Otmoor, 29 June

1 Norfolk Hawker - along the track to the second screen (near the starling viewing point).

Paul Wyeth

Norfolk Hawker © Paul Wyeth

Trap Grounds 27th June

First visit to the Trap Grounds for a while in sunny, post-heatwave conditions.

~6 Small Red-eyed Damselfly
3 Blue-tailed Damselfly
Lots of Azure Damselfly
Brown Hawker
Emperor

Emperor and two Banded Demoiselle along the canal. Also a probable fly-through Silver-washed Fritillary - a rarity for this site!

It's great to have the Small Red-eyed Damsels back again after going AWOL last year. There were some ovipositing pairs so hopefully their future is more secure at this site.

Small Red-eyed Damselfly distant record shot 
(with wrong camera settings to add to the poor quality)

 

New Oxon Dragonfly WhatsApp Group

Following the previous post on this topic, there seems to be some interest in a WhatsApp Group for Oxon Dragonflies, to run alongside, and be complementary to this Blog.

Hence I have setup the Oxon Dragonfly Forum WhatsApp Group. Below is an invite link for those wishing to join (assuming I set it up correctly!):

https://chat.whatsapp.com/CogcYwStSmS2ou1Q1TzY5c

Stephen Burch

Oxfordshire Dragonfly Recorder (VC23).

The initial icon for the group is Gareth Casburn's superb image of a Red-veined Darter at Blenheim:

Blenheim, 29 June

Red-veined Darters c. 5 on west side of Queen Pool in cool windy conditions

Wayne Bull

Red-veined Darter © Wayne Bull

Red-veined Darter © Wayne Bull

Bishop's Court Farm/John Allen Pit, Dorchester - Sun 28th

Willow Emerald Damselfly - c8 including a couple of tenerals.
Small Red-eyed Damselfly - c12.
Lesser Emperor - 1m.  Flushed from lakeside bushes.

Geoff Wyatt 

Small Red-eyed Damselfly © Geoff Wyatt

Small Red-eyed Damselfly © Geoff Wyatt

Willow Emerald Damselfly © Geoff Wyatt

Wroxton College Lakes, 27 June

Common Blue Damselfly 250+ across the site, many in tandem, several females ovipositing
Azure Damselfly 1m
Blue-tailed Damselfly 10m
Red-eyed Damselfly 3m plus pair in cop
Emperor 4m 1 fem ovipositing
Four-spotted Chaser 5
Black-tailed Skimmer 30m
Ruddy Darter 1m

Steve Holliday

Ruddy Darter © Steve Holliday

Four-spotted Chaser © Steve Holliday

Standlake Gravel Pits, 27 June

No RVD but significant numbers of Lesser Emperor. They are becoming almost common:

Pit 3 (SP391050), Pit 4 (SP392049) and Pit 10 (SP394052) - 6 individuals

Dix Pit - West side - at least 10 (nearly every bay/fishing swim seemed to have a LE).

Lesser Emperor in flight © Jeremy Dexter

Lesser Emperor perched © Jeremy Dexter

Blenheim, 27th June

Red-veined Darter - 20+

Note: the photos were taken on the west side of Queen Pool where all the geese congregate but were seen flying on both sides

Wayne Bull

All above: Red-veined Darters © Wayne Bull

Blenheim, 26 June

Red-veined Darters on the east side of Queen Pool, including 1 tandem pair ovipositing

Jeremy Dexter

Red-veined Darter © Jeremy Dexter

Red-veined Darter © Jeremy Dexter

Oxon Dragonfly WhatsApp Group?

In a comment on a recent post about the Red-veined Darters at Blenheim, Gareth Blockley suggested that maybe a WhatsApp group for odonata in the county could be a good idea for faster dissemination of news, comments etc. Much like the Oxon Birding Forum group, I presume. 

What do others think about this proposal?

If you would like to be included in such a group let me know in the comments. 

Stephen Burch

Lockinge/Ardington, 27 June

 Pool upstream of weir SU425877 :

1 Emperor
Blue Damsels

Pond south-west of Ardington village SU430881 :

Some of the trees to the south of this pond were felled last winter,, making a more open and sunnier than before. It seems to be having a positive effect for Odonata.

1m Broad-bodied Chaser (first site record)
1m Beautiful Demoiselle (first site record)

Stephen Burch

Farmoor Reservoir, 26 June

West end of causeway:

1 Lesser Emperor

Andy Last

Blenheim 26th June

Red-veined Darter - approximately 20 males seen today, but I don't think it's a stretch to estimate up to 50 must be present across the Queen Pool, and I haven't looked on the main lake where there may well be more. During a breezy spell about midday a number of males perched up exclusively on dead bits of vegetation on the east side of the Queen Pool, and were very approachable. It was apparent the colouration was quite variable on the thorax especially, with one or two obviously more vividly red with brighter markings and veins than others, as the two images illustrate. Do they darken with maturation?

