Lockinge, 2 June

Pool above the small weir SU425877

1 Emperor (m)
1 Blue Damselfly

Stephen Burch

Wroxton College Lakes, 30th May

Both lakes checked but not the stream.

Hairy Dragonfly, 6

Darter sp., 1 adult male seen distantly and briefly 3 times over the large lake. Considering time of year, the national influx and having just found the Wroxton Quarry Red-veined Darters, I think there is a good chance this was another one.

12 species recorded (not including the unidentified darter) with other more common species quite numerous. For example, easily over 1000 Azure and Common Blue Damselflies mostly over the lake surfaces.

Spital Farm Lake, Banbury - 30th May

Hairy Dragonfly, 3 - SP 4707 4041

I think it's now reasonable to assume all suitable habitats in Banbury has this species.

An Abingdon Garden, 30 May

SU 508 983:

1 Beautiful Demoiselle

Mike Flemming

Beautiful Demoiselle © Mike Flemming

Wroxton Quarry 31st May

A couple more images of the Red-veined Darters today.

Wroxton Quarry 31st May

Multiple Odonata twitchers turned out on Sunday morning for yesterday's Red-veined Darters which fortunately obliged under more changeable weather conditions today.

3+ male Red-veined Darters
2 male Black-tailed Skimmers

 

All photos courtesy of Ian Lewington

 

River Thames, Abingdon to Sutton Courtenay, 30 May

Clubtail: At least 4 along the Thames from the Nags Head to Sutton Courtenay

Conor Mackenzie

Abbey Gardens, Abingdon. 29 & 31 May

At the river cut-off/pond SU501972:

1 Downy Emerald - 31 May

1 Clubtail - 29 May (Also two seen by Emma Hunter 14 May)

Martin Green

Clubtail © Martin Green

Otmoor, 28th May

3 Hairy Dragonflies, 
10s Azure Damselflies, 
4 Blue-tailed Damselflies

James Wainscoat

Hairy Dragonfly © James Wainscoat

Wroxton Quarry, 30th May

Red-veined Darters

Three (minimum) seen late morning-lunch time. Initially a pair ovipositing and at the same time a separate male. Later two males seen regularly, which I assume were the same two males seen previously. As they were ovipositing there will hopefully be some more in a couple of weeks (few months!), if the pool doesn't dry out.

Also, a teneral Common Darter seen which seems early.

The pool (SP 40266 41543) can be seen from the public footpath through the site. It is probably best to park in the village and walk across.

Dry Sandford Pit, 29th May

Azure Damselfly 2
Large Red Damselfly 3
Beautiful Demoiselle 1m,3f
Keeled Skimmer 1
Broad-bodied Chaser 1

David Hastings

Keeled Skimmer © David Hastings

Beautiful Demoiselle ♂ © David Hastings

Beautiful Demoiselle ♀ © David Hastings

Barton Pool area, 29th May

Banded Demoiselle 6m,6f
Azure Damselfly 50+
Large Red Damselfly 2
Blue-tailed Damselfly 2
White-legged Damselfly 2

David Hastings

Blue-tailed Damselfly © David Hastings

Banded Demoiselle ♂ © David Hastings

White-legged Damselfly ♀ © David Hastings

Whitecross Green Wood, 27 May

White-legged Damselfly: 20+ - mainly in grass along the rides
Large Red Damselfly: 10+
Blue-tailed Damselfly: 10+
Common Blue/Azure Damselfly: many

Hairy Dragonfly: 2
Emperor Dragonfly: 3
Four-spotted Chaser Dragonfly: 10+
Broad-bodied Chaser Dragonfly: 4

Phil Cruse

White-legged Damselfly © Phil Cruse

Four-spotted Chaser © Phil Cruse

Broad-bodied Chaser © Phil Cruse

Hawker sp. exuvia, probably Emperor © Phil Cruse

Duke's Lock Pond, 28th May

A morning visit to Duke's Lock Pond (SP4871710734) found lots of good Odonata action.

Along the west side in the sunny patches of vegetation between the path and the railway
Variable Damselfly 5+
Common Damselfly 2+
Azure Damselfly 3+ 
Also fly-throughs by male Black-tailed Skimmer & Hairy Dragonfly

On the main pond
Hairy Dragonfly
Downy Emerald 2
Emperor: f ovipositing
Broad-bodies Chaser: f ovipositing
Black-tailed Skimmer: f ovipositing

Also a possible Red-veined Darter seen once in flight. Given the time of year and the definite red tinted wings it's a good candidate but I only saw it briefly in flight once. Maybe someone with a decent camera can get a proper photo of it and firm it up.

Adam Hartley 

Male Variable Damselfly

 

Barton Pool, 22 May

Variable Damselfly: 2m
Emperor 1m

Wayne Bull

Valley Park, Didcot 26 May

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly: 3 Aurantiaca females, 3 females in transition (below), 5 pairs in cop and c10 males

Ian Lewington

 Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly (female in transition) © Ian Lewington

Barton Fields, Abingdon 27 May

SU511971:

1m Variable Damselfly
1 Downy Emerald
1 Hairy Dragonfly 

Ian Lewington

Male Variable Damselfly © Ian Lewington

Goring 27th May

Clubtail - 4 or 5 males patrolling upstream of the bridge near the bend in the river, occasionally landing in the nettles and vegetation on the bank. 

White-legged Damselfly - 3 seen in the vegetation bordering the river.

Plenty of Banded Demoiselles and Red-eyed Damselflies.

Borrow Pit Pool, Upper Cherwell Valley - 25th May

Banded Demoiselle, several
Azure/Common Blue Damselflies, 100+
Red-eyed Damselfly, c.15
Blue-tailed Damselfly, c.10
Large Red Damselfly, c.10
Hairy Dragonfly, 10+ 
(2 also seen along the canal and 1 in Spiceball Park)
Four-spotted Chaser, 20+ several fresh tenerals
Black-tailed Skimmer, 2 teneral
Emperor Dragonfly, 2 yesterday per Clive Payne and several exuvia today

The Trap Grounds, Oxford 23rd May 2026

On a midday visit to the Trap Grounds - totals across all the ponds
1 Hairy Hawker
2 Large Red Damselfly
60 Azure Damselfly - more than half of them paired up

Adam Hartley 

Azure Damselfly pair

 

 

Goring, 23 May

Clubtail - a few mature males patrolling over the river upstream of the railway bridge. Flying low and fast over the water and being quite distant, I found them difficult to spot. But Alan Holmes was more successful, to whom many thanks! Also one exuvia (probably not fresh) on the bridge abutment upstream from the bridge.

White-legged Damselfly 5+ tenerals in Little Meadow, upstream from the bridge. 

Stephen Burch

White-legged Damselfly (teneral) [focus stacked] © Stephen Burch

Orchard Lake, Radley, 22 May

Downy Emerald © Phil Cruse

Valley Park, Didcot 23rd May

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly - At least 12 in the same area where Ian found them. Several pairs in cop.
Blue-tailed Damselfly - 2
Azure Damselfly - c10
Broad-bodied Chaser - 4

Dukes Lock Pond, 23 May

Variable Damselfly - several at SP 48717 10734. 
Downy Emerald, 1
Hairy Hawkers, 2

Jeremy Dexter

Variable Damselfly - male and female (blue form) in tandem © Jeremy Dexter

Variable Damselfly - male © Jeremy Dexter

 

River Cherwell, Grimsbury Reservoir - 23rd May

Hairy Hawker 4 (3m 1f ovipositing)
Broad-bodied Chaser 1f
Banded Demoiselle 12 (10m)
Beautiful Demoiselle 9 (7m)
Red-eyed Damselfly 7m
Azure/Common Blue Damselfly 3

Gareth Blockley

Radley Lakes, 22 May

Orchard Lake SU520969 only:

2-3 Downy Emerald
2-3 Hairy Dragonfly
2+ Four-spotted Chaser
1-2 Azure Damselfly
1-2 Red-eyed Damselfly

Stephen Burch

Downy Emerald © Stephen Burch

Downy Emerald © Stephen Burch

Downy Emerald © Stephen Burch

Broughton, 21 May

In garden pond:

2 Large Red Damselfly - tandem pair ovipositing

Paul Wyeth

Large Red Damselfly ovipositing © Paul Wyeth

Valley Park, Didcot

West pond, adjacent to the Milton Link Road SU497913 (around 18:00):

8m Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly
8 Blue-tailed Damselfly

Ian Lewington

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly © Ian Lewington

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly © Ian Lewington

There is free access to this site and parking is available in the Valley Park, Estate:

Map showing location of ponds © Ian Lewington

NB None at Dida Gardens and adjacent site. 

Clattercote Reservoir, 20 May

 Hairy Dragonfly: 1f ovipositing; 1-2 males at SP448484

 Hairy Dragonfly ovipositing © Paul Wyeth

Cholsey Marsh - 12th May

3 newly emerged Common Clubtail this morning, drying off in riverside vegetation downstream from Alan's hotspot and closer to the railway bridge. With thanks to Cholsey resident Richard James who located them. The third and fourth pictures are the same individual (with exuvia).

Banded Demoiselle - lots

Beautiful Demoiselle - 4

Azure Damselfly - 3