Subarctica!

Nipped out before breakfast for a quick look at Ripagården and this proved to a be a good idea. Not much vismig on the go, but a few low-flying and grounded migrants. The easy highlight was a red-throated pipit low over the site gong north, plenty of swallows going north too this morning and a grey wagtail... A noisy black woodpecker was present and gave fleeting views along the hedgeline. The reedbed had a large and vociferous roost of 3000 starlings, that left as soon as the sun hit them.

After I had shovelled hot pancakes into the ever-hungry brood at home, we all headed out to Älemossen on the usual combined blueberry/Odonata walk. A few birds about (willow tit calling and single honey buzzard migrating) but the dragonflies stole the show. Perhaps 7-8 male Aeshna subarctica on the wing, the most I have seen here. No sign of any females though. Also ovipositing Aeshna grandis, two Sympetrum danae and two male Aeshna cyanea.

It always surprises me to find Aeshna cyanea in peat bogs, but two males were flying today.

The dark destroyer - Aeshna subarctica, one of the better dragonflies on the kommun list and apparently discovered by me! Due to BK's hybrid nature (one of the the seven parishes is in Halland, the rest in Skåne) this species and Somatochlora arctica are unlikely to feature in my Atlas returns sadly.

Catching Aeshna subarctica is always a high-risk occupation. They only occur in areas with liquid 'Sphagnum soup' pools on floating bogs!