Otmoor, 16 April

Along track to second screen:

1 Hairy Dragonfly

Paul Wyeth

First Oxon record to my knowledge! Steve

Hairy Dragonfly © Paul Wyeth

Talk given at the British Dragonfly Society's on-line Spring Meeting March 2026

Despite seemingly ideal conditions last year, several recorders reported lower than expected levels of dragonfly activity. 

I've previously posted here the results of analysis of systematic records from  Marsh Wood Pond near Wallingford (made by Julian Edwards) and also daily exuviae counts made by Deborah Dunn at her small garden pond.  Since then I've also looked at Julian's records from nearby Cholsey Marsh as well as the transect surveys organised BBOWT at their two special Cothill reserves, Dry Sandford Pit and Parsonage Moor.

At the recent BDS on-line Spring meeting, I gave a talk looking these records and examining what they showed for numbers of dragonflies in 2025 compared with earlier years. It is notable that three of four sites showed declines in 2025 relative to 2024, with two sites down to 40% of their 2024 values.

If you would like more information, you can download a pdf of my presentation. There are even videos of the talks from this meeting on the BDS YouTube Channel!

Summary and highlights of the 2025 season

The 2025 season was notable for the hottest summer on record, with its extended drought, which led to long periods of seemingly ideal conditions. Surprisingly however numbers of many of the commoner species at some sites seemed lower than usual. This accorded with some quantitative abundance measures derived from systematic counts made at a few local sites (Marsh Wood Pond and Steeple Aston), which also showed decreases.  The rarer species may have been less affected and were still well recorded.

The season started early, no doubt due to the good early spring weather, with a Large Red Damselfly recorded on 15th April and by the end of the month a remarkable total of 11 species had been seen.  It was good year for Common Clubtail, with 29 records between 29 April and 7 July. Most were from the traditional area of Cholsey and Goring, although there were several sightings along the Thames upstream to Radley. A report from Chimney Meadows on 17th June was the only sighting upstream of Oxford.  

Mature Clubtail at Goring Railway Bridge © Ian Lewington

Another early season species, Downy Emerald, also showed well with as many as 32 records, some from new sites.

Downy Emerald at Orchard Lake © Stephen Burch

Variable Damselfly is an extreme rarity and was again recorded from just two sites: Barton Fields near Abingdon and Dukes Lock Pond northwest of Oxford.  The even rarer Scarce Blue-tailed Damselfly was only found at one stormwater pond in Didcot, with no reports from the other stormwater ponds at Banbury and Didcot, where it had been found previously. This may well have been due to these ponds becoming too overgrown, given their lack of maintenance. Another struggling species, Emerald Damselfly, appears to continue to decline with just 22 records, from only four sites compared with eight last year. 

The hot summer saw the second year of Norfolk Hawker sightings with five records in a period of just 3 days in mid-July, with one fleeting sighting from last year’s site on Otmoor. More extended views of two males were obtained at the new site of Blenheim Park Lake. 

Norfolk Hawker at Blenheim ©  Gareth Casburn

Following last years unprecedented surge in sightings of Lesser Emperor, this attractive species was again seen widely with reports from 11 sites, compared with 12 last year. Hopefully this species will become a welcome established new addition to many county sites. 

Lesser Emperor at Blenheim © Gareth Casburn

Another new arrival, Southern Migrant Hawker, was seen more easily at Whitecross Green Wood than at its original stronghold of Otmoor, which was drought affected. Notably there was also a report from Banbury indicating further range expansion northwards. 

Southern Migrant Hawker at Whitecross Green Wood © Stephen Burch

Southern Migrant Hawker at Whitecross Green Wood © Wayne Bull

Southern Migrant Hawker at Whitecross Green Wood © David Hastings

The comprehensive Cothill BBOWT transect surveys showed that it was a good year for Keeled Skimmer at both Parsonage Moor and Dry Sandford Pit.  However Southern Damselflies showed more variable peak numbers with a small increase at the latter reserve and a small decline at the former. It was again good to see a few reports of Small Red Damselfly (peak count of 4) at Parsonage Moor with a rare single sighting at Dry Sandford Pit. 

Small Red-eyed Damselfly is now widespread across the county, but peak counts were modest, with no apparent benefit from the hot settled conditions. The late season Willow Emerald Damselfly continued its range expansion. There were nearly one hundred reports from almost forty sites, with several sightings into early October, both figures being significantly higher than last year. 

Small Red-eyed Damselfly at Grove Meadows © Stephen Burch

Willow Emerald Damselfly at Grove Meadows © Stephen Burch

The season came to a somewhat abrupt end due to poor weather, although there was a record of Common Darter as late as 13th November. 

Over the year, there were again over 3000 records of 31 species –the equal highest ever species count.  

