A visit to two locals areas, both with remnant areas of Heathland, that whilst are top sites of Odonata, can produce a few records. The local Country Park lake had report of Downy Emerald there and I could not recall if I had checked it before for them as it is quite large, and not overly well vegetated, so I had assumed was perhaps not good for them. It turned out to quite busy, with at least 11 Downy Emeralds present, around 25 Four-spotted Chasers and around 150 Red-eyed Damselflies present, but not much else on the lake. The northern pools on the remnant heathland had the usual mix of Broad-bodied, some more Fours-spotted Chasers, at least nine Emperors, at least three fresh Black-tailed Skimmers, a couple of Hairy Dragonflies and one fresh emerged Common Darter.
Our first Large Skipper of the year was seen juts as we made our way out of the wood.
Stoke Common was as expected, whilst a larger area of heathland with a couple of pools, the biggest one is full of grass and Odonata species can be low in variety and number, though I found Willow Emerald there last year, and a day or so after this visit someone has reported Scarce Blue-tail on the Common. We retuned in the evening and had a couple of Noctule Bats flying over the western side and had a churring Nightjar just as about the time light had more or less gone and was alas not visually seen.