Lesser Emperor - One male was particularly conspicuous on the eastern side of the Queen Pool while watching the RVDs. I think there are probably nearly as many Lessers as Emperors here now.

Faringdon Folly Park Pond, 26 June

c. 09:45 - 11:30

Small Red-eyed Damselfly c. 10 inc 1 pair in cop.
Red-eyed Damselfly - numerous
Azure Damselfly -  numerous
Emperor - several males and at least 2 females ovipositing
Four-spotted Chaser - c. 20?
Black-tailed Skimmer - c. 10?

No sign of any Red Darters or Lesser Emperors!

Stephen Burch

Small Red-eyed damselfly (not fully mature) in flight © Stephen Burch

Red=eyed Damselfly [focus stacked] © Stephen Burch

Black-tailed Skimmer  © Stephen Burch

Aston 25th June

This Emperor Dragonfly was hung up on the tree in next door's garden at 19:45 this evening.

David Hastings

Emperor Dragonfly © David Hastings

Blenheim, 25 June

North End of Queen Pool  07:45 - 11:00.

The RVDs were best viewed from the shade of a large tree at about SP440169. Moving very fast and generally distant.

Red-veined Darter 10+ including pairs in cop. and ovipositing. First breeding record for Oxfordshire?! 
Red-eyed Damselfly
Common Blue Damselfly
Emperor
Black-tailed Skimmer

Stephen Burch and Gareth Casburn

Distant Red-veined Darters in cop. and ovipositing (record shot) © Stephen Burch

Whitecross Green Wood - 25th June

 07:35 to 08:55 (all records from car park). Peter Law

Southern Migrant Hawker (imm) @ 08:08

Southern Migrant Hawker - just 2 immatures still in the car park and adjacent clearing this morning. All three of my pictures this week have been from the same spot

2 Emperor (male and female blue form)
1 Brown Hawker
1 Beautiful Demoiselle (male)

Beautiful Demoiselle (male)

Blenheim 24th June

Red-veined Darter - approximately 10 males over the northern end of the Queen Pool, could well have been more. This was the only darter species I saw or photographed and there were a good number of them constantly over the water.

West Hanney - Letcombe Brook, 24 June

A short walk along the Brook and surrounding area (c. 10:00-11:00):

Banded Demoiselle - plenty in the shaded vegetation surrounding the Brook; fewer on the Brook itself - tending to perch in the shade.

Nice to come across good numbers, following their no show at Goring on 19 June!

Stephen Burch

Blenheim 23rd June

A photo of the Norfolk Hawker from this morning's visit with Steve. Only seen for about 20 seconds in the couple of hours we were there.

Blenheim, 23 June

10:30 - 12:30 

1 Norfolk Hawker (v briefly, c. 11:30). About 100m along the track to the east of the Gareth's original location
2+ Lesser Emperor
Emperor
1 Brown Hawker
Four-spotted Chaser
Numerous blue damselflies

Stephen Burch with Gareth Casburn

Lesser Emperor (distant) © Stephen Burch

Whitecross Green Wood - 23rd June

 07:30 to 09:00 (all records from car park). Peter Law

Southern Migrant Hawker (imm) @ 07:30

Southern Migrant Hawker (imm male - see comments)

Southern Migrant Hawker - c6 immatures less prominent than yesterday, maybe some have dispersed. Most became active around 08:30

Emperor - 1 female blue form
Ruddy Darter - 2 imm males
Beautiful Demoiselle - 2 female

Emperor (worn female blue form)

Ruddy Darter (imm male)

Beautiful Demoiselle (fem)

Whitecross Green Wood 22nd June

12:45 to 14:15

Southern Migrant Hawker : at least seven immatures, 5 over the car park and two down the main ride.
Azure Damselfly: 20+
White-legged Damselfly : 1f 
Emperor Dragonfly: 2
Four-spotted Chaser: 2
Ruddy Darter: 1
Black-tailed Skimmer: 1

David Hastings

Ruddy Darter ♂ © David Hastings

Whitecross Green Wood - 20th and 22nd June

Southern Migrant Hawker (imm)

Southern Migrant Hawker - 10+ immatures flying in the car park on both mornings, and singles along the short ride from there on each day

Emperor - 1 (22nd)
Black-tailed Skimmer (imm or fem) - 1 (20th)

Ruddy Darters (a few on both days)
White-legged Damselfly - 2 (20th)

NB. All non-SMH records are also from the car park, 08:55 - 10:30. I didn't look further.

