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Id:1609 |
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1609
(3 photos)
Broad Scarlet (Crocothemis erythraea ) Flammelibel (dk) Libélula Escarlata (es) Karmintrollslända (se) 2023-06-20 Kongelundsområdet, Denmark
Imago. ♀. Diget, Nordskoven. Bingo! A new lifer. I saw it as a large animal somewhat similar to the Black-tailed Skimmers [Stor Blåpil] that were flying in good numbers this day. But it was pale in a different way than the immature skimmers. And when I got eyes on the details I knew it was something special. None of the local darters would show this generally pale expression with a grayish eye and broad abdomen with a brown line down the side. Another skimmer? Keeled [Lille Blåpil] probably not; it is much slimmer. Southern Skimmer? A new species for the country?! I wouldn't mind but couldn't remember the details. I saw it twice. Both times sitting on the short vegetation on top of the dike, contrary to the skimmers that consequently were sitting on the ground. The few Ruddy Darters of the day were not flying in the open like this. I knew I had seen a species in the field guides with this particular brown line down the abdomen, but couldn't remember which one. And then of course the doubt started to speak quietly in the back of my head, because I had never seen females of Yellow-winged or Red-veined Darter, so could it be one of these after all? I've tried it too many times now, hoping for something special, and only having the photos reveal yet another normal species with just a slightly aberrant individual. So I continued my trip and it was only when I finally looked through my guides at home that it became clear that it was a Broad Scarlet. I admit that it hadn't occurred to me as a possibility at all. Maybe first of all because I would have expected a male to be the first to be seen in the year. And not a female and less so a young female. But that is what it looks like to me. Especially with the very pale line op top of the thorax that I would expect to be darker on a mature female. According to naturbasen.dk this will be the earliest record of the species in Denmark, with only two more June observations, last year. And that is what makes it unusual because the earliest female has been recorded on July 11. So one can speculate whether it has emerged locally or has arrived after a long-distance flight. The warm weather we have had for several weeks now, of course should provoke unusual sightings (like Lilypad Whitefaces on Falster today too). We'll never know one or the other, but it will be interesting to see if more animals show up in the coming days, and a good reminder to keep eyes and eyes open... Same as 1631. Rare |