Stephen Burch

March 2026

Odonata at Marsh Wood Pond, Wallingford 2017 - 2025

Stephen Burch

Oxfordshire Dragonfly Recorder 

Introduction

Marsh Wood Pond is a little known dragonfly site. It consists of a small, narrow strip of water adjacent to Marsh Wood - a minor wood near Wallingford. 

This pond has however been the subject of an extensive set of monthly visits made every year since 2017 by one remarkably dedicated observer, Julian Edwards. All his visits were timed to be approximately mid month.  During his visits, which covered the entire season from April to October, Julian made systematic records of the odonata he observed, in the standard BDS format. This uses the letter system A (=1), B (=2-5), C (=6-20) etc to provide an indication of the numbers of each species present. Additional letters provide information on breeding activity (ovipositing, tandem pairs etc). 

Given the reports of an apparent reduction in the numbers of odonata in Oxfordshire during 2025, and the substantial fall in the numbers of Southern Hawker exuviae at a small garden pond in Steeple Aston already reported, it seemed worthwhile taking a closer look at the Marsh Wood Pond records. As these records were collected systematically in the same way every year since 2017, it seemed not unreasonable to expect that analysis could provide some quantitative information on fluctuations in the odonata present at this site from year to year.

Species present

Before considering annual fluctuations, it is useful to summarise the odonata species recorded year by year in a simple tabular form as shown below. The dark squares show presence of a species recorded during any visit in the indicated year. 

Species recorded at Marsh Wood Pond by year 2017-2025

The total number of species recorded was a creditable 14, given the small pond size and location. However only Azure Damselfly, Brown Hawker and Common Darter were seen every year. Probably the most notable dragonfly was the still somewhat localised Hairy Dragonfly. Only five species of damselfly were seen. It is interesting that the Willow Emerald Damselfly, which only arrived in Oxfordshire in 2019, was first recorded in 2025.

Analysis of annual fluctuations

For the analysis it helped that all these records were available in annual spreadsheet format files which had previously been used for uploading them to iRecord. 

Not having performed this sort of analysis previously, it wasn't clear what the best way of summarising these records would be. Hence it seemed worthwhile to look at the following three measures for each year:

1. Total number of species recorded annually, with separate counts for dragonflies and damselflies.
2. Total number of records provided annually, again with separate counts for dragonflies and damselflies.
3. Estimates of the minimum total number of individuals seen each year in all monthly visits (using the lower values of each of the letter abundance codes, i.e. 2 for B, 6 for C etc).

Results

The graphs below how the above measures varied by year from 2017-2025.

Variation in the numbers of species seen at Marsh Wood Pond between 2017-2025

The above plot shows that only 5 species of dragonfly were seen in 2025, compared with  8 in 2024 and 9 in 2023 (the maximum). The 5 species in 2025 was the lowest total since 2018. Only a few species of damselflies were seen annually at this pond (minimum of 1, maximum of 3). The 2025 figure (3) was boosted by the arrival of a new species - Willow Emerald Damselfly.

Variation in the numbers of monthly records from Marsh Wood Pond between 2017-2025

In the above plot, the total numbers of records shows a general year on year increase from 2017 to 2024, but with an abrupt decline in 2025, back to levels last reported in 2020. The smaller number of damselfly records show no decline in 2025.

 

Variation in minimum numbers of total individual odonata from Marsh Wood Pond between 2017-2025

In the above plot, the minimum number of individual dragonflies recorded annually showed a marked decline between 2024 (60) and 2025 (24 or 40% of the 2024 figure). The 2025 figure is lowest since 2018.

The minimum numbers of damselflies seen each year varied substantially as occasionally high numbers are seen (e.g. 100-500) whereas more usually counts were much lower.  Hence, the overall figures tended to be strongly influenced by whether or not these occasional high counts had occurred during the year.

Conclusions from the analysis

From the analysis above, all three measures showed that 2025 was a poor year for dragonflies at Marsh Wood Pond, compared with recent previous years. The most marked decrease was in the minimum total numbers of dragonflies seen which declined to only 40% of the 2024 figure. The decreases seen in 2025 were sufficient to approximately reverse the general increases in species and numbers seen between the start of the survey in 2017 and 2024. Hence the figures for 2025 are similar to those last seen prior to about 2020. 

For damselflies, these trends are less clear, perhaps due to the small number of species found combined with the occasional large fluctuations in the numbers present during the monthly survey visits.

Julian Edwards reports that there were no out of the ordinary changes in the state of the pond in 2025 which might have directly contributed to the observed declines. The grass cutting regime on one side of the pond was carried out as usual, and although the water level dropped marginally in mid summer, it was not very different from previously.

The 2025 decrease in odonata in Oxfordshire 

The decline in the recorded dragonflies in 2025 for Marsh Wood Pond is in line with the impressions of several observers that 2025 was a poor year for odonata generally in Oxfordshire.  The numbers of exuviae recorded from a small garden pond in Steeple Aston also showed a large decrease this year. 

