New Site Description for Blenheim

The pages on the blog detailing the key sites in the county for odonata has been updated to include a description for Blenheim. This can be found in "Sites Part 3". Despite a few searches I couldn't find any teneral Red-veined Darters, so we'll have to wait until early summer next year to see if any emerge.

Abbey Gardens, Abingdon 31 October

River cut-off / pond:

1+ male Willow Emerald Damselfly

Martin Green

Willow Emerald Damselfly © Martin Green

Childrey, 28 October

Village pond:

1 Common Darter

Stephen Burch 

Lockinge Weir, 27 October

2-3 Common Darters enjoying some morning sun.

Stephen Burch

Common Darter  (mobile phone image) © Stephen Burch

Tar Lakes, 25 October

4 Common Darter (2m, 2f). SP382071

Tess Wright

Common Darter © Tess Wright

Abbey Gardens, Abingdon - 14th October

Southern Hawker - 1 male  at the river cut-off / pond
No Willow Emeralds seen

Martin Green

Lambs Pool, 5 October

10+ Migrant Hawker in two groupings; southern edge of lake and western.  Several pairs in cop.  
6 Willow Emerald
Several Common Darter

Steve Gresty

Willow Emerald Damselfy (c) Steve Gresty

Migrant Hawkers in cop. (c) Steve Gresty

Trap Grounds, Oxford - 4 October

Swan pond:

2 Migrant Hawker
c.12 Willow Emerald including serval pairs in cop.

Steve Gresty per the WhatsApp Group

Boundary Brook NR, Oxford, 1 October

1 Migrant Hawker - first confirmed site record

Helen Edwards

Migrant Hawker © Helen Edwards

Chimney Meadows 30th September

Common Darter: at least 12, mostly in the SW corner of the pylon field (SP362013).

David Hastings

Common Darter ♀ © David Hastings

 Radley Lakes, 30 September 2026

Thrupp Lake

Common Darter 7
Migrant Hawker 2

Orchard Lake

Common Darter 4
Migrant Hawker 5  including ovipositing female

Brian Walker

Common Darter

Lockinge and Ardington, 30 September

Lockinge

Pool above weir.

2+ Migrant Hawker
1+ Common Darter & several on the paths in the area

Note that sadly the water has stopped flowing in the brook.

Ardington

Pool to SW of village

2+ Common Darter

Stephen Burch

Sideleigh Fishing Lake, Bodicote - 30 September

Willow Emerald Damselfy, 1m

Wayne Bull per the WhatsApp Group

Boundary Brook NR, Oxford - 29 September

Two of the three ponds completely dry.

Common Darter - a few around including 1 tandem pair ovipositing into the Garden Pond that appears to have benefitted from a recent water top up. 

Hawker sp - glimpses of 1-2 hawker sp, probably Migrant around the dry Main Pond.

Stephen Burch

Common Darter touch down. © Stephen Burch

Common Darters in cop. [focus stacked] © Stephen Burch

Lamb's Pool, 21st September

Willow Emerald Damselfly 12+
5 Common Darter
8 Migrant Hawker in two distinct locations

Steve Gresty, per the WhatsApp group

Migrant Hawker  © Steve Gresty

Blenheim 21st September

North end of Queen Pool. 

Migrant Hawker - 8
Common Darter - 1
Common Blue Damselfly - c10
Willow Emerald Damselfly - 3

Gareth Casburn

Aston 21st September

Surprise visitor to my garden today - a male Western Willow Spreadwing. 

David Hastings

Western Willow Spreadwing ♂ © David Hastings

Dix Pit 20th September

Common Blue Damselfly : 4
Migrant Hawker : 9+
Common Darter : 20+, several pairs in tandem with the female ovipositing.

David Hastings

Migrant Hawker ♂ © David Hastings

Farmoor 16th September

Around Pinkhill:

Migrant Hawker 3
Common Darter 1 

David Hastings

Migrant Hawker ♂ ©  David Hastings

Drayton/Oday Hill, 12 September

SU4894

10 Willow Emeralds
3 Migrant Hawker
Common and Ruddy Darters. 

Andy Last per the WhatsApp group 

Farmoor, 5th September

 4 Common Darters, 
10 Migrant Hawkers ( Pinkhill )
1 Common Blue Damselfly

James Wainscoat

James also commented that he is "a fairly regular visitor to Farmoor and notes that the abundance of dragonflies is much less than say 3 or 4 years ago".

Maybe increased predation, as illustrated below, is part of the reason for this decline!

Any comments from other regular visitors there?

Little Egret consuming an ex Migrant Hawker © James Wainscoat

Pied Wagtail with Common Blue Damselfly (female/immature deceased) © James Wainscoat

6th September The Trap Grounds

Two Willow Emeralds sunning themselves late afternoon in the south east corner of the main pond in a Willow (appropriately enough).

Adam Hartley

Willow Emerald

 

Standlake Common 6th September

Common Blue Damselfly 1

Blue-tailed Damselfly 1

Migrant Hawker 1

Common Darter 9

David Hastings

Common Darter ♂ © David  Hastings

Trap Grounds 5th September

3 Willow Emerald, including pair in tandem by the usual viewing point on the main pond
6+ Common Darter 
2 Migrant Hawker, m&f 

Adam Hartley 

Willow Emerald

  

Lockinge, 5 September

Pool above weir:

Migrant Hawker - 5+ inc a tandem pair
Common Darter - 1 tandem pair

Stephen Burch

Migrant Hawker at the start of a rapid turn to the left © Stephen Burch

Abbey Gardens, Abingdon, 1 October

 River cut-off / pond:

10+ Willow Emerald Damselfly

Martin Green

Thames at Chimney Meadows, 31 August

SP357003

 4+ Willow Emerald Damselfly. 

Andy Last

Willow Emerald Damselfly © Andy Last

Pinkhill, Farmoor, 30 August

6+  Willow Emerald Damselfly 

Andy Last

Drayton Pit 1066, 26 August

1m,1f  Willow Emerald Damselfly - in ditch by pit SU4887194387

Andy Last

Blewbury, 26 August

Garden Pond:

Willow Emerald Damselfly 1m

Conor Mackenzie per the WhatsApp group

Willow Emerald Damselfly © Conor Mackenzie 

Whitecross Green Wood, 25 August

Rides and Car Park
Migrant Hawker c7+
Ruddy & Common Darters c3

Main Pond
Ruddy & Common Darters c10 (2 pairs in tandem)

Hidden Pond
Emerald Damselfly 1
Ruddy & Common Darters 20+ (several pairs in tandem)
Migrant Hawker 1f 2m
Southern Hawker 1

Phil Cruse

A presumed late Emerald Damselfly, given the dark pterostigma. Anyone disagree?! © Phil Cruse 

Migrant Hawker © Phil Cruse 

Lockinge/Ardington, 25 August

Lockinge: Pool above weir

Migrant Hawker 2+ males
Common Darter

Ardington: Pool SW of village
Migrant Hawker 2+ males
Common Darter

Stephen Burch

Migrant Hawker at Lockinge © Stephen Burch

Migrant Hawker at Lockinge © Stephen Burch

Lockinge/Ardington, 23 August

Lockinge: Pool above weir
Migrant Hawker 3+ males
Emperor 1m
Common Darter 5+inc 1 pair ovipositing

Ardington: Pool SW of village
Migrant Hawker
Common Darter

Stephen Burch

Wroxton Quarry, 23rd August

Willow Emerald Damselfly 9. Minimum of 9, including 2 pairs ovipositing.

River Thames at Farmoor, 21st August

Common Blue Damselfly 1
Blue-tailed Damselfly 1
Migrant Hawker 5
Common Darter 9

David Hastings

Migrant Hawker ♂ © David Hastings

Otmoor, 20 August

2 Willow Emerald Damselflies,
1 Migrant Hawker, 
10s Darters

James Wainscoat 

Ruddy Darter (c) James Wainscoat 

 Willow Emerald Damselfy (c) James Wainscoat

Dix Pit 19th August

Common Blue Damselfly 20+
Blue-tailed Damselfly 1
Emperor Dragonfly 1
Lesser Emperor 1
Migrant Hawker 4 

David Hastings

Migrant Hawker ♂ © David Hastings

Wykham Lane, Bodicote, 19 August

New stormwater pond:

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfy 2m

Wayne Bull

Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfy (c) Wayne Bull 

Whitecross Green Wood, 17 August

Rides
Migrant Hawker 3
Ruddy Darter 3

Main Pond
Willow Emerald Damselfly 3 (2 in tandem)
Ruddy & Common Darter 20+ (many in tandem)
Brown Hawker  1
Migrant Hawker 1

Hidden Pond
Ruddy & Common Darter 10+ 
Brown Hawker  1
Southern Hawker 1

Phil Cruse

Southern Hawker (c) Phil Cruse

Southern Hawker (c) Phil Cruse

Common Darters in cop, ovipositing (c) Phil Cruse

Whitecross Green Wood, 15 August

3 Emerald Damselfy 
c5 Migrant Hawkers including an ovipositing female. 
Southern Hawker. 

Andy Last

Migrant Hawker (c) Andy Last

Migrant Hawker ovipositing (c) Andy Last 

Emerald Damselfy (c) Andy Last

Tar Lakes, 11 August

10:30 - 12:00
First (NW) Lake:
Common Darter
Black-tailed Skimmer
Migrant Hawker along path (prob.)

SE Lake:
Common Blue Damselfly
Common Darter (tandem pairs)
Ruddy Darter
Lesser Emperor 1-2
Emperor 1
Migrant Hawker along path (prob.)

Conservation Area:
Small Red-eyed Damselfly
Common Blue Damselfly
Common Darter (tandem pairs)

Stephen Burch

Common Darters - tandem pair © Stephen Burch

Standlake Common Pit 60 9th August

Brown Hawker 1
Migrant Hawker 1
Southern Hawker 1
Black-tailed Skimmer 1 (ovipositing female)
Common Darter 1

David Hastings

Blenheim 9th August

Queen Pool
Lesser Emperor - 8 males at regular intervals around the lake edge.
Emperor - c8
Brown Hawker - 3
Migrant Hawker - 1
Common Darter - 2
Black-tailed Skimmer - 6
Red-eyed Damselfly - 2+
Small Red-eyed Damselfly - 6+
Many Common Blue Damsels. 

Gareth Casburn

Whitecross Green Wood, 9 August

Southern Migrant Hawker - 1 at the Hidden Pond
Migrant Hawker - Rides
Willow Emerald Damselfly - Hidden Pond

Andy Last

Willow Emerald Damselfly © Andy Last

Willow Emerald Damselfly © Andy Last

Southern Migrant Hawker © Andy Last

Southern Migrant Hawker © Andy Last

Whitecross Green Wood, 7 August

Rides
Ruddy & Common Darter 12+
Brown Hawker c. 3
Migrant Hawker 2

Main Pond
Willow Emerald Damselfly 2 (in tandem)
Ruddy & Common Darter 12+ (many in tandem)
Southern Migrant Hawker 1 (briefly)
Brown Hawker  1
Southern Hawker 1
Broad-bodied Chaser 1 (f ovipositing)
Emperor 1

Hidden Pond
Willow Emerald Damselfly 1
Common Blue Damselfly 1
Ruddy & Common Darter 12+ (many in tandem)
Brown Hawker  1
Southern Hawker 2
Emperor 1

Phil Cruse

Broad Bodied Chaser ovipositing © Phil Cruse

Southern Hawker © Phil Cruse

The Trap Grounds 8th August

3 Southern Migrant Hawkers: one male patrolling the main pond and a pair in tandem ovipositing along the stream next to the boardwalk.

Also
3 Southern Hawkers
1 Migrant Hawker 
~10 Common Darter
1 Ruddy Darter

No Willow Emeralds seen today

Adam Hartley 

Above Common Darter, below Ruddy Darter