Id's please

[Little Firewall]

I'd appreciate if you could ID these for me please.

[2dogs2000]

These are only guesses so don't take my word for it.

1.Juvenile pied wagtail
2.Juvenile stonechat
3.?
4.Ruddy Darter

[Dogghound]

1. Juv. Pied Wagtail
2. Meadow pipit
3. Skylark
4. Ruddy Darter

[earthdragon64]

Can you tell us where and when the photo of the Dragonfly was taken please?

[Little Firewall]

Yes, it was taken on the 12th. August 2009 at noon on the path from the car park to the Otter Hide at Kylerhea in the South of the Isle of Skye. It flew onto this bench several times within a few minutes.

[earthdragon64]

Originally Posted by Little Firewall

Yes, it was taken on the 12th. August 2009 at noon on the path from the car park to the Otter Hide at Kylerhea in the South of the Isle of Skye. It flew onto this bench several times within a few minutes.

In that case it's extremely unlikely to be a Ruddy Darter, I'd say it's a Highland Darter.

[Little Firewall]

Oh I have never heard of one of these! This was the first I think I have ever seen.

Thank you all for your help.

[earthdragon64]

There is some discussion as to whether the Highland Darter is really a seperate species from the Common Darter or just a darker colour variant. There were genetic studies being done to answer this question, but the full results haven't been published yet as far as I'm aware. I haven't read my latest British Dragonfly Society magazine yet though, maybe the answer will be in there once I get around to it.

[Little Firewall]

That's interesting.

I am pretty ignorant about these beasties and just take a pic if one will sit still long enough.
I tried looking in the Gallery for one but the only pic I can see is of a female and it is a completely different colour of course.

Thanks again.

[Dogghound]

Its a Ruddy Darter. The eye colour is wrong, not banding on the legs, abdominal colour looks to dark and near the thorax looks different in colour. Also the abdomen is waisted (Sticking my neck out) but I still say Ruddy, they are in southern Scotland and are recorded higher each year.