The summer of 2025 was the hottest on record in England and was also notable for drought conditions that persisted for most of the odonata season. However it is unclear what the mechanisms were for causing fewer odonata to be seen given the seemingly ideal conditions for them that persisted for much of the summer. 

Nationally, Adrian Parr (who is the Migrant Dragonflies Project Coordinator for the British Dragonfly Society) noted in late July that comments about levels of activity seemed rather varied. Some people were reporting that things in general had been good, but others said it had been quiet.

Adrian suggested then that it may indeed be possible for the weather to have been "too good" on occasion - maybe not always so much for the dragonflies, but for watching them. The dragonflies might have been present but only active near water at times of day when observers wouldn't normally look (i.e. early morning and/or late afternoon/evening). 

This accords with my own experience from a site in Scotland several years ago. On my first visit, which was in fine, dry weather, activity was quite high. However the next day it was much hotter and by the time I arrived on-site (mid morning) there was little to be seen. Presumably the species were still present but were just not showing themselves in the heat, unless they had dispersed which is another factor Adrian Parr has mentioned. 

However, this mechanism provides no explanation for the drop in Southern Hawker exuviae numbers seen in Steeple Aston this year. Hawkers and most other odonata have multi-year life-cycles so what happened in 2025 isn't necessarily the only factor that's involved in what we've been seeing. 

It will be interesting to see if anything more definitive is reported nationally now that the 2025 season has ended.

Whatever the cause of these decreases, let's hope there's a return towards more normal numbers in 2026!

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Julian Edwards for his extraordinarily diligent monthly record keeping since 2017 and for his very useful comments about the condition of Marsh Wood Pond in 2025.

Buckland Warren 13th November

I found a female Common Darter in Buckland Warren this morning.

David Hastings

Common Darter ♀ © David Hastings

Lockinge Brook, 8 November

By "mini-weir" where footpath crosses brook SU426877

1-2 Common Darter

Stephen Burch

Common Darter close-up [focus-stacked] © Stephen Burch

Steeple Aston - Southern Hawker emergences 2020-2025

Showing continued remarkable dedication, Deborah Dunn has now completed six years of daily monitoring of Southern Hawker emergences and exuviae at her small garden pond. 

The plot below shows weekly exuviae counts for the six years 2020-2025. Feedback from Deborah suggests that the lower totals in 2020 and 2021 can probably be attributed to shorter monitoring periods. 

For the years with full monitoring periods (2022-2025), the overall annual totals showed remarkable consistency, year on year, from 2022-2024. 

However this year only 20 exuviae were recorded, which was only 34% of the average for 2022-2024 (58) . 

This large drop is in line with comments from several other observers that 2025 has been a poor year for dragonfly numbers at many Oxfordshire sites. This poor showing is even more surprising given the seemingly ideal weather for prolonged periods - seemingly almost too good for dragonflies!

It will be interesting to learn if this reduction in numbers is reflected on a national scale and what explanations are proposed for it. 

Let us hope that activity picks up next year and returns to more normal levels. 

Any comments from others on numbers of dragonflies seen this year, compared with recent previous years would be very welcome. 

Stephen Burch

Weekly exuviae counts from a small garden pond in Steeple Aston for 2020 - 2025

Standlake Common 2nd November

At the gate to Langley Lane hide.

A male Common Darter was sunning itself on the new railings.

David Hastings

Common Darter ♂ © David Hastings

Standlake Common, 24 October

At the gate to the Langley Lane hide:

1 Common Darter - sunning itself on the new wooden fencing

Stephen Burch

Common Darter close-up © Stephen Burch

Standlake Common 5th October

All near the gate leading to Langley Lane hide.

Western Willow Spreadwing 1♀ (first site record?)
Migrant Hawker 1
Common Darter 2

David Hastings

Western Willow Spreadwing ♀ © David Hastings

Lockinge Brook. 4 October

1 Common Darter - sunning itself on the tarmac track near the weir. SU426877

Stephen Burch

Faringdon Folly Park Pond, 30 September

Blue-tailed Damselfly 1m
Migrant Hawker 2+
Southern Hawker 1
Common Darter 10+ including several tandem pairs ovipositing

Stephen Burch

Migrant Hawker © Stephen Burch

Lockinge Brook, 28 September

At weir by footpath SU426878

Below weir:

Common Darter 3 (1m, 1 tandem pair)
Willow Emerald Damselfly 1 (in buddleia bush)

Above weir:

Common Darter 2+ 

Stephen Burch

Letcombe Bassett Cress Beds, 25 September

1 Willow Emerald Damselfly (first site record)

Geoff Dymott

Willow Emerald Damselfly (c) Geoff Dymott

The Trap Grounds, Oxford 25th September

4 Willow Emeralds on the main pond early afternoon including two in tandem.

Adam Hartley 

Langford Fields, Bicester. 24 September

1m Willow Emerald Damselfly

Patricia Clissold

Willow Emerald Damselfly  (c) Patricia Clissold

Willow Emerald Damselfly  (c) Patricia Clissold

Farmoor, 19th September

Little Egret catching large numbers of Common Darters ( Pinkhill Hide )
Common Darters 10s but decreasing - see above
Migrant Hawkers 5

James Wainscoat

Little Egret catching a Common Darter (c) James Wainscoat 

Migrant Hawker (c) James Wainscoat 

Whitecross Green Wood, 19th September

Most activity at main pond.

Willow Emerald damselflies 2 pairs in tandem
Common and Ruddy Darter dragonflies 12+, many ovipositing
Southern Hawker dragonfly 1 or 2
Migrant Hawker dragonflies 3m, 1 f ovipositing

Phil Cruse

Willow Emerald Damselfly (c) Phil Cruse 

 

Migrant Hawker ovipositing (c) Phil Cruse 

Radley Lakes, 19th September

2 Willow Emeralds (males)
2 Migrant Hawker
1 Common Darter

Wayne Bull

Willow Emerald Damselfly (c) Wayne Bull 

Willow Emerald Damselfly (c) Wayne Bull 

Clattercote Reservoir, 19th September

Willow Emerald Damselfly - 2 m - new to site
Southern Hawker - 2
Migrant Hawker - 7+
Common & Ruddy Darter - 10+

Gareth Blockley 

Radley Lakes 19th September

Mainly at Orchard Lake, 14:30 to 15:30.

Common Blue Damselfly 2♂
Western Willow Spreadwing 3♂
Migrant Hawker 5
Common Darter 5

David Hastings

Western Willow Spreadwing ♂ © David Hastings

Oxford University Parks 13th September

 5 Common Darters

James Wainscott

Common Darter (c) James Wainscott 

Common Darters (c) James Wainscott 

Otmoor, 12 September

5 Migrant Hawkers ( mostly between 1st and 2nd screens )
6 Common Darters
1 Willow Emerald Damselfly (near the hide)

James Wainscoat

Willow Emerald Damselfly © James Wainscoat 

Common Darter © James Wainscoat

Migrant Hawker © James Wainscoat

University Parks, Oxford , 8 September

Pond

Willow Emerald Damselfly 1-2 , and oviposition scars
Migrant Hawker 2-5 
Ruddy Darter 2

River Cherwell

Willow Emerald Damselfly 

Jake Dudderidge

Willow Emerald Damselfly oviposition scars © Jake Dudderidge

Willow Emerald Damselfly  © Jake Dudderidge

Ruddy Darter © Jake Dudderidge

Otmoor 9th September

Western Willow Spreadwing 1♂ 1♀
Migrant Hawker 5
Common Darter 26

David Hastings

Western Willow Spreadwing ♀ © David Hastings

Letcombe Valley BBOWT, 9 September

On dried-up pond at northern end of reserve:

1-2 Common Darter

Perhaps there is some dampness back after the rains?

Stephen Burch

Peep-O-Day Lane, Abingdon, 5th September

Blue-tailed Damselfly 1
Willow Emerald Damselfly 2 tandem pair
Migrant Hawker 2 tandem pair
Common Darter 2 tandem pair
Ruddy Darter 2 tandem pair

Tim & Ali Baker

Otmoor, 5 September

3 Migrant Hawker

James Wainscoat

Migrant Hawker close up © James Wainscoat

Migrant Hawker © James Wainscoat

Grove Meadows Stormwater Pond, 6 September

2 Common Blue Damselfly 
2+ Small Red-eyed Damselfly
1 Blue-tailed Damselfly
10-20 Willow Emerald Damselfly
2 Migrant Hawker
1 Southern Hawker
2-3 Common Darter

Stephen Burch

Willow Emerald Damselfly © Stephen Burch

Farmoor 5th September

Western Willow Spreadwing 1♂ 2♀
Migrant Hawker 11♂
Common Darter 50+ (at least 10 females ovipositing, and 6 pairs in cop)

David Hastings

Migrant Hawker ♂ © David Hastings

Common Darters © David Hastings

Western Willow Spreadwings © David Hastings

Faringdon Folly Park Pond 5 September AM

Blue-tailed Damselfly 3+
Willow Emerald Damselfly 2 in cop (first site record?)
Small Red-eyed Damselfly 5+ (presumed way out on the floating vegetation)
Southern Hawker 1m
Migrant Hawker 3+
Common Darter 30+ mostly in tandem

Stephen Burch

Common Darters in cop. © Stephen Burch

Common Darter © Stephen Burch

Migrant Hawker in flight © Stephen Burch

Migrant Hawker [focus stacked] © Stephen Burch