Hill this morning. This is one of the best dragonflies spots in Hull and East Yorkshire, with an impressive site list of 14 species. It was sunny, but quite windy. I walked around the lake and I didn't see any odonates until I got to the sunny, sheltered NW side.

A Red-eared slider sunnying itself on a log. Azure, Common Blue and Blue-tailed Damselflies were about. After searching on the floating vegetation I spotted 3 male Red-eyed damselflies and later, an egg laying pair.

Male Red-eyed Damselfly

 I walked around the reserve and checked all ditches and ponds unsuccessfully. The only thing of note a lone Southern Marsh Orchid on the northern edge of the reserve.

 I was pleased to have my first Red Admiral of the year. Two Speckled Wood had a long fight over the reeds.

Red Admiral.

Foredyke Green

 About 11 it started to get a bit cloudier and I decided to move onto Foredyke Green and find the pond there. I had been on the area before but didn't managed to find the pond. This time if wasn't too hard. What a beautiful pond (top shot). Water level was quite low, but this exposed a rim of bare soil. As soon as I arrived I saw two male Broad-bodied Chasers in pursuit. They circuited the pond, occasionally bumping onto each other and starting the chase. I decided this was a great lunch spot and sat on an island overlooking the pond. A female turned up and the males gave her chase.

She deftly avoided them and found a quiet spot on the shore, where she started to lay eggs.

One of the males settled for a few minutes on the bank just besides me.

Damselflies were also busy egg-laying. Azure and blue-tailed.

Blue-tailed Damselfly, laying alone.

Azure Damselflies in typical egg-laying pose.

The three male Broad-bodied chasers defending the Foredyke green pond was a spectacular sight! I shall get back to this pond later in the year to see how it develops. It does need a bit of nurturing, as there is a lot of litter around the shore.

Wilberforce Wood

I visited Wilberforce wood too, which is right next to Foredyke Green. There were some Common Blue Butterfllies, Orange tips and a Green-veined white about. I had a fleeting view of a damselfly in a dry ditch but I lost it. The pond seemed to have fish and I couldn't see any odonate.

Green-veined White

Orange Tip female.