Peter Law

John Allen Pit, Bishop's Court Farm, Dorchester. Sun 21st

Norfolk Hawker, male. Seen briefly but well through bins in bushes at the south end of John Allen Pit. Unfortunately it flew off before photos and not seen again.

Lesser Emperor 4 (3 m, 1 f)

Geoff Wyatt 

Tar Lakes, 21st June

10:00 to 11:30

Banded Demoiselle 1f
Common Blue Damselfly 250+
Blue-tailed Damselfly 4
Red-eyed Damselfly 4
Emperor Dragonfly 10
Lesser Emperor 2
Brown Hawker 1
Black-tailed Skimmer 15+
Four-spotted Chaser 15+
Common Darter 20+

Most of the Common Darters were teneral, so there must have been a mass emergence yesterday or today.

David Hastings

Black-tailed Skimmer (teneral ♀) © David Hastings 

Grimsbury Reservoir and Upper Cherwell Valley, 21st June

Grimsbury Reservoir

1 Hairy Dragonfly

Borrow Pit pool, Upper Cherwell Valley

1 Hairy Dragonfly

15+ teneral darters, 1 confirmed as Ruddy and 5 confirmed as Common

Common species were numerous, but also per Stephen B's note - very few Banded Demoiselles and no Beautiful noted and we didn't seem to get the big peak in numbers like usual.

Tar Lakes, 19 June

4-5 Lesser Emperors in the Tar Lakes complex some looking quite worn. 
Also 1 'Red' Darter but couldn't narrow down to species.

Jeremy Dexter

Lesser Emperor in flight © Jeremy Dexter

Blenheim 19th June

Norfolk Hawker - a male in the same area of the main lake (SP431163) as last year giving fantastic views as it patrolled a small territory, regularly perching on the lakeside vegetation.

Lesser Emperor - a tandem pair ovipositing on the area of the Queen Pool near the Fisheries Cottage, and one other male.

No sign of the Red-veined Darter today.

Gareth Casburn

Norfolk Hawker © Gareth Casburn

Norfolk Hawker in flight © Gareth Casburn

Lesser Emperor tandem pair ovipositing © Gareth Casburn

Lesser Emperor tandem pair ovipositing © Tess Wright

Video of Lesser Emperor tandem pair ovipositing © Tess Wright

Radley Lakes, 19 June

3 Lesser Emperor: 2 on Bullfield lake and 1 on a new pool for them at SU5164097309.

Wayne Bull

Radley Lakes 19th June

Mainly Orchard Lake 14:30 to 15:30

Azure Damselfly 20+
Common Blue Damselfly 10+
Red-eyed Damselfly 12+
Emperor Dragonfly 1
Hairy Hawker 1
Black-tailed Skimmer 7
Four-spotted Chaser 4 
Ruddy Darter 2

David Hastings

Red-eyed Damselfly ♂ © David Hastings

Ruddy Darter (imm ♀) © David Hastings

Dry Sandford Pit 19th June

Beautiful Demoiselle 4

Large Red Damselfly 1

Azure Damselfly 1

Common Blue Damselfly 1

Southern Damselfly 9

Broad-bodied Chaser 1

David Hastings

Southern Damselfly ♂ © David Hastings

River Thames downstream from Goring, 19 June

White-legged Damselfly 5+: downstream end of Little Meadow

No sign of any Clubtails over the river or on the bushes.

Remarkable absence of Banded Demoiselle as well - none seen! Has anyone else noticed a lack of this normally numerous species this year?

Stephen Burch

White-legged Damselfly [focus-stacked] © Stephen Burch

White-legged Damselfly [focus-stacked] © Stephen Burch

Whitecross Green Wood, 19 June

(Southern?) Migrant Hawker.  8-10 ( none seen anywhere else) - see note below
Emperor     6 incl. ovipositing
Hairy Dragonfly  One at the westerly pond
Common/Ruddy Darter    10 plus imm. along the rides
Four spot Chaser   7
Large Red Damselfly    1
Common Blue Damselfly    2 at least
Azure Damselfly     30 at least
Blue tailed Damselfly    4
Beautiful Demoiselle     1 male
Banded Demoiselle        1 male
Black tailed Skimmer      3
Broad bodied Chaser   1 fem. Ovipositing
White legged Damselfly   4 along the rides.  

John Edwards

Note John has provided the following description of the 8-10 hawkers he saw in the car park:

"In the car park  were 8-10 hawkers zooming about in a loose group. I initially thought of Southern Migrant Hawker due to their yellow colouring but that number seems not feasible. I then thought Migrant Hawker but surely too early? I have never seen this amount of yellow immatures before, let alone in June.  They did not settle at all and were too fast for a photo of any kind"

Any thoughts anyone?

Ruddy Darter © John Edwards

White-legged Damselfly © John Edwards

Emperor ovipositing © Phil Cruse