Black-tailed Skimmer by the Quicksand pool, June 20, 2010 (photo MF)
Formerly common on west side of Reserve but less so recently. Breeding.
(In 2006, AH regularly recorded 50+ individuals in one day but the recent arrival of, and predation by, Hobbys appears to have caused a dramatic decrease in numbers).
2009: 2/6: 3 tenerals on Boilton Marsh; 13/6: 7 males; 14/6: 7 on Boilton Marsh; 16/6: 3 m + 2 f; 1/7: 20+ seen; 23/7: 3 males.
2010: 31/5: 1 immature; 12/6: 3 seen; 20/6: 8+ seen at Quickand pool (all males?); 26/6: 10 seen; 3/7: 2 males; 11/7: one male; 23/7: 2 males; 24/7: 1 seen; 8/8: 2 seen; 15/8: one ovipositing.
2011: 14/6: 3 at Boilton Marsh; 26/6: 1 male + 1 female; 3/7: four seen; 30/7: five at the Quicksand pools.
2012: 17/6: Quicksand pools (2 ); 7/7: Boilton marsh (1 female); 22/7: Site unrecorded (4); 21/8: Dipping pool area (1 male).
2013: 8/6; Q-s pool north (2 m); 21/6: Meadow pool (1f); 24/6: Dipping pool (1 mating
pair); 25/6: path by No.1 pool (1f); 26/6: Q-s pool (1f); service
track by M6/No.1 pool (1f); Dipping pool (1m +1f); near Reserve exit (1); 29/6: Dipping pool (1m); 1/7: Dipping pool (1m); 3/7: Dipping pool (2m); 4/7: Dipping pool (2); 5/7: M6 track and Fishing pool
(3m + 2f); Q-s pool (4m); Dipping pool (1m); 6/7: Dipping pool (1m); Ribble
hide area (1+); 7/7: Q-s pool (15); 8/7; Fishing Pool/Q-s area
(8); Reserve entrance path (1); 9/7: Q-s pools (9, all males);
Dipping pool area (1 mating pair); 10/7: Dipping pool (1): 14/7: Dipping pool area (1m +
1f); 16/7: Dipping pool area (1);
Allen’s pool (5m); 19/7: Gravel track near
Visitor Centre (1); Meadow pool islands (c.10); M6 track/No.1 pool (1); Q-s
pool (4); Boilton Marsh (1); Children’s playground (1f); 22/7: Hairstreak stile (1); 30/7: Dipping pool (1m); W
entrance to Boilton Wood (1); 7/8: Dipping pool (1f). [2013 was a very good year].
2014: 16/6: M6 track (1m + 1f); 21/6: Boilton wood margin/marsh (1); 9/7: Reserve in general (1); 13/7: Q-sand pool (1m); 25/7: Dragonfly pool area (1 tandem pair); circuit of No.1 pool (16); Boilton
Marsh area (1); Meadow Pool (7); 27/7: Dragonfly pool (1); 5/8: Dipping pool approach (2); 8/8: Dipping pool (1m at pool plus very worn male on stone chippings